Author: NIHT Media
n the 24th of July 2018, The National Independent Halaal Trust (NIHT) received their accreditation certificate in the field of Halaal Products Certification according to the UAE GSO 2055-2: 2016 Halal Products Standard from the Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) marking another milestone for the organisation. The standard includes many clauses from the ISO 17065 Standard for certifying bodies thus standardising many systems of operations adopted by Halaal Certifying Bodies.
he accreditation certificate was handed to Moulana Abdul Wahab Wookay (CEO) and Hafiz Moorad Booley (Chairman) at the EIAC offices in Dubai by Her Excellency Amina Ahmed Muhammed, the CEO of EIAC at the handover function in Dubai. Also present were Mr Sake van der Walt and Mr Sidarth Metha from the economic desk of the South African Consulate in Dubai.
The UAE Standard demands that Halaal certifying bodies approach Halaal certification holistically and include issues such as hygiene, purity and food safety of Halaal food. In light of this, all NIHT Auditors have been trained in the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 standard. This keeps in line with the concept of continuous learning and improvement on a professional level as adopted by the organisation since its inception in the year 2000.
The UAE GSO Standard adds a new dimension to the auditing system of Halaal certification bodies. Audits are now not only conducted by Shariah experts, but they are joined by Technical Experts who form part of the NIHT Audit team. Whilst the Shariah expert audits according to the Halaal standard and the Halaal Assurance Programme (HAP) of the NIHT, the technical expert audits the food safety standards implemented at the plant.
In light of the above and the utilisation of modern techniques in establishing the Halaal status and purity of Halaal products the NIHT has also established a Halaal Scientifics Research Council under the stewardship of Professor Dr Arshad Mather (PhD Biochemistry). This committee assists the Shariah (Ulema) experts in determining Halaal status of various products. This is done by taking into account the Shariah rulings regarding Halaal as well as utilising the latest technical research concepts and techniques available.
The NIHT has always been acknowledged for its professional approach to Halaal certification and the implementation of the UAE GSO standard greatly enhances that professionalism.
Moving forward, the NIHT will continue training their staff to ensure that the requirements that are needed to ensure a Halaal and wholesome (Tayib) product reaches the consumer.
First Published : 27/07/2017