By: Evrin Lutfika — Student of the Food Technology Professional Master Program, IPB University; and Head of Education and Training Subdivision of LPPOM MUI
Based on the Halal Product Assurance Law No. 33 of 2014, in October 2019 halal certification in Indonesia began to be mandatory. The scope of certified products includes food, medicine, cosmetics, chemical products, biological products, genetically engineering products, and consumer goods.
According to the Deputy Director III of LPPOM MUI, Ir. Sumunar Jati, the number of products that have obtained MUI halal certificates since 2014 from the food and food raw materials are 355,260 (49%), cosmetics are 26,958 (6%), medicines (including herbs and supplements) are 4,750 (1%), flavors, seasoning, fragrances as much as (25%), and other products as much as 95,124 (19%).
Halal certificate is a written fatwa that states the halalness of a product in accordance with Islamic regulations covering materials to the production process. According to the Deputy Director II of LPPOM MUI, Ir. Muti Arintawati, M.Si, halal certificates are important to ensure the human body is not contaminated by najis materials, which can cause a Muslim’s worship to be rejected by Allah swt. Najis and unclean materials commonly used in cosmetic and medicinal products include those from pigs, animals that are not slaughtered, blood and the derivatives of the liquor industry.
The small number of cosmetics and drug companies that are MUI certified can be caused because the company has not been able to meet the requirements of MUI halal certification, especially from the aspect of materials. Products that are certified halal MUI must use materials that comply with the criteria, referring to the MUI fatwa and the HAS 23000 halal standard derived from the MUI fatwa.
Based on the MUI fatwa, there are some materials that should only be used in cosmetics / halal drugs but should not be used in consumed products. This can make it easier for the cosmetics and drug industry to choose halal raw materials.
Some of these materials include halal animal placenta, fur (hair, horns from animal carcasses), snails, worms, blood plasma, embryonated chicken eggs, silkworm cocoons, and gold particles. (A fuller review of this can be read in the 138th edition of the Halal Journal magazine).
Photo source: www.halhalal.com
