Turkish HAK Certification

/ Tue, 08/04/2026 - 21:28

I. Official Definition of HAK

Full Name: Helal Akreditasyon Kurumu (English: Halal Accreditation Agency, HAK)

Chinese: Turkish Halal Accreditation Agency

1. Basis of Establishment

Established by law in 2017 pursuant to Türkiye’s Law No. 7060, and affiliated with the Turkish Ministry of Trade;

2. Legal Positioning

Türkiye’s only official national Halal accreditation body;

3. Core Functions

a. Audit, authorize, and supervise Halal certification bodies worldwide (HCABs);

b. Unify Türkiye’s Halal audit standards (based on the standards of the OIC/SMIIC Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries);

c. Conduct international mutual recognition among Halal institutions;

d. Supervise the compliance of all certificate-issuing bodies for products circulating in Türkiye and bearing the Helal mark.

4. Market Regulatory Red Line

(Effective June 4, 2023)

For any product bearing a Helal/Halal mark on its packaging, the certificate it holds must be issued by an institution included on HAK’s recognized list; Halal certificates issued by institutions not recognized by HAK will not be accepted by Turkish Customs, and the products are prohibited from being placed on the market for sale.

II. Scope of HAK Recognition

(Distinguished at Two Levels)

1. Scope of HAK Recognition for Certification Bodies (HCABs)

(When institutions apply for HAK accreditation)

Major categories are classified according to SMIIC standards:

  1. Agriculture and animal husbandry: Livestock and poultry farming, aquatic products, crop cultivation, and bee products;
  2. Food processing: Fresh meat slaughtering, cooked foods, grains and oils, beverages, baked goods, confectionery, and condiments;
  3. Food ingredients: Food additives, flavorings, enzyme preparations, gelatin, and vitamins;
  4. Daily chemical and cosmetic products: Skincare products, cosmetics, hair-care and cleansing products (with animal-derived ingredient control as a key focus);
  5. Packaging materials and food-contact materials;
  6. Service industries: Halal restaurants, hotels, warehousing and logistics, and slaughterhouses;
  7. Feed and pet food.

2. Scope of Products for Which Manufacturing Enterprises May Obtain Certificates

(Apply to HAK-authorized institutions for product Helal certificates)

All the categories listed above may apply for certification.

III. Two Types of Applicants: Application Requirements

(Key Distinction)

A. Situation 1: Third-Party Certification Bodies → Apply to HAK for Institutional Accreditation Qualifications

(Ordinary factories do not need this!)

Mandatory Eligibility Requirements

  1. Establish a Halal certification management system compliant with ISO/IEC 17065 and OIC/SMIIC standards, which has been operating stably for at least six months;
  2. Have qualified Halal auditors, including Muslim religious scholars/advisers;
  3. Have at least one enterprise client reserved for a witness audit (HAK on-site witness audit);
  4. Have no record of major commercial fraud or penalties for non-compliant certification;
  5. Have a complete set of operating procedures for document review and on-site factory audits.

B. Situation 2: Domestic Manufacturing Factories/Export Enterprises → Apply to HAK-Recognized Institutions for Product Helal Certificates

(Applicable to the vast majority of foreign trade enterprises)

General Eligibility Requirements

  1. The enterprise must possess lawful production/operating qualifications, including a business license, SC production license, hygiene permit, etc.;
  2. The product formula must not contain Haram prohibited substances: pork and its derivatives, blood, alcohol exceeding standard limits, or animal raw materials not slaughtered in accordance with Halal requirements;
  3. Production lines and warehousing must allow physical segregation between Halal and non-Halal raw materials to prevent cross-contamination;
  4. Establish written Halal control SOPs and appoint an internal Halal responsible person;
  5. For all animal-derived raw materials, provide proof of Halal origin from upstream suppliers;
  6. Cooperate with the audit body in on-site factory audits and document verification.

Popular certificate-issuing bodies included in the HAK-recognized list: TSE Helal, GİMDES, HEDEM, and SZUTEST.

IV. Complete List of Materials Required for Export Enterprises Applying for Helal Certificates Under the HAK System

1. Enterprise Qualification Documents

  1. Business license (notarized Chinese-English translation);
  2. SC production license and food business license; cosmetics must provide cosmetic product filing certificates;
  3. Factory layout plan (raw-material warehouse, production workshop, and finished-product warehouse, with Halal/non-Halal segregation areas marked).

2. Product and Formula Documentation

  1. Certification application form (standard template of the institution, stamped by the legal representative);
  2. List of products applying for certification, product names, specifications, and models;
  3. Complete formula table: all raw materials, auxiliary materials, additives, CAS numbers, and suppliers;
  4. Product process flowchart, with key risk control points marked;
  5. Product specifications and outer packaging artwork (the Helal mark will need to be printed later).

3. Raw Material Compliance Evidence

  1. Valid upstream supplier Halal certificates for all animal-derived raw materials;
  2. For high-risk raw materials such as additives, gelatin, flavorings, and enzyme preparations: COA testing reports and supplier compliance declarations;
  3. A company-stamped self-compliance declaration stating that the raw materials contain no porcine-derived ingredients or alcohol exceeding the permitted limit.

4. Management System Documents

  1. Enterprise Halal Management Manual and cleaning and disinfection procedures (production-line changeover cleaning specifications);
  2. Traceability management systems for raw-material receipt, the production process, and finished-product dispatch;
  3. Appointment document for the internal Halal responsible person.

5. Supplementary Materials

(Provided as needed)

ISO22000/HACCP/GMP certificates and third-party physicochemical testing reports (animal-derived DNA and ethanol content).