‘Saudi Arabia to make halal certification mandatory for more than 100 products’; Milk, ghee and cakes included

Riyadh: The Halal Center under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority has decided to make halal certification mandatory for more products shipped into Saudi Arabia. The design code is already ready. Discussions on this are progressing in Saudi Arabia. The plan is to be executed by next year.

Currently, Saudi Arabia only needs a halal certification for meat and related products. But the officials have decided to prolong this to more products. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, edible oils, oils such as cow ghee, bakery products such as biscuits, chocolate, cakes, candies, jellies, frozen food items such as pasta, pizza, noodles, energy-sports drinks, sauces, sauces. The current halal certification is compulsory for more than 100 products, including nutritional supplements and baby foods, as well as long-lasting food and beverages.

The law will be implemented in two phases; Last year, a draft order was sketched to take impact from July 2021, but it was not final. Officials are currently operating to execute the law in two states. The first phase will start from January 2022 and the second phase from July 1, 2022. In the first phase, halal certification will be mandatory for milk, edible oil, bakery items, frozen food items, and in the second phase, including energy drinks.

Companies will suffer; It is approximated that the new halal certification system will include more than 100 currencies managed daily by people in Saudi Arabia. This will be a hindrance for many import companies. It is estimated that it will be difficult to export these products from shipping nations where there are no halal certification agencies accredited by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.

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Only 69 agencies are accredited; Saudi law states that only products certified by halal certification agencies approved by the Saudi halal center in their particular countries will be imported. Now, 69 halal certification agencies are authorized by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in different parts of the world. Halal certification is granted to products that meet certain production standards under Saudi law and guarantee the best quality.