Halal Certification — GHC
CAS is the exclusive Egypt partner of Global Halal Control Office (GHC). Halal certification against OIC/SMIIC 1:2019, GSO 2055-1:2015, UAE.S 2055-1:2015, and BPJPH 2023, issued by GHC as the certification body. A non-accredited service delivered through a partner certification body: outside the EGAC accredited scope, with no EGAC or IAF mark. GHC also certifies against the full OIC/SMIIC halal series: cosmetics (OIC/SMIIC 4), food service (6), halal tourism and wellness spa (9, 8), halal supply chain (17-1, 17-2, 17-3), halal quality management (18), edible gelatine (22), animal feed (23), food additives (24), pharmaceuticals (50-1) and hygiene and sanitation management (51).
Standard
OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 · GSO 2055-1:2015 · UAE.S 2055-1:2015 · BPJPH 2023 · full OIC/SMIIC halal series
Service type
Exclusive partner CB
Issued under
Exclusive partner CB
What it is
Halal certification verifies that products and processes comply with Islamic dietary law and ethical standards across the entire food chain — from raw materials to final product. Global Halal Control Office (GHC), headquartered in Jordan, is the certification body that issues the Halal certificate. CAS is GHC's exclusive authorised partner in Egypt: CAS conducts the audit and technical assessment, and the certificate is issued by GHC. Acceptance of the certificate depends on the authority of the destination country — always check the recognition requirements of your export market (each country's competent authority publishes its own list of recognised Halal bodies).
Who needs it
Food and beverage manufacturers, slaughterhouses, catering and food service companies, cosmetics producers, pharmaceutical and supplement manufacturers, logistics and cold-chain operators — any organisation targeting Muslim-majority markets or buyers requiring Halal-certified supply chains.
Standards we certify against
OIC/SMIIC 1:2019
General Requirements for Halal Food — the standard of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), adopted across 57 OIC member states. Covers sources of halal food, slaughtering rules, food processing, machinery, storage, hygiene, traceability, and labelling requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 2:2019
Conformity Assessment — Requirements for Bodies Providing Halal Certification. The SMIIC standard that sets the competence, impartiality and process requirements for halal certification bodies. It mainly draws on ISO/IEC 17065, with normative references to ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/TS 22003. GHC operates its halal certification scheme in line with OIC/SMIIC 2:2019.
OIC/SMIIC 4:2018
Halal Cosmetics – General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 6:2019
Particular requirements for the application of OIC/SMIIC 1 to places where Halal food and beverages are prepared, stored and served.
OIC/SMIIC 8:2025
Halal Tourism Services – Classification for Wellness Spa.
OIC/SMIIC 9:2019
Halal Tourism Services – General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 17-1:2020
Halal Supply Chain Management System – Part 1: Transportation – General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 17-2:2020
Halal Supply Chain Management System – Part 2: Warehousing – General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 17-3:2020
Halal Supply Chain Management System – Part 3: Retailing – General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 18:2021
Halal Quality Management System – Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 22:2021
Halal Edible Gelatine – Requirements and Test Methods.
OIC/SMIIC 23:2022
Feeding Stuffs for Halal Animals – General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 24:2020
General Requirements for Food Additives and Other Added Chemicals to Halal Food.
OIC/SMIIC 50-1:2022
Halal Pharmaceuticals – Part 1: General Requirements.
OIC/SMIIC 51:2022
Hygiene and Sanitation Management System – Requirements.
GSO 2055-1:2015
Halal Food — Part 1: General Requirements, issued by the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO). Mandatory for halal food imports and market access across GCC member states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman).
UAE.S 2055-1:2015
UAE National Standard for Halal Food — Part 1: General Requirements. Required for products entering the UAE market and widely accepted across the Emirates for imported halal food products.
BPJPH Decree Nr. 20 of 2023
Indonesia — Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal (BPJPH) regulations governing halal product certification for the Indonesian market, the world's largest Muslim-majority country. Required for food and beverage products exported to Indonesia.
Scope categories
Food & Beverages
All food products, beverages, food ingredients, additives, and flavourings requiring Halal verification across the production process.
Meat & Poultry
Slaughterhouses and meat processing facilities requiring verification of Zabiha (Halal slaughter) procedures, slaughterer qualifications, and segregation controls.
Cosmetics & Personal Care
Cosmetics, personal care, and hygiene products — creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos — where ingredient sourcing and manufacturing processes must be verified as Halal.
Pharmaceuticals & Supplements
Medicines, nutritional supplements, vitamins, and health products — especially gelatine capsules and excipients — requiring Halal status verification.
Logistics & Cold Chain
Storage, transport, and distribution facilities handling Halal products where segregation from non-Halal goods must be demonstrated.
Key requirements
Sources of food
All ingredients must be sourced from Halal-permitted animals, plants, or minerals. Prohibited sources include pigs and their derivatives, blood, carrion, animals not slaughtered per Islamic rites, and intoxicants.
Slaughtering rules
Animals for consumption must be slaughtered by a Muslim, while invoking the name of Allah (Tasmiyah), using a sharp blade ensuring rapid severance of the jugular vein and carotid artery. Stunning is subject to strict conditions.
Processing & production
Equipment, utensils, and production lines must be free from Najis (impure substances). Separate production lines or validated cleaning procedures required where non-Halal products are also produced.
Segregation & traceability
Halal products must be segregated from non-Halal throughout storage, transport, and handling. Full traceability from raw material to finished product required.
Hygiene & sanitation
Facilities must comply with applicable food safety and hygiene standards, including GHP and HACCP principles.
