Amidst the rise of viral culinary trends circulating on social media, people, especially the younger generation, are increasingly tempted to try restaurants simply because of their Instagram-worthy appearance or based on reviews from their favorite food vloggers. However, behind the popularity and long lines, there’s one crucial question that’s often overlooked: Is the restaurant halal-certified?
In today’s digital age, culinary trends evolve rapidly. Every day, new restaurants or menus go viral on social media. Whether it’s due to aesthetic plating, enticing Instagram celebrity reviews, or long lines that evoke “must-try” messages, many people, especially young people, are immediately tempted to try without much thought—as long as it’s busy and looks delicious, they go. This is what’s known as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), the fear of missing out on a trend that drives someone to follow along even when it doesn’t necessarily align with their values.
Unfortunately, when it comes to choosing food, many focus too much on taste and appearance without considering a far more critical aspect: the product’s halal status. Yet, for Muslims, halal is not merely a symbolic matter, but a fundamental principle of lifestyle. Unwittingly, we may end up consuming food containing haram or contaminated ingredients, simply because promotions tempt us or we unquestioningly believe unilateral halal claims.
This is an important warning for us as Muslim consumers to be more critical and wiser. We must not let our curiosity about viral foods lead us into a crisis of consumer ethics. In reality, what goes viral is not necessarily halal.
Unilateral Halal Claims Are Not a Guarantee
Many businesses make unilateral claims that suggest the restaurant’s halal status. Some include “no pork, no lard,” “our chef is Muslim,” “Muslim-friendly,” and “no alcohol,” among others. These claims, often inspired by restaurant practices abroad, are believed to provide a sense of security for Muslim consumers, as they indicate the absence of pork or lard in the food. Some restaurant owners even believe that these claims are sufficient to guarantee halal status.
However, according to the President Director of LPPOM, Muti Arintawati, a unilateral halal claim does not automatically guarantee a product’s halal status. “The halalness of a food depends not only on the absence of pork or its derivatives, but also on the entire production process, including the selection of ingredients, distribution of ingredients (from supplier to warehouse and from warehouse to outlet) or menu items (from central kitchen to outlet), processing (both in the central kitchen and outlets), and presentation or sale,” she said.
For example, beef perceived as halal can become non-halal if the slaughtering process does not comply with Islamic law. This is especially true if cooking utensils are not separated from non-halal food or if contamination with impure elements occurs, such as ingredients or menu items being contaminated during transportation and storage due to mixing with non-halal/impure ingredients. Impure elements can also be infected by eating utensils or cooking utensils that are shared between halal and non-halal menu items.
This can be seen in outlets that share facilities in food courts. Food court managers typically have a policy of providing shared cutlery and washing facilities for all tenants, which may not be halal for some. Any product or menu item contaminated with impure substances is considered haram. In such cases, halal certification cannot be guaranteed without official verification from an authorized institution.
Many Think They’re Halal, But They’re Not
Dian Widayanti, a content creator who actively educates about the importance of halal products, said many restaurants still falsely claim to be halal. “It turns out they often use ingredients that shouldn’t be used,” Dian said. Some ingredients that often go unnoticed include:
- Angciu (cooking wine): A popular type of cooking wine. Besides angciu, there are sake and other types of wine available. It’s commonly used in Chinese cuisine, but it’s also often added to street-fried rice.
- Rhum: Commonly used in cakes, bread, or desserts. Even if it’s called “essence” or “non-alcoholic,” if it’s still called “rhum,” it cannot be certified halal. This is based on the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) Fatwa No. 44 of 2020 concerning the Use of Names, Sensory Profiles (taste and aroma), Forms, and Packaging of Products That Cannot Be Certified Halal. One of the points states that a product cannot be certified halal if it has a name that suggests something forbidden (haram) or has the same taste/aroma (flavor) as or refers to a forbidden product, including alcoholic beverages such as rum.
- Mirin: Used in many Japanese restaurants, especially as an ingredient in sushi rice. “If someone says they use halal mirin, make sure it’s not mirin, because in reality, there is no such thing as halal mirin,” Dian emphasized.
- Kahlua and Irish Cream: Alcoholic drinks are often mixed into coffee or desserts like tiramisu. Kahlua and Irish cream are not allowed as part of halal products because they are both haram and najis (impure).
- Animal-bristled brushes: Many restaurants may still use brushes made from animal hair or fur. This can be tested by burning the brush; it smells like burnt hair or horn. Since there is no documentation to explain and confirm the origin of the bristles, they may be made from pig bristles. Dian recommends choosing food-grade silicone or synthetic brushes.
“Sometimes, they don’t intentionally sell non-halal food, but many people don’t know that these ingredients are non-halal,” explained Dian. This means that halal education is essential not only for consumers but also for culinary businesses.
Currently, the government has accommodated the need for halal products for Muslim consumers through Act No. 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance (UU JPH) and Act No. 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation, along with its derivative regulations, including Government Regulation Number 42 of 2024. These regulations stipulate that all products in circulation must be halal certified, except for those that are haram. However, for haram products, businesses are still obliged to inform consumers that their products are not halal.
To assist consumers in verifying halal products, LPPOM provides a platform called Cari Produk Halal (Search for Halal Products), which can be accessed through www.halalmui.org or the BPJPH website at https://bpjph.halal.go.id. Consumers can easily check whether a restaurant or product is truly halal certified.
Meanwhile, for business owners still unsure how to begin the halal certification process, LPPOM offers consultation services through its Call Centre at 14056 or WhatsApp at 0811-1148-696. Furthermore, LPPOM regularly holds free Halal Certification Introduction (PSH) classes every second and fourth week, which can be accessed at https://halalmui.org/pengenalan-sertifikasi-halal/.
Amidst the onslaught of constantly changing and viral culinary trends, it’s time to step back from simply following trends. Don’t neglect halal certification just because something goes viral. Ensure the restaurant or product you choose is not only visually appealing and palatable, but also clean, high-quality, and halal. (YN)
