According to Market Research Report, the global supplement market is projected to be worth a staggering $349.4 billion by 2026. People all over the world are buying more vitamins, minerals, amino acids, botanicals, protein powders, and other dietary supplements, which is driven by changing lifestyles, more understanding of health and nutrition, and higher disposable incomes. Why is halal certification important to this sector of the economy? a mix of product types and market sizes. There will be a significant demand among young, health-conscious Muslims worldwide including in the US and Europe. According to Pew Research, the Asia-Pacific area, where there are 986 million Muslims worldwide, is likely to have some of the fastest growth in the supplement market.
Given that the majority of products in this industry are heavily processed, halal certification is particularly significant. Muslim buyers all across the world want to be certain that anything they purchase is free of substances produced from animals not killed in line with Islamic custom, alcohol, and pork. As almost all dietary supplements and nutraceuticals come in processed forms, it is impossible to know what each constituent is. Certain goods, whether they be prepared foods, beverages, or supplements, cannot be presumed to be Halal by practicing Muslims unless they have received certification to that effect. One cannot be certain of the precise contents, unlike with an apple or a potato, for example. Every supplement that is purchased by Muslims will have a noticeable Halal seal on the package.
Furthermore, a lot of supplements do contain substances that are prohibited by Islamic law. For instance, whey protein products must be certified since whey is made using the rennet enzyme, which can be derived from microbial or bovine sources. For the rennet and thus the whey to be regarded as Halal, it must come from cows that were slaughtered in accordance with Islamic dietary rules. Market Data Forecast projects that the global whey protein market will reach $7.4 billion this year, with $2.64 billion of that amount coming from North America and $2.79 billion from Europe.
Young American and European Muslims who are interested in health and nutrition while upholding their religious traditions must be marketed to with halal-certified whey. The Asia-Pacific region, which is expected to grow quickly and reach $1.57 billion in 2025, is also significant. Whey protein producers should make sure that their goods are certified by a globally renowned Halal certifier such as ISA in order to appeal to the sizable Muslim populations of India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Moreover, non-Halal beef or pork gelatin is frequently used in gummy vitamins for kids or in capsules for vitamins, minerals, or other supplements. According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, several popular supplements such as collagen, amino acids, proteins, fatty acids, certain vitamins, and many others are frequently – or exclusively – obtained from animal sources. These items require Halal certification in order to reassure Muslim customers that the ingredients do not come from pork or non-Halal-certified animals because there are so many supplements that may not be permitted.
The widespread replacement and adulteration that afflicts the business is another reason why Halal certification can increase the value of supplements and nutraceuticals. Supplements are among the most adulterated items on the market and are only loosely controlled. Government organizations like the FDA or the USDA cannot guarantee that supplements contain exactly what they claim to, let alone that they are completely safe to use. By tracing the sourcing and handling at each stage of the process and certifying the contents and their purity, halal certification allays these worries for Muslims and non-Muslims equally.
Halal Certification Process for Pharmaceuticals and Supplements
The halal certification procedure for pharmaceutical goods is comparable to the standard halal certification procedure, however, there are a few key distinctions. Each medication is individually assessed based on its formulation, production process, use case, and other significant variables because these goods have technically challenging and distinctive applications.
The product development cycle and production process are also examined by AHF, which compares them to halal bioethics. For items that are often not consumable, certain pharmaceutical medications may be granted conditional certification. The halal certification procedure for supplements generally follows the same guidelines as the standard halal certification procedure, which involves assessing the product’s compliance from the standpoint of the ingredients and production process to make sure the halal identity is not jeopardized at any point during production. To make sure the procedure is as effective as possible, AHF aims to integrate with already-existing quality systems like GMP.
Halal Certification Involving Contract Manufacturers
Below is a description of the certification procedure when using contracted third-party manufacturers (CMOs).
While making some contractual tweaks to make sure the manufacturer is contractually required to be in compliance with the halal certification requirements, the essential evaluation concepts will stay the same. By developing a framework for evaluating and adding products and manufacturers, AHF aims to dynamically create adaptive systems that allow clients to add manufacturers and items to their halal certificate/license.
Commercial Prospect of Halal Pharmaceuticals and Supplements
Companies can obtain access to worldwide markets by being halal certified. The product would need to be halal in order to be imported into nations like Indonesia. The regulatory halal body in Malaysia, JAKIM, also has a unique standard for halal medicines called MS2424:2012.
From the standpoint of the consumer, the accessibility of a halal-certified pharmaceutical or dietary supplement product in comparison to a non-halal-certified product is crucial because halal certification is the primary motivator of purchasing for halal consumers worldwide.
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open claims that dietary supplements may have active pharmaceuticals added to them even if they are represented as being entirely botanical or that cheaper components may be used in place of more expensive ones that are stated. The FDA discovered approximately 750 supplement brands that had been tainted with pharmacological chemicals between 2007 and 2016. Their customary response was to urge a voluntary recall, which was frequently ignored. The quality and safety of dietary supplements are therefore subjects of legitimate concern for a large number of customers. Whether or not a person is Muslim, the additional security of a Halal certification increases consumer confidence that the product contains high-quality, precisely specified ingredients.