Review of Molecular and Complementary Technologies for Halal Authentication

Abstract

Halal authentication is increasingly critical for ensuring food safety and consumer trust amid complex food processing and globalization. Molecular technologies, particularly DNA-based methods, offer high specificity and sensitivity for detecting non-halal components such as porcine DNA, even in highly processed foods. This review compiles and critically examines current and emerging molecular detection methods and their integration with complementary technologies to improve halal authentication. A systematic literature search covering publications was conducted across multiple databases, focusing on DNA-based techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), and enzymatic recombinase amplification (ERA), alongside integration with smart detection technologies such as nanoparticles, biosensor, and also CRIPSPR-Cas system. Findings highlight that while PCR remains the gold standard for accuracy, isothermal amplification methods offer portable, rapid alternatives suitable for field applications. Complementary biosensor technologies enhance detection speed, portability, and user-friendliness, promoting on-site halal authentication. Integration in smartphone also become a part of the future. This review underscores the importance of integrating molecular and complementary methods to develop robust, reliable, and accessible halal authentication systems that meet evolving industry and regulatory demands