One of the most common situations in European industry: the plant is not exclusively halal. It produces both halal and non-halal lines in the same facilities. That does not prevent certification, but it shifts the audit focus from ingredients to processes.
The four fronts
Receiving and storage. Raw materials identified and physically separated. A misplaced pallet is an audit finding, even if the product itself is correct.
Production. A dedicated line is ideal. Where that is not possible, separation in time is accepted on one condition: that intermediate cleaning is validated, not merely written down. The difference matters, and is shown with records and, where relevant, analysis.
Tools and equipment. The most neglected point. Scoops, hoses, filters, moulds and intermediate containers must be identified and dedicated, or subject to the same validated cleaning protocol.
Finished product storage and transport. The chain does not end at the loading bay. Sharing a truck or chamber with unsuitable product, without effective separation, compromises the batch.
Production sequencing
A simple and very effective measure: plan the sequence so halal lines run first, after the deep clean at the end of the cycle. It reduces the number of intermediate cleans and simplifies documentary evidence.
What the auditor will ask for
- Plant layout showing product and personnel flows.
- Cleaning procedure with times, products and responsibilities.
- Signed records of cleans performed, not just the procedure.
- Validation evidence: analysis, swabs, or the appropriate method.
- Visible identification of dedicated equipment.
One piece of advice
Before the audit, walk your own plant following a batch from receiving to the truck, asking at each step "what touched this before?". Most non-conformities show up on that walk, and they are far cheaper when you find them yourself.