The culinary industry has a high prospect. Creation and innovation also require to be undertaken to attract consumers to be longer and much more. It is very assured to remember, consumers have a tendency of saturation with food or drink. Then, it came the food creations with various forms of animals. Hence, what is the legal status of that?
In attracting the consumers, entrepreneurs in the culinary sector required to create special tricks, and it was not just the taste needed to be maintained and enhanced, even the form, the naming of a product also obliged to be taken very seriously.
Some of the result in innovations is developed into a trend in society. Animal-shaped food is one form of innovations that many people enjoy, such as crocodile bread, cake doggy dog, teriyaki and foods in the form of a snake.
Also in terms of naming, industry players sometimes embedded the names that are unusual in a food, such as rawon devil, pletok beer, rice cat or crushed noodles.
Concerning the consumption of halal food, are the forms and names definitively halal? In the process, a halal food and beverages are required to meet the requirements and procedures of halal assurance system that has been set by the MUI. If so, what are the forms and names an unusual food product that can be processed in a halal certification?
Head of Auditing for the Assessment Institute for Food, Drugs and Cosmetics of Indonesian Ulema Council (LPPOM- MUI), Dr. Ir. Mulyorini R. Hilwan, M.Si, explained, referring to the eleven criteria Halal Assurance System (HAS) written in the book HAS23000, mentioned that the brand/product name could not use names that lead to something forbidden or worship that is not following sharia.
Besides, the characteristics/product sensory profile should not tend to smell or taste lead to products that have been declared haram or forbidden by MUI.
Furthermore, Dr. Ir. Mulyorini R. Hilwan, M.Si, revealed that it was reinforced by the Decree of the Director LPPOM MUI number: SK46 / Dir / LPPOM MUI / XII / 14. On the decision, it was explained name and form of products that could not be certified.
In terms of naming, the product could not be certified if a product contains the name of the liquor, pigs, dogs as well as their derivatives, as well as containing the name of the devil, which leads to things that cause kufr and falsehood and comprise of the words indicating erotic, vulgar and/or pornographic.
For example, the names of the following products could not be processed certified halal; rootbeer, ice cream flavour rum raisin, beer 0% alcohol, roast pork, fried pork, beef bacon, hamburgers, hotdogs, rawon devil, pocong ice, kuntilanak chicken noodle, Valentine chocolates, Christmas biscuits, noodles Gong Xi Fa Cai, although these foods use halal ingredients.
However, these provisions exclude for products that have a tradition (‘urf), are widely known and certainly do not contain prohibited elements such as name pletok beer, meatballs, noodles, bakwan, bakpia and dumplings.
While the brand/brand name of products that contain other unlawful products are allowed to be certified, for example, the eagle brand, bear, crocodile, rhino stamp. Furthermore, product names containing the word of sexy and sensual could be certified because it is associated with the character and expectations for product applications, for example; pinky sexy lipstick, lotion sensual amber, sensual spa.
In terms of form, the product could not be certified if the forms of pigs and dogs or shaping the product or packaging labels that are erotic, vulgar and/or pornographic. (YS)
