Technical Aspects of the Halal Food System and Strategies for Obtaining Product Certification

Abstract

The food markets of Islamic countries are becoming attractive because of their large populations and rapid economic growth. Food companies from non-Islamic countries experience difficulties entering markets in Islamic countries due to the Halal system, which controls trade, distribution and production of nonstandard foods according to the religious principles. From careful observation of the Halal system, the author argues that the system is considerably technical, as it can be considered as an industrial standard that factory staff can easily observe. The author also shows that the best way for Japanese food companies to enter and develop these markets is to invest in establishing their factories in an Islamic country as a base from which export their products to other Islamic markets. The author believes that Japanese food companies with high levels of technology can cope with the system. © 2011, Japan Society for Food Engineering. All rights reserved.