Tracing Material Critical Points: From Animal Fat to Alcohol Solvents

The halal status of a product is not determined by its final form. It is determined by the origin of each ingredient and how that ingredient is processed. These two things are what most often go unchecked.

Ingredients that appear neutral can harbor critical points. Conversely, ingredients that sound unfamiliar are not necessarily problematic. What determines it is the source and production pathway.

Four Examples of Critical Points

Animal fat and shortening

Shortening is solid fat from animals used for frying and baking. Lard, which comes from pigs, is absolutely haram. Therefore, the halal status of shortening depends on its source.

This ingredient is commonly used in cookies, pastry, donuts, instant noodles, and packaged fried products. Alternatives are palm oil, coconut oil, vegetable margarine, or shortening from halal-certified beef fat.

Pepsin

Pepsin is a protein-digesting enzyme from the stomach of pigs or cattle. It is used in the cheese and pharmaceutical industries. Its status depends on the source.

Available alternatives are pepsin from halal-certified beef stomach or microbial protease enzymes. The use of pepsin is also found in digestive enzyme supplements and some pharmaceutical products.

Alcohol-solvent propolis

Propolis comes from bees. Its source is halal. The critical point is in the extraction process, which generally uses high-concentration ethanol.

Alternatives are water-based propolis extract (water-based or glycerin-based extract) or alcohol-free propolis powder. These products are commonly found in immune supplements, herbal mouthwash, and traditional wound care products.

Isinglass

Isinglass is a fining agent from fish swim bladders. It is commonly used in beer and wine. Its status depends on the source.

For non-alcoholic beverage products, plant-based fining agents such as bentonite or carrageenan can be alternatives. The use of isinglass is also found in some packaged juices.

Why Tracing Becomes Key

The four examples above show the same pattern. The name of the ingredient is not enough. What needs to be known is the origin of the ingredient, the processing method, and the processing aids used.

Material tracing is part of the Halal Product Assurance System. The regulations are also moving in a more organized direction. Law Number 6 of 2023 simplifies the certification process, introduces a halal statement scheme for UMK (micro and small enterprises), and opens the way for the Halal Product Fatwa Committee.

On the implementation side, Government Regulation Number 42 of 2024 regulates the procedures for the establishment, accreditation, scope of activities, and revocation of approval of LPH (Halal Inspection Agencies), as well as the appointment and dismissal of Halal Auditors.

For inspection, the Head of BPJPH Decision Number 78 of 2025 contains guidelines for LPH accreditation, including requirements, Pratama and Utama qualifications, scope of competence, costs, application flow, surveillance, and witness assessment, with reference to SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012.

BPJPH services themselves are detailed in Head of BPJPH Decision Number 243 of 2025. This decision sets out 27 types of services complete with requirements, timeframes, and tariffs, including LPH accreditation, registration of LP3H and PPH Assistants, issuance of halal certificates, and facilitation codes.

Practical Steps for Tracing Materials

1. Collect material documents from suppliers. Request specifications, data sheets, and information on material origin.
2. Separate materials by category, for example animal-derived, alcohol derivatives, or processing aids.
3. Mark materials whose status depends on the source, such as shortening, pepsin, alcohol-solvent propolis, and isinglass.
4. Trace processing aids. Solvents, fining agents, and enzymes are often not listed on consumer labels.
5. For risky materials, look for alternatives with clear origins, such as vegetable oils, microbial enzymes, water extracts, or plant-based fining agents.
6. Record the tracing results in a material registry. Update whenever there is a change in supplier or formulation.

It should be noted, the determination of halal status is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. Halal certificates are only issued by BPJPH. Therefore, this article does not definitively state that a product is halal or haram.

What businesses can do is ensure that documents and material tracing are in order. The more complete the trace of material origin, the smaller the room for questions during inspection.

To organize material registries, critical points, and audit readiness in one place, IndoHalal.id provides an SJPH platform that helps businesses manage all criteria of the Halal Product Assurance System.