
Pork DNA is on Halal Cosmetic Products. Here’s how to know your cosmetic content!
Pharmaceutical products, particularly halal cosmetics, are currently in high demand among the 2.4 billion Muslim consumers worldwide. Besides the large Muslim population showing high loyalty to halal products, halal cosmetics also have broader market appeal among non-Muslim consumers, who perceive these products to adhere to stricter consumer ethics and quality assurance standards.
For Muslim consumers, knowing the origin of raw materials and the production process of cosmetic ingredients is crucial. Halal cosmetic products must not contain ingredients derived from pigs, carrion, blood, human body parts, carnivorous animals, predatory animals, reptiles, and insects. Additionally, ingredients from halal animals must be slaughtered according to Islamic law to be considered halal.
During the preparation, processing, manufacturing, storage, and transportation of halal cosmetic products, maintaining cleanliness and purity conditions must be ensured at all times. Therefore, halal cosmetic products, which display the halal logo, should be recognized as indicators of cleanliness, safety, purity, and quality.
One of the methods that can be used to ensure these standards is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

The Importance of Testing Halal Cosmetic Product
Several Islamic countries, such as Indonesia, have established strict regulations for producers and importers regarding product labeling, specifically requiring halal certification to differentiate from non-halal products. Halal certification is necessary for a product to enter the halal market. Each product must undergo a rigorous qualification process to ensure it does not contain any haram elements.

Gelatin is a very popular ingredient used in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. In large-scale gelatin production, the main raw material typically used is collagen found in cattle and pigs. Additionally, pig-derived ingredients such as fatty acids, glycerin, and collagen are commonly used in the production of body lotions, creams, and masks.
In most countries, lard substitutes in cosmetic formulations are commonly used as emulsifying agents and viscosity-increasing agents. It is crucial to detect the presence of these ingredients so that Muslim consumers, who are prohibited from using products containing pigs, can avoid them.
Utilizing PCR Method for Halal Cosmetic Products
Various methods have been developed to detect porcine content in cosmetic products, including physico-chemical based methods and DNA-based methods. DNA-based detection methods for checking porcine content in a product are known to be specific, reproducible, sensitive, have quick processing times, and are cost-effective.
DNA is unique and specific, allowing it to be used as a distinguishing factor for each species and individual, enabling accurate detection of porcine content. Therefore, DNA-based methods have the potential to be accurate and reliable for detecting porcine content in various products. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a method that can be used to detect porcine DNA in cosmetics, especially for halal cosmetic products.
PCR MyTaq DNA Polymerase allows for accurate and sensitive detection of porcine DNA in collagen cream cosmetic products through efficient and specific DNA amplification at higher temperatures. Real-Time PCR is a specific and sensitive method for detecting porcine ingredients in cosmetics with the capability for quantitative and real-time monitoring.
PCR-RFLP can detect products containing pork, beef, and fish in a single test without cross-reaction between the main targets (cattle DNA, pork, and fish). Duplex PCR allows simultaneous detection of multiple target DNA sequences in a single reaction, saving time and increasing efficiency.
TaqMan Qualitative PCR Multiple x Probe is a specific, sensitive, and potentially cost-effective test for detecting three species simultaneously (cattle, pork, and fish). Conventional PCR is sufficiently sensitive to detect low percentages of bovine and porcine gelatin.
PCR with Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) is a cost-effective and accessible method for porcine detection because it does not require thermal cycling like PCR and operates at a constant temperature. PCR with Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) can increase DNA quantity, enhancing sensitivity and detection accuracy.
Get halal certification on your cosmetic products with IML Research!

Obtaining halal certification requires a lot of documents to be prepared, one of which is the results of product testing reports that prove your cosmetic product does not have contents that do not meet the requirements.
The results of the cosmetics product testing report you can submit to a company that is already trusted to provide product testing services. The best company in Bandung that serves product testing is IML Research.
IML Research has a free consultation program, and you will be guided from scratch until you get your product test report certificate.
If you want to get a free consultation this month, please click the button below!
REFERENCE
- Sugibayashi, K., Yusuf, E., Hiroaki, T., Sabrina, D., Pajaree, S., Florencio, J.A., & Gerard, L.S. (2019). Halal Cosmetics: A Review on Ingredients, Production, and Testing Methods. Cosmetics, 6(37): 1-17. Doi:10.3390/cosmetics6030037.
- Syafitri, R.I.P., Karimah, N.F.A., & Soraya, R.M. (2023). Article Review: Testing for Detection of Low Pig (Porcine) DNA in Cosmetic Products and Health Supplements. Indonesian Journal of Pharmaceutics, 5(2): 385-404. https://doi.org/10.24198/idjp.v5i2.47259.