Halal Guide

Check Raw Materials, Suppliers and Every Menu Item

How to trace every ingredient from the dish back to proof of purchase.

Last reviewed 5 November 2026

A halal certificate for the chicken alone is not enough if the restaurant uses dozens of other ingredients. The auditor needs to be able to trace the ingredients used in a dish to the manufacturer, supplier, proof of halal status and purchase records.

Start with the actual menu

Take every menu at the counter, on delivery apps and on price boards. Build a recipe list for each dish. Do not forget drinks, desserts, extra condiments and products sold as traded products.

Example: Chicken Rice — chicken, rice, oil, chicken stock cubes, soy sauce, chilli sauce, salt, sugar, ginger and marinade ingredients. Each ingredient needs to be identified; a single generic name such as “sauce” is not enough if the brand and manufacturer are not known.

Raw material master register

Ingredient Brand/manufacturer Supplier Halal proof Status
Chicken Fill in from actual purchases Fill in name Halal certificate & proof of source Check
Oyster sauce Fill in brand Fill in name Relevant certificate/documents Check
Flour Fill in brand Fill in name Documents according to risk Check
Drink flavouring Fill in brand Fill in name Composition/certificate if relevant Check

For high-risk ingredients such as meat, chicken, gelatine, enzymes, emulsifiers or certain flavourings, check the source and certification requirements carefully; a certificate that is invalid or not recognised cannot be accepted without further checking.

The ManaHalal traffic-light system

  • Green — Verified: documents are sufficient, still valid, and the source matches.
  • Yellow — Needs checking: documents are incomplete, the manufacturer's status has not been identified, or clarification from the authorities is needed.
  • Red — Do not use for the application: the ingredient is confirmed not halal, does not meet requirements, or has a serious unresolved issue.

Important note: No halal logo does not necessarily mean an ingredient is haram. However, without sufficient proof, the ingredient may not be accepted in an application for the SPHM (Sijil Pengesahan Halal Malaysia, the Malaysia Halal Certificate). Avoid declaring halal status based only on a colour in a checking tool.

Ingredient tracing diagram

Tracing an ingredientStart from a menu item such as Chicken Rice, list the recipe and all its ingredients, identify the actual brand and manufacturer, then the supplier and invoice, and check whether the halal proof is sufficient and valid. If yes, the ingredient is approved for use under controls. If not yet certain, hold its use and request documents, then check again. If it does not comply, replace the ingredient or supplier and trace its brand and manufacturer again.YesNot yet certainDoes not comply

Menu: Chicken Rice

Recipe and all ingredients

Actual brand + manufacturer

Supplier + invoice

Halal proof sufficient and valid?

Approved for use under controls

Hold use / request documents

Replace ingredient or supplier
Tracing an ingredient

Do not forget after certification

Changing a sauce brand or supplier is not just a pricing decision. Check the status and follow the relevant update/approval procedure. Set up a change-control system: who requested it, who checked it, when it was approved and when it started being used.

Action today: take the 10 most-used ingredients and check the proof for each one, one by one.

Official sources and editorial notes

Note: ManaHalal is an independent information platform, not a body that issues the SPHM. This guide was updated based on official sources reviewed on 5 November 2026. Final decisions and requirements are subject to JAKIM, MAIN/JAIN (Majlis/Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri, the state Islamic religious councils and departments) and the latest notices.