AI Enters Halal Industry, But Human Inspectors Remain Essential - Indonesian Trade Attaché
By Siti Radziah Hamzah
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) could help make halal certification faster and more efficient, but human inspectors remain essential to verify ingredients and production processes, particularly for products with multiple formulations, an Indonesian trade official said today.
Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia Trade Attaché Aziza Rahmaniar Salam said technology could support various aspects of the certification process, but detailed verification was still required to ensure products fully complied with halal requirements.
“Technology is very fast-growing and we must follow the technology. But for certificates and inspections, I think we still can't use it completely.
“Maybe AI can help, but it's not completely what we can believe. We still need proper inspection,” she told Bernama during an interview at the BERNAMA Mobile Studio at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026 here, titled “Exhibiting at MIHAS 2026 and Global Halal Trade”.
Aziza said the need for detailed verification was particularly evident in products such as cosmetics, where different variants of the same product could contain different ingredients.
She cited eyeshadow as an example, noting that a product offered in three different colours could require each variant to be examined individually to ensure that the ingredients used complied with halal requirements.
The example highlights one of the challenges of applying AI to halal certification, as automated systems may be able to identify and compare ingredients, but physical inspections are still needed to verify how products are manufactured and handled.
However, Aziza said the certification process had become more efficient as more institutions were now able to conduct halal inspections compared with the more limited capacity previously, with the process remaining under the supervision of the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) in Indonesia.
In fact, BPJPH and Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development Malaysia have mutual recognition arrangements for halal certification, allowing recognised Indonesian halal certification to be accepted in Malaysia and vice versa.
She also said halal certification was relevant to businesses regardless of the religious background of their owners, particularly when their products were targeted at Muslim consumers.
Food and beverages remain the main segment of Indonesia's halal industry, while the country is also seeking to broaden the presence of other halal products and services, including skincare and cosmetics, perfumes, tourism and finance, she added.
Aziza pointed to Indonesian skincare brand Wardah's presence in Malaysia as an example, while halal tourism also offered considerable potential given the accessibility of halal food across many parts of Indonesia.
Touching on MIHAS, she said the globally recognised halal trade showcase remained an important platform for Indonesian businesses not only to access the Malaysian market but also to connect with buyers from other regions.
Aziza said Indonesia has participated in MIHAS for about 10 to 12 years, with the showcase providing opportunities for Indonesian businesses to meet buyers seeking halal products from markets including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the wider Arab region and Africa.
“MIHAS is not only a place for us to show our halal products, but also an opportunity for us to find other buyers. The place is in Malaysia, but the buyers can come from other countries, including the GCC, Arab countries and Africa,” she stressed.
Hosted by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, MIHAS 2026, now in its 22nd edition, is being held from Sept 23 to 26 in Kuala Lumpur.
-- BERNAMA