BPJPH Head Decree 57/2021: SJPH Criteria and Their Consequences for Business Actors

BPJPH Head Decree Number 57 of 2021 on the Criteria for the Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH) is the main reference for implementing SJPH on the business actor side. This regulation contains five criteria that must be met. Kepka 57/2021 was later amended by Kepka 20/2023. For business actors, this change is not merely an administrative matter. There are practical consequences that need to be understood from the outset.

The Five Criteria That Must Be Met

Kepka 57/2021 sets out five SJPH criteria. First, commitment and responsibility. Second, materials. Third, the halal product process. Fourth, the product. Fifth, monitoring and evaluation. These five criteria are interrelated. A weakness in one criterion will affect the overall assessment.

The commitment and responsibility criterion requires a written and implemented halal policy. This is not a document kept in a cupboard. The policy must be visible in daily practice, for example in the appointment of responsible personnel and the allocation of resources.

The materials criterion requires business actors to trace the origin of every material used. Materials classified as critical points require more attention. An example is L-Cysteine (E920), which historically was extracted from human hair or poultry feathers. There is also taurine, which historically came from cattle bile, although it is now generally synthetic. Animal fat or shortening also needs its source to be verified, because lard from pigs is absolutely haram. For materials like these, business actors need to prepare alternatives that are halal-certified, for example L-Cysteine produced by microbial fermentation or shortening from halal-certified beef fat.

The halal product process criterion covers production lines, facilities, and procedures. If one line is used for products with different material statuses, business actors must be able to demonstrate controls that prevent cross-contamination.

The product criterion requires consistency between the registered formula and the product actually produced. Meanwhile, the monitoring and evaluation criterion requires internal audits and follow-up on findings.

Practical Consequences in the Field

First, business actors can no longer rely on verbal statements from suppliers. Every critical-point material requires supporting documents that can be traced. This means additional work in procurement and quality assurance.

Second, the monitoring and evaluation criterion requires an ongoing internal audit cycle. Internal audits are not a one-off activity before certification. They must become part of the routine.

Third, the amendment of Kepka 57/2021 by Kepka 20/2023 indicates that this criteria framework is not static. Business actors need to ensure that their documents and procedures follow the version in force.

Fourth, there are critical points that are often overlooked, for example gelatin capsule shells in medicines and supplements. For products of this kind, business actors need to consider vegetable capsules (HPMC) or halal-certified beef gelatin capsules.

Limits That Need to Be Understood

Fulfilling the SJPH criteria is part of the business actor's efforts. However, determining the halal status of a product is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. Halal certificates are issued only by BPJPH. Therefore, business actors should not conclude the halal status of their products themselves, even if all the criteria have been met.

The accreditation framework for halal inspection bodies also has its own standard, namely SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012, which governs impartiality, confidentiality, personnel competence, and complaint and appeal management. This standard is the reference in LPH accreditation, including through BPJPH Head Decree 78/2025 on Guidelines for Accreditation of Halal Inspection Bodies. For business actors, this means that inspections are carried out by bodies bound by competence and impartiality requirements.

A Realistic First Step

Business actors can start by mapping the materials used and marking which ones are classified as critical points. After that, compile a list of supporting documents that are available and those still lacking. The next step is to check whether the halal policy is already written and implemented, and whether internal audits are already running.

This gradual approach helps business actors see where they stand before facing an inspection. Fulfilling the five SJPH criteria is not a one-time job, but part of how a business is managed.

To help map readiness, IndoHalal.id provides an SJPH platform that enables business actors to manage halal policy, material registries, critical points, internal audits, and BPJPH certification readiness in a single application.