Before ordering catering, it’s essential to understand that the critical halal aspects of a catering service extend not only to the ingredients but also to the facilities used and the resulting menu. All three require strict control to ensure the halal status of the menu produced. Proper control of these critical aspects will facilitate the quick and easy halal certification process from the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH).
In this modern era, where food services are increasingly convenient, fast, and diverse, many people rely on catering services for various purposes, from family gatherings and office events to large parties. However, despite this convenience, the halal status of the food served must remain paramount.
Producing and serving products or menus that are claimed to be halal extends beyond simply not producing or serving pork products or alcoholic beverages. Other requirements must also be met, including by catering businesses. In terms of processing and serving, there are several critical halal aspects to be aware of, and unfortunately, not everyone is aware of them.
In the context of halal certification, all products, including catering services, have three critical areas: Ingredients, Products, and Facilities. These three aspects are interrelated and can become sources of contamination from non-halal and impure ingredients if not adequately monitored. In catering services, the critical halal elements can be even more complex because the processing and serving locations sometimes change to accommodate customer preferences.
According to information from the LPPOM Halal Auditor Management team, through Tubagus Mukhamad Ishak, there are many critical points in catering services that consumers must pay attention to. Therefore, before choosing a catering service, it is essential to understand these five key facts to avoid mistakes and maintain the halal status of the dishes served.
1. Guaranteeing the Halal Origin of Meat
According to Tubagus, the main ingredients in catering menus, in addition to staple foods such as rice, noodles, or bread, usually include beef, chicken, duck, and other animal byproducts. It is essential to ensure that these animals are slaughtered by Islamic law.
“Furthermore, it’s also difficult for the layperson to determine whether the meat being processed and served truly comes from halal animals or is mixed with non-halal meat,” explained Tubagus.
2. Monitoring the Halalness of Meat Grinding
Suppose any processed meat product uses ingredients from a grinding mill (for example, meatballs or other processed products that use ground meat) that are not halal certified. In that case, this becomes a critical and risky issue. Because grinding services typically receive meat from multiple customers daily and process it in the same facility, the meat sources are very diverse, and their halal status is difficult to trace with certainty.
3. Identify Additional Seasonings That May Be Non-Halal
One ingredient that we need to pay close attention to is the possible use of cooking alcohol, such as mirin, sake, angciu, wine, and other similar ingredients. “These ingredients are often used to enhance the flavor of dishes, but they pose a problem from a halal standpoint because they are classified as alcohol. Furthermore, these ingredients are sometimes sold under unfamiliar names, so we must be able to identify them properly to avoid making the wrong choice,” Tubagus emphasized.
4. Addressing Halal Challenges in Preparation and Serving Facilities/Equipment
However, there are differences regarding the facilities at the serving stage, especially since catering is often served in many venues as a buffet. It’s common for specific processes to be carried out at the event owner’s premises using the caterer. In this preparation and serving process, the equipment used can vary, for example, sourced from the vendor or event owner, from the caterer, a combination of both, or even disposable equipment.
A critical issue is ensuring that the equipment provided by the vendor or event owner has never come into contact with non-halal/impure materials or products, especially those with severe impurity. Furthermore, washing equipment at the event location using vendor-provided facilities can also pose a risk of contamination if not closely monitored. Serving/eating utensils that are heavily contaminated should not be washed in the same facility as those used for halal menus.
5. Maintaining Halal Integrity in the Production Process
Catering products typically consist of a variety of dishes such as fried rice, processed beef, chicken, or lamb, stir-fried vegetables, and complementary dishes such as chili sauce, crackers, cakes, pudding, and other snacks. In practice, catering businesses often collaborate with other parties to meet diverse menu requests or adapt to seasonal trends.
Because ingredients and products are processed in different facilities, it is crucial to ensure that all ingredients and facilities used are free from contamination by non-halal and impure materials, including external facilities.
Choosing a catering service is not only about taste and price but also about ensuring the halal quality of the food served. In catering services, there are many critical points to consider, from ingredients such as meat and spices, through the processing process, including grinding, to the serving facilities/equipment at the event location. The risk of contamination by non-halal and impure materials in halal menus can occur if strict supervision is not carried out at each stage.
Therefore, consumers must be more careful and thorough in choosing catering services that adhere to halal principles. By understanding these five important facts, you can ensure your event runs smoothly without having to worry about the halal status of the food you’re eating. Besides the halal status of the food, what’s also important is that it’s halal and safe for consumption. We often hear of cases of food poisoning caused by consuming catering products that ignore food safety principles. Therefore, the principles of halal and food safety are two important considerations, including for catering businesses.
LPH LPPOM always provides a discussion forum for any catering business whose products have not yet achieved halal certification through its Customer Care service, available at Call Center 14056 or via WhatsApp at 0811-1148-696. Furthermore, business owners can also learn more about the halal certification process by attending the free Introduction to Halal Certification (PSH) class, held regularly on the second and fourth weeks of each month at https://halalmui.org/pengenalan-sertifikasi-halal/. (ZUL)