Packaging & labelling
Packaging materials must be Halal-compliant. Labels must correctly identify the Halal status and bear the GHC certification mark where required.
Benefits of certification
- Certificate issued by GHC (Global Halal Control Office), the Jordan-based halal certification body, with CAS as its exclusive Egypt partner
- Covers four Halal standards simultaneously: OIC/SMIIC 1:2019, GSO 2055-1:2015, UAE.S 2055-1:2015, BPJPH 2023
- Also certifies against the full OIC/SMIIC halal series: cosmetics (OIC/SMIIC 4), food service (6), halal tourism and wellness spa (9, 8), halal supply chain (17-1, 17-2, 17-3), halal quality management (18), edible gelatine (22), animal feed (23), food additives (24), pharmaceuticals (50-1) and hygiene and sanitation management (51).
- Access to 2+ billion Muslim consumers across GCC, Southeast Asia, North Africa, and beyond
- Required by many importers and retailers in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Indonesia
- Covers food, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, supplements, and logistics operations
- CAS is GHC's exclusive authorised certification partner in Egypt
- Annual audit maintains certificate currency and market credibility
- Halal certificate issued by GHC — GHC's website: https://halalconformity.com
Audit process
The Halal certification process begins with a document review of ingredient specifications, supplier declarations and production procedures against OIC/SMIIC 1:2019. A site audit is conducted by a GHC-qualified auditor under the conformity-assessment requirements of OIC/SMIIC 2:2019. Following successful assessment and GHC technical approval, the certificate is issued for a 12-month period, subject to annual surveillance audit.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
Which Halal standards does the GHC certificate cover?
The GHC certificate issued through CAS covers four Halal standards simultaneously: OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 (OIC member states), GSO 2055-1:2015 (GCC markets), UAE.S 2055-1:2015 (UAE market), and BPJPH Decree Nr. 20 of 2023 (Indonesia). Import acceptance still depends on the requirements of each national authority. GHC also certifies against the full OIC/SMIIC halal series: cosmetics (OIC/SMIIC 4), food service (6), halal tourism and wellness spa (9, 8), halal supply chain (17-1, 17-2, 17-3), halal quality management (18), edible gelatine (22), animal feed (23), food additives (24), pharmaceuticals (50-1) and hygiene and sanitation management (51).
Is the GHC certificate accepted in Saudi Arabia and the GCC?
The GHC certificate covers GSO 2055-1:2015, the Gulf Standardization Organization standard, which is the reference standard for Halal food in GCC member states including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Import acceptance depends on the requirements of each country's competent authority: check the requirements of your destination market before shipping.
What does a Halal audit involve?
Auditors review raw material sourcing and ingredient specifications, supplier Halal declarations, slaughter procedures and slaughterer qualifications (where applicable), production process controls and cross-contamination prevention, segregation of Halal and non-Halal areas, cleaning validation, and product labelling. The audit is conducted at your facility by a GHC-qualified CAS auditor.
Can cosmetics and pharmaceuticals be Halal certified?
Yes. GHC Halal certification covers cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, food supplements, and any product category where Halal status is relevant — not only food. Ingredient sourcing and manufacturing process verification apply in the same way.
How long is a GHC Halal certificate valid?
GHC Halal certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Annual surveillance audits are required to maintain certification. To confirm a certificate number or its validity, ask CAS or GHC, the issuing body (https://halalconformity.com).
Does CAS issue the Halal certificate?
No. CAS conducts the audit and technical assessment as the exclusive Egypt partner of GHC; the certificate is issued by GHC with the GHC certification mark. Halal certification is outside CAS's EGAC accreditation scope and does not carry the EGAC or IAF symbols.
Is Halal certification covered by CAS's EGAC accreditation?
No. Halal certification is a partner-body service and sits outside CAS's EGAC accreditation scope, which covers six ISO management system standards. The Halal certificate is issued under the authority of Global Halal Control Office (GHC) and bears the GHC certification mark, not the EGAC or IAF symbols. GHC operates its halal certification scheme in line with OIC/SMIIC 2:2019, the SMIIC requirements for bodies providing Halal certification.
What are the steps to get GHC Halal certification through CAS?
The process begins with a document review of ingredient specifications, supplier declarations and production procedures against OIC/SMIIC 1:2019. A site audit is then conducted by a GHC-qualified auditor under the conformity-assessment requirements of OIC/SMIIC 2:2019. Following successful assessment and GHC technical approval, the certificate is issued for a 12-month period, subject to annual surveillance audit. The process typically takes 4–8 weeks from application to certificate, depending on the complexity of your product range and the number of ingredients requiring review.
What is OIC/SMIIC 2:2019 and why does it matter for a Halal certificate?
OIC/SMIIC 2:2019 is Conformity Assessment — Requirements for Bodies Providing Halal Certification. It is the SMIIC standard that sets the competence, impartiality and process requirements for halal certification bodies. It mainly draws on ISO/IEC 17065, with normative references to ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/TS 22003. Whereas OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 sets the requirements your products and processes must meet, OIC/SMIIC 2:2019 governs how the certifier works. GHC operates its scheme in line with it.
Can we put a Halal mark on our packaging once certified?
Packaging and labelling are part of the Halal requirements audited under OIC/SMIIC 1:2019. Packaging materials must be Halal-compliant, and labels must correctly identify the Halal status and bear the GHC certification mark where required. The mark is GHC's certification mark, used under GHC authority, and the Halal certificate can be confirmed by asking GHC, the issuing body (https://halalconformity.com). Product labelling is one of the areas reviewed during the Halal audit.
Further reading from CAS
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