Halal Auditing Challenges: A Case Study on Auditors in Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Kelantan (JAHEAIK)

Currently, Halal certification received the highest acceptance, especially in the food industry in Malaysia. Modern food production involving packaging, novel foods, Genetic Modification Organisms (GMOs), and newly developed food preservatives like additives, emulsifiers, conditioners, and stabilizers have become more critical in food ingredients. The lack of knowledge and exposure among the halal auditors in this modern food production leads to an issue towards the reliability of the audit process. Thus, this research aims to identify the challenges faced by the halal auditors in Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Kelantan (JAHEAIK) from the scope of halal audits. This research used the qualitative method through in-depth interviews and applied the content and thematic analysis from published material, articles, and journals. Findings from the discussion highlighted two internal challenges: documentation and raw material/ingredients. The result of this research exposed the challenges that deem the area of problems available in the scope of the halal audit and three other external obstacles out of the scope of the halal audit, such as customer issues, lack of equipment, and time allocation. The suggestions and recommendations of this research also improve and overcome the challenges among the halal auditors.