Certification
MALAYSIA: Survey Shows Golden Churn Butter Still Arrayed Alongside Halal Products
Even though the Golden Churn Pure Creamery Butter has been declared non-Halal, some sellers still stack the New Zealand butter with Halal products. A Bernama survey at a supermarket in Ampang found that the product being arrayed alongside Halal butter. Some Muslim customers expressed annoyance with the management, which declined to comment. A housewife, Latifah Wan Talib, 53, said she felt that the management cannot plead ignorance because the non-Halal status of Gold Churn butter had been widely reported.
INDONESIA: RI can serve as world Halal certification centre
Indonesia, as the world’s largest Muslim country with a population of about 237.6 million, can serve as a world certification centre for Halal goods in line with the increasing popularity of Halal products among both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers. "Indonesia can become (a world centre) because we have universities such as the Bogor-based Agriculture Institute (IPB) which have centres for Halal (consumable under Islamic law) goods. Indonesia also has many experts in this field," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said over the weekend. According Lukmanul Hakim, Head of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI)`s Food, Drug and Cosmetics Research Institute (LPPOM), at least 41 foreign food certification agencies have set their Halal food standards based on inputs from the LPPOM. Among the 41 agencies were those of a number of ASEAN member countries, Canada, England, Holland, Belgium, Turkey, Japan and the US, Lukmanul Hakim said recently.
MALAYSIA: Jakim Confirms 'Pure Creamery Butter-Golden Churn' Is Non-Halal
The Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) confirmed that the 'Pure Creamery Butter-Golden Churn' sold in Malaysia is non-Halal. Its director-general, Othman Mustapha, said the decision was made after finding that the product came from the same factory as that distributed in Sarawak, although there were brought into the country by different importers. Last July 19, the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department had declared the product non-Halal after it was found to contain pig DNA. Othman said the company had been informed of the matter and it had agreed to withdraw the product from the shelves.
MALAYSIA: Importer insists Golden Churn butter is Halal; state authority stands by pig DNA findings
The importer of Golden Churn Creamery Butter is hopeful that the product will be back on sale with its Halal logo intact in time for Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year but whether or not this will happen remains to be seen. While the company, Ballantyne Food Pty Ltd, respects the decision of the state religious authorities to prohibit the consumption of the product by Muslims, it remains convinced that the product is Halal. Ballantyne regional general manager Hemmat S Nasrallah pointed out that they had no problems with Islamic authorities of foreign countries such as Brunei and Singapore.
MALAYSIA: Jakim Responds to MCA President’s Allegations
All samples of products for Halal certification are sent for analysis at the Chemistry Department, which has been accredited for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing, said Malaysian Islam Development Department (Jakim) director-general Osman Mustapha. He said there were several important factors in an analysis, including test method, limit of detection, instruments, analyst and accreditation of the testing scope which can influence the test results. “Based on these factors, Jakim has relied on the results of analysis by the Chemistry Department as practised by other government departments such as the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism,” he said in a statement.
THAILAND: THAI Operates Certified Halal Food Kitchen
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) has received authorization from the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand for the use of the Halal Logo and HAL-Q symbol.. The Halal food certification is to ensure conformity with the permissible dietary requirements under Islamic law. THAI can assure that each step in Halal meal production and preparation meets its international regulatory standards.
UNITED KINGDOM: Heler’s Halal accreditation opens exports door
Cheshire based cheese-maker Joseph Heler has opened a door to a wider export market by gaining Halal accreditation. Apart from making their cheese available to the British Muslim community, the company says it can now look at markets in Asia and worldwide. The European Halal Development Agency (EHDA) accreditation covers most areas of the firm’s cheese production, including; block, grated, sliced and pre-packed, as well as whey, cream and lactose concentrates.
UNITED KINGDOM: Stunning Arguments
Halal meat has rarely been out of the headlines over the past few months, with cries of indignation from the less salubrious end of the tabloid press over issues surrounding the labelling of products as Halal. While, as one might expect, the papers have missed the point, be that intentionally or otherwise, and have focused on the issues surrounding stunning, there remains a major issue when it comes to labelling of Halal meat. Of course, it was the topic of stunning that brought the Halal issue to the fore, with the likes of the Daily Mail squealing with indignation over the imagined welfare travesty that was being unwittingly visited upon the non-Muslim community. But, while it is a far-from-settled debate within the Halal community itself, there’s no getting away from the fact that the majority of Halal meat sold, and consumed, is stunned.
Filed Under: Slaughter
MALAYSIA: Golden Churn canned butter recalled after Halal debacle
The Golden Churn butter producer will voluntarily recall all its canned butter worth approximately RM5mil from the Malaysian market. This is due to possible porcine contamination of the butter produced in New Zealand. Golden Churn manufacturer Ballantyne Foods Pty Ltd regional general manager Hemmat Nasrallah said the decision was made during a meeting with the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), Sarawak Religious Department (Jais) and Chemistry Department in Kuala Lumpur.
MALAYSIA: E-Halal system for all by next year
The Malaysia Islamic Development Department JAKIM is targeting use of the e-Halal system by all states by next year, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim said. She said that only seven states would implement the system this year, led by Penang, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Sabah, followed by Pahang, Sarawak and Johor at year-end. Mashitah told reporters here that the e-system would facilitate collaboration between JAKIM and state religious departments and council to standardise procedures, certificates and logos.