The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI) continues to expand its network. LPPOM MUI has four representative offices abroad, one in China. LPPOM MUI offices abroad support the accelerated halal certification program promoted by the Indonesian government.
“Our representative office in China has been initiated since 2007. The existence of our representative office in Shanghai makes it easier to certify halal products from China, which in turn will support the government in meeting the availability of halal food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic raw materials so that the certification program for 10 million halal products 2024 will be easier,” explained the President Director of LPPOM MUI, Muti Arintawati, in her explanation when receiving the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, K.H. Ma’ruf Amin visited the LPPOM MUI Representative Office in China (Shanghai Al Amin) on September 18 2023.
He emphasized that this effort was initiated as a form of support from LPPOM MUI in providing halal guarantees to consumers when consuming products originating or made from raw materials from China. As is known until now, there are still many raw materials for food, medicine, and cosmetics imported from China.
Now that the Indonesian government has implemented the halal certification obligation, LPPOM MUI representative offices abroad can assist the government, in this case, the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), to socialize halal product guarantee regulations. Therefore, foreign entrepreneurs can understand Indonesian halal regulations well and try to comply with them.
“We are here to help companies that are not in Indonesia and cannot speak Indonesian to get the latest and accurate information regarding the halal certification system in Indonesia along with technical support,” explained Muti Arintawati.
Tracing the beginnings of LPPOM MUI conducting halal audits in China for the first time starting in early 2000 and increasing. In 2007, LPPOM MUI signed a collaboration with Shanghai Al Amin to assist LPPOM MUI in promoting halal certification in the Chinese market.
Through this collaboration, the demand for Chinese companies to obtain halal certificates is increasing. In 2011, LPPOM MUI decided to increase cooperation with Shanghai Al Amin through a representative office in Shanghai to accommodate and facilitate applications from Chinese companies.
More than 1,000 companies and over 7,000 products in China have obtained halal certificates through the LPPOM MUI Shanghai representative office. The company’s coverage includes raw materials, beverages and processed foods, vitamins and supplements, enzymes, cosmetics, medicines and vaccines.
In 2022, LPPOM MUI has expanded cooperation with Shanghai SAPH Pharma Co. Ltd (SAPH Pharm) related to testing laboratories in the form of Animal DNA Testing, Porcine DNA Testing, and other types of DNA Testing from animals, such as cows, chickens, goats, fish, sheep. (YN)
