Specialty chemical manufacturer BASF has received international halal certification for up to 145 ingredients for personal and home care products.

In order to comply with the international halal standard HAS 23000, the company’s Dusseldorf and Illertissen sites underwent four audits, while the company must adhere to strict guidelines across the entire value chain, including purchasing, manufacturing, filling, warehousing and transport in order to ensure product purity in compliance with Islamic law.

BASF’s halal-certified range includes sugar-based surfactants, pearlizers, emollients and protein derivatives for personal care applications, all of which have been approved by Halal Control, Russelsheim, or the Halal Food Council of Europe, Brussels, which are both recognized by the Indonesian Council of Ulama.

“With our new halal-certified product portfolio we want to adequately respond to the needs of the Muslim populations and offer products that are considered to be pure in accordance with Islamic law. Thus, we are able to better serve our customers in the predominantly Muslim countries of the Maghreb, the Middle East and Asia,” Dirk Mampe, Head of Business Management Personal Care Specialties Europe, explained.

According to research conducted by TechNavio, the global market for halal certified products will register a CAGR of 13.7 percent through 2019. Indonesia is the primary growth driver for halal products worldwide, thanks to its huge population of Muslim consumers. The country passed a law in 2014, to be enacted in 2019, that all products must be labelled as either ‘halal’ or ‘haram’.

“Western consumers are also starting to request halal-certified products. The fact that halal products can be traced back through the entire value chain is important for them in terms of quality assurance”, Mampe said. “In this light, we will continue to expand our portfolio of halal ingredients.”