Collagen Labels Decoded: Grass-Fed, Pasture-Raised, Halal and Third-Party Certified

"Grass-fed" and "pasture-raised" have no legal definition on collagen in the UK, and there's no single legal standard for halal labelling either. What is regulated: labels mustn't mislead, fish must be declared as an allergen, and supplements must stay within legal limits for heavy metals. The most useful things to look for are a named certification scheme or published lab results. This guide explains what each common label means and what to check instead. For the basics of collagen itself, see what hydrolysed collagen is.

The labels at a glance

NovusDNA is a UK supplement brand making clearly labelled, science-led supplements tested by Campden BRI, a UKAS-accredited UK laboratory. NovusDNA Hydrolysed Collagen is bovine type I and III collagen peptides at 10 g per serving, and instead of farming adjectives, its product page publishes lab results, which we compare with the legal limits below.

What does "grass-fed" mean on collagen?

Legally, nothing specific in the UK. Pasture for Life, a certification body, says the term can be applied to animals raised on as little as 51% grass, and it has asked the government to define it.

Its own certified standard goes much further: the Pasture for Life standard guarantees 100% pasture-fed animals that aren't fed grain or manufactured feeds.

So if a grass-fed claim matters to you, look for a named scheme rather than the words alone. And remember the claim describes how the animal was raised, not the purity or dose of the collagen in your scoop.

What about "pasture-raised"?

There's no UK definition of pasture-raised for collagen either. Treat it as a marketing description unless the brand explains exactly what it means or links it to a certification. Many collagen brands sold in the UK are American, where these terms are used differently, so the words on an imported tub may not mean what a UK shopper assumes.

Halal and kosher collagen

The source animal and how it was processed matter, but there's no single statutory standard. In its last published position on a parliamentary petition, the UK government said there are no domestic regulations governing halal or kosher labelling, and that any information given voluntarily must be accurate and not misleading.

A 2017 review in CAB Reviews described several unregulated halal certification bodies in the UK operating to varying standards. If this matters to you, check which body certified the product and read its criteria.

What does "third-party certified" mean?

It depends entirely on who did the testing and what they tested for:

• Banned substance schemes: Informed Sport tests every batch of certified products for substances banned in sport. Useful if you're a tested athlete, but it doesn't tell you the collagen content.

• Factory standards: schemes such as BRCGS certify the manufacturing site, not the contents of a specific product.

• Laboratory testing: a UKAS-accredited lab tests specific methods, such as heavy metals or microbiology, on a particular product and batch.

What the law does require

Labels mustn't mislead. Under retained food labelling law, Article 7 of Regulation 1169/2011, food information must not mislead, including about place of origin and method of production.

Fish must be declared. Fish is one of the 14 allergens that must be emphasised on labels, so marine collagen should be clearly marked.

Heavy metals have legal limits. In Great Britain, food supplements must stay within maximum levels of 3.0 mg/kg for lead, 1.0 mg/kg for cadmium and 0.1 mg/kg for mercury. A 2025 study of fish and jellyfish collagen supplements in Open Medicine found none exceeded EU limits, but results varied between products, which is why product-specific results matter.

Why test results tell you more than farm claims

A farm claim tells you about the animal; a lab result tells you about the product in your hand. NovusDNA's collagen has been analysed by Campden BRI. Its published testing summary reports:

In other words, lead and cadmium were below the lab's detection limits, and mercury was under a tenth of the legal maximum. Full certificates are available from info@novusdna.com, and you can ask any collagen brand for the same thing. If a brand leads with "grass-fed" but can't show you heavy metal results, that tells you where its priorities are.

FAQ

Is grass-fed collagen better?

Not necessarily in terms of what you get. "Grass-fed" describes how the animal was raised and has no UK legal definition, so it can mean very different things. It doesn't tell you the collagen content, dose or purity. If farming standards matter to you, look for a named certification, and check published test results for the product itself.

How do I know if collagen is halal?

Look for a named halal certification body on the label and check its criteria. There's no single UK legal standard for halal labelling, and certification bodies use different standards. The source animal matters too: pork-derived gelatine and collagen are generally unsuitable for halal diets.

Are marine collagen labels different?

Yes. Fish is a declared allergen under UK food law, so marine collagen should highlight fish in its ingredients. If you have a fish allergy, avoid marine collagen and choose a bovine product such as NovusDNA's. For help choosing between types, see our guide to how to choose the right type of collagen.

Do collagen supplements contain heavy metals?

Small amounts can be present in any animal-derived product, which is why GB law sets maximum levels for lead, cadmium and mercury in food supplements. Levels vary between products, so one survey doesn't tell you about the tub you're buying. The simplest check is to choose a brand that publishes heavy metal results from a named laboratory.

Grass-fed collagen sounds reassuring, but in the UK the term is mostly undefined, and so is pasture-raised. Named certification schemes and published lab results tell you far more about what's actually in your collagen.

If you're working out which supplements belong in your routine, the NovusDNA Start Here guide asks six quick questions and suggests a starting point.

Food supplements should not replace a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the stated recommended daily dose.