Milling is a stumbling block for meatball traders in Indonesia who want to get halal certification. The lack of a mill explicitly used to grind meat and halal ingredients is the leading cause.
“The percentage of halal certification for meatball traders is only around 1.5%. In fact, 70% of beef on the market is absorbed by meatball traders. Of the many meat mills spread across Indonesia, not one has halal certification,” said the Chairman of the Noodle and Meatball Traders Association (APMISO), Drs. Lasiman, S.Pd., in a seminar entitled “Realizing Halal Meat Milling for Halal-Certified Meatballs in the DKI Jakarta Region” organized by LPPOM DKI Jakarta on July 30, 2024 at the Sunlake Sunter Hotel, Jakarta.
The government has issued Act No. 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance, which requires halal certification for all products and services circulating in Indonesia. Meatballs are included in the category of food and beverages that require certification on October 17, 2024. Therefore, Lasiman demands that the government be responsible for implementing the regulation.
“Halal is not just about raw materials,” said Lasiman. Production processes, facilities, and distribution must be considered to determine the halalness of a product. In the meatball business sector, halal milling is one of the main problems in the halal certification of products.
Meanwhile, the Director of LPPOM for the Special Region of Jakarta, drg. H. Deden Edi Sutrisna, M.M., also expressed his concern. “There is no halal meat grinder yet. In fact, this is an important thing. In Indonesia, meatballs are already popular. And until now, we have not dared to carry out halal certification because this milling issue constrains us,” explained Deden.
His party did not remain silent. LPPOM is working to realize halal milling in Indonesia, especially in DKI Jakarta, through cooperation with the local provincial government. Previously, LPPOM collaborated with various parties to seek halal certification for Animal/Poultry Slaughterhouses (RPH/U).
Currently, LPPOM offers a leading halal solution through a pilot project to provide halal meat grinders available at the Meatly Meat Shop outlet, located on Jl. Semeru, Bogor. Meat that can be ground applies to frozen meat with seasoning ingredients available at the outlet at no cost.
This is to support halal certification for meatball traders around the outlet location, including those who will receive free halal certification facilities. As a pilot location, there is also a viral meatball outlet in the city of Bogor.
“We collaborate with many parties to carry out halal certification for MSMEs.
The business actors who are halal certified include restaurants, catering, hotels, distribution services, cosmetics, and packaged food and beverages. This year, it is inevitable that all RPH and RPHU under the agency are halal. Next, we will try to grind meat,” explained Deden.
The Head of the DKI Jakarta Mental and Spiritual Education Bureau (Dikmental), Aceng Zaini, MH, said that he would strive for halal milling in all sub-districts in DKI Jakarta. This will make it easier for meatball traders to comply with existing regulations while also providing convenience for Muslim consumers in DKI Jakarta.
On the same occasion, the Head of the Food Security, Maritime Affairs and Agriculture Agency (KPKP) of DKI Jakarta Province, Ir. Suharini Eliawati, MSi., emphasized that it is essential to ensure, from upstream to downstream, that the meatballs consumed are halal. Meat from the RPH may be halal, but flour and other additional ingredients that are then ground in the market also need to be ensured to be halal. In addition, the milling used must also be ensured not to mix or be mixed with haram and impure ingredients.
“The DKI Provincial Government is assisting so that businesses can progress. The guarantee of the halalness of meatball products also needs to be seen from their distribution, it must be halal thayyiban. DKI is now heading towards a global city, so its tourist and culinary destinations need to be improved. The large number of meatball enthusiasts is a very appropriate opportunity,”
Head of the Halal Certification and Registration Center, Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), Dr. H. Mamat Salamet Burhanudin, M.Ag., expressed his gratitude and extraordinary appreciation. “In fact, without LPPOM, BPJPH would not be able to run. The spirit is here,” he said.
Mamat also emphasized that all goods and services must be halal certified. To implement this law, the state has formed BPJPH. “We guarantee the halal certification process up to the supervision of goods and products that are already circulating in Indonesia. We will prioritize business actors to get effective, efficient and fast services,” he explained.
The seminar entitled “Realizing Halal Meat Milling for Halal Certified Meatballs in the DKI Jakarta Region” was also attended by the General Chairperson of the MUI for the Special Region of Jakarta, KH. H. Muhammad Faiz; Secretary General of the MUI for the Special Region of Jakarta, KH. H. Auza’i Mahfudz; and the Head of the Animal Health and Livestock Service Center for DKI Jakarta, drh. Renova Ida Siahaan. In addition, more than 70 meatball business actors in the DKI Jakarta area were also present. This is a form of socialization and education of LPPOM regarding the importance of halal meatball certification. (***)
