Halal Certification Process

Five simple steps for granting Halal certificate:

1. Halal certification application

2. Application evaluation
3. Halal certification agreement and price quote
4. On-site audit
5. Certification decision

On-site audit process:

1. Opening meeting
2. Document review and evaluation
3. Plant inspection, step by step
4. Closing meeting
5. Audit report

Refusal to grant halal certification:

IFANCC may refuse the halal certification application or refuse to issue a document verifying compliance
with the halal requirements if:

1. In IFANCC’s reasonable opinion the client does not comply or fails to comply with the halal
requirements, halal standards, or Islamic law.
2. In IFANCC’s reasonable opinion the client fails to comply with any of the obligations under the
halal certification agreement.

Policy for suspension, withdrawal, or reduction of the halal certification:

The halal certification may be suspended if:

1. The client persistently or seriously fails to meet the halal certification requirements.
2. The client refuses to allow IFANCC to conduct surveillance or recertification audits.
3. The client requests suspension of the halal certificate.

The halal certification may be withdrawn if:

1. The client fails to meet any of the terms and conditions in the halal certification agreement.
2. The client fails to resolve any suspension issues within the defined time.
3. The client requests withdrawal of the certificate.

The scope of halal certification may be reduced if:

1. The client fails to resolve any suspension issues that affect only some of the halal certified
products within the defined time.
2. Some of the halal certified products fail to meet the halal requirements.
3. The client requests a reduction in scope.

Policy for maintaining, extending and renewing the halal certificate:

1. To maintain the halal certificate, client must continue complying with the halal requirements.
 2. IFANCC may conduct surveillance audits to ensure that facility continue to meet the halal
requirements.
3. To extend the certification scope, client must submit a request to IFANCC. Evaluation and
approval decision are required before extending any certificate.
4. If necessary, IFANCC may conduct surveillance audit before the approval decision.
5. For certification renewal, please submit a request to [email protected]

Procedure for suspension, withdrawal, reduction, maintenance, extension, and renewal of halal
certificate:

1. All issues related to suspension, withdrawal, or reduction are reviewed by the Halal Certification
Committee of IFANCC.
2. The Halal Certification Committee of IFANCC is responsible for making all decisions related to
halal certification including: granting, maintaining, renewing, extending, reducing, suspending,
and withdrawing of the halal certification.
3. The client is notified of the Halal Certification Committee’s decision immediately.
4. Suspended, withdrawn, and reduced certificates become invalid starting on the notification date.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us at [email protected]

About Halal
Halal is an Arabic word meaning “lawful” or “permitted”. The opposite of halal is haram, which means “unlawful” or
“prohibited”. When it comes to food and consumables, halal is the dietary standard of Muslims. All pure and clean
things are considered halal except for the few following exceptions:

• Swine/pork and its by-products

• Animals improperly slaughtered or dead before slaughtering
• Animals killed in the name of anyone other than ALLAH (God)
• Alcohol and intoxicants
• Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and land animals without external ears
• Blood and blood by-products
• Foods contaminated with any of the above products

While many things are clearly halal or clearly haram, there are some things that are not clear. These items are
considered questionable or suspect, and more information is needed to categorize them as halal or haram. Such
items are often referred to as mashbooh, which means “doubtful” or “questionable”. Foods containing ingredients
such as gelatin, enzymes, emulsifiers, etc. would be mashbooh because, more often than not, the origin of these
ingredients is not known.

About Us
Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of Canada

The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of Canada (IFANCC) is Canada’s leading Halal certifying organization.
Our organization offers Halal supervision and certification services in Canada. Canada has Muslim population
of 1 million. Thus, there is a tremendous economic opportunity for Canadian companies to meet the needs of
Muslims for Halal food products.

The food industry not only needs to understand Halal requirements for different countries and the principles of
Halal but also needs an understanding of the organizations which would best meet their needs –
organizations which can service their global needs and are acceptable to the countries of import.
The IFANCC Halal certificate is an authoritative, reliable and independent testimony to support your claim as
a manufacturer or operator that your products meet Halal requirements. Muslim consumers will have greater
confidence in consuming such products. If you are an exporter, the certificate may also help meet the
importing country’s trade entry requirements. This may enhance your products’ marketability. Our Halal
certificate is an internationally accepted means to assure the Halal status of foods.

Your company will get the expertise of the IFANCC staff in reviewing your products, the ingredients, the
preparation and processing and the hygiene and sanitation procedures. Of course, this is all done
confidentially so there is no concern of competitors learning anything about the products. However, it does
provide an independent third party quality assurance step, which is valued by the consumer.

IFANCC has developed a documented procedure for producing Halal products. The procedure is consistent
with various quality assurance standards and is easily implemented. We also help companies to develop
Halal standards and prepare them for Halal certification. IFANCC works with the companies every step of the
way to make sure all questions are answered and the Halal procedures are integrated into the standard
operating procedures.

IFANCC provides training in Halal to the key personnel, who pass on this training to the other staff so they
know proper methods of production. IFANCC provides consulting on product development, marketing and
quality assurance to help roll out new products for the Halal consumer. IFANCC offices are available for this
consultation year-round and it is part of the services we provide to client companies.

Global Recognition /Professional Membership:

How it Works
Acquiring Halal Certification is easy and affordable. Here is a step-by-step list of the procedure:

• An application is filled out requesting Halal supervision and certification.

• There are Four easy ways of sending the Halal application form to IFANCC:

1. Through our website at www.ifancc.org

2. By Fax: 905 275 3330
3. By Email: [email protected]
4. By mail: 206-130 Dundas Street E, Mississauga, ON L5A 3V8

• A confidential audit of the production facility is conducted to include the explanation of all
matters pertinent to Halal, to review production process for products, evaluate ingredients and
assess the hygiene / sanitation aspects of the production lines.
• Company provides necessary documents and information like specification sheets, labels, flow
charts, cleaning procedures and other details of the production.
• A confidential agreement and logo use agreement are signed by both parties.
• In case of private label brand, PL agreement is signed in addition to the main agreement.
• In case of co-packer, 3 party agreement is signed in addition to the main agreement.
• Plant Registration and Halal Product Certificate are generally issued for one year. However, in
case of meat and gelatin based products, only Batch Product Certificates are issued based on the
Halal production.
• Once registered and certified, IFANCC authorizes the use of IFANCC Halal symbol on product
labels.