Ahead of the deadline for the Must-Halal October (WHO) 2024, LPPOM is encouraging food and beverage industry players, both domestic and foreign, to comply with the halal regulations currently in force in Indonesia. Regulatory compliance ensures quick and easy certification.
In 2022, Indonesia became the world’s number one consumer of halal products, based on the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) 2022 statements published on Dinar Standard. This is because of the high demands of Muslim consumers and non-Muslims against halal products in a Muslim-majority country, which reached 200 billion US Dollars.
The Director President of The Assessment Institute of Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LPPOM), Ir. Muti Arintawati M.Si., conveyed this matter in a seminar titled “Securing Your Business in Indonesia with Halal Food Ingredients Certification” that took place on September 6, 2024, at the Food Ingredients (FI) Asia Indonesia 2024 exhibition at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo). This event is a collaboration between LPPOM and Informa Markets.
“Even though Indonesia got first rank as the biggest halal product consumer in the world, there are still a lot of businesspeople who operate in the food and beverage sectors in Indonesia who have still not completed the halal certification,” Muti explained.
To achieve the halal certificate, businesspeople must pay attention to several things, starting with the raw materials and production process and ending with the production facility. First, the raw material that comes from animals must come from halal animals and slaughtered under Islamic Syariah. Second, additional or auxiliary materials must be involved in the production process.
“For example, the use of an enzyme is needed to ensure that the enzyme is produced through microbial fermentation, and the nitrogen source that has been used comes from an animal or vegetal protein. If it comes from an animal protein, it needs to be ensured it comes from a halal animal and is free from Najis,” said Muti.
Third, the production facility must guarantee that there is no cross-contamination with haram and Najis materials and products. According to the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), products that fulfill the regulations regarding materials, products, and production facilities can be considered halal products.
Even so, a system needs to be created to ensure the continuity of halal obedience. For now, the Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH) has become the standard and precondition for businesspeople implementing halal in their company.
Regardless, halal certification’s success is encouraged by regulation, halal product trends, and halal assurance from a third party. Meanwhile, the pace of the halal certification is motivated by three factors: the choice of Halal Inspection Body (LPH), the auditor, and company readiness.
Answering those needs, LPPOM, as an LPH, is implementing various programs to accelerate the halal certification process. The result is that LPPOM can fulfill the government’s target of halal testing duration, which is an average of 9 work days (June 2024 data).
Previously, the government set the halal certification duration in the Government Constitution (PP) Number 39 Year 2014 for the Halal Products Assurance Execution. Articles 72 and 73 state that the time for inspection and/or halal testing within the country is a maximum of 25 days and a maximum of 30 days abroad. This is a concrete form of LPPOM, which continues to be committed to encouraging the government’s efforts to realize the must-halal. Other LPPOM programs that are massively done are halal education for people offline or online all over LPPOM’s media channels.
LPPOM will open a discussion room for every business person whose products have not been halal certified through this Customer Care Service on Call Center 14056 or by WhatsApp 0811-1148-696. Business people can also deepen the flow and process of halal certification by joining the Halal Certification Introduction (PSH) class held routinely every week at https://halalmui.org/pengenalan-sertifikasi-halal/.
From the consumer side, LPPOM provides a platform for Halal Product Searching that can be accessed through the website www.halalmui.org or the Halal MUI app that you can download from the Google Playstore and also the BPJPH website. This will make it easier for consumers and businesses to look for a halal product reference easily, fast, and accessible.
Moreover, LPPOM has a laboratory that has been accredited by ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for halal and vegan testing. For more information related to testing services can be accessed on the website: https://e-halallab.com/.
Food Ingredient (FI) Asia Indonesia 2024 Exhibition is an international exhibition, in its 28th edition, that focuses on a strategic platform for businesspeople in the food and beverage industry to explore innovation and expand their business networks. This event is an opportunity to connect the food and beverage industry with raw material producers, potentially encouraging innovation in this sector.
Visitors can explore commerce products from various food and beverage raw materials products from 700 suppliers from 38 countries. Of course, LPPOM also attends this event. Visitors can do a consultation with LPPOM related to halal laboratory and certification at Hall A1 Booth B No. 14. (ZUL)
