Ajinomoto to get 'halal' certificate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) is in the
\nprocess of issuing a halal certificate for Ajinomoto's new
\nmonosodium glutamate (MSG) taste enhancer, which uses mameno
\nenzymes -- extracted from soybeans -- instead of the pork-based
\nbactosoytone enzyme.<\/p>\n
\"Eight representatives of Ajinomoto met with the MUI board on
\nTuesday at noon and they submitted a request for a halal
\ncertificate. We are now in the process of testing the validity of
\nthe product,\" MUI chairman Umar Shihab told The Jakarta Post on
\nWednesday. Halal means the product is allowed under Islamic law.<\/p>\n
MUI's food and drug laboratory is testing the process used in
\nthe production of the new MSG product, which the company claims
\nuses mameno enzymes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Besides a scientific investigation, a fatwa committee will
\nstudy the aspects of Islamic law relating to the product. We will
\nalso visit Ajinomoto's factory in Mojokerto (East Java) sometime
\nnext week.<\/p>\n
\"If everything runs smoothly, we may issue the halal
\ncertificate within three to four weeks. Basically MUI will not
\ngive a hard time to any company that wishes to ask for a halal
\ncertificate as long as they abide by the rules,\" Umar said.<\/p>\n
MUI supports Ajinomoto restarting production because it
\nconcerns the economic well-being of the people, he said.<\/p>\n
\"But at the same time, MUI has to protect Muslims from
\nconsuming haram (forbidden) items. As for changing the company's
\nlogo and everything... that is up to (Ajinomoto),\" Umar
\nasserted.<\/p>\n
The use of pork enzymes in the production of Ajinomoto's MSG
\nproduct caused a public furor last month in the country, which is
\n80 percent Muslim.<\/p>\n
Muslims are forbidden under Islamic law to consume pork or
\npork by-products.<\/p>\n
Ajinomoto has guaranteed that all of its pork-tainted products
\nwill be recalled from the market and will not be distributed in
\nIndonesia. The company said it would export the products to
\ncountries which do not object to the use of bactosoytone, the
\nhead of the newly established Food and Drug Control Agency
\n(BPOM), Sampurno, said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"On Jan. 25 a team from the Ministry of Industry and Trade,
\nBPOM and related institutions conducted nationwide monitoring of
\nthe recall of Ajinomoto products from the market ... and in a
\nfollow-up meeting on Jan. 29, PT Ajinomoto agreed to purchase any
\nremaining tainted products still found on the market,\" Sampurno
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
From Jan. 3 to Jan. 24 this year a total 2,756.1 tons of MSG
\nAjinomoto, 586.7 tons of the taste enhancer Masako and 68 tons of
\nthe Sajiku taste enhancer were pulled from the market, he said.<\/p>\n
The tainted products will be exported to non-Muslim countries
\nsuch as Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia.<\/p>\n
According to earlier reports, however, Ajinomoto produced
\n10,000 tons of the MSG taste enhancer with the pork enzyme. As
\nmuch as 3,000 tons were distributed domestically, while the
\nremaining 7,000 tons were exported.<\/p>\n
Sampurno also asserted that the legal process against
\nAjinomoto would continue.<\/p>\n
\"But basically we hope that the company will soon start
\nproduction of its MSG with the mameno enzyme extracted from
\nsoybeans,\" he said, adding that 35% chloride acid would be used
\nin its hydrolysis process.<\/p>\n
The controversy surrounding the pork-tainted MSG product died
\ndown when government scientists concluded early in January that
\nthe MSG taste enhancer produced by Ajinomoto did not contain pork
\nenzymes.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid declared the product halal, while
\nalso telling people to follow their hearts in the matter as MUI
\nhad declared earlier the product was haram. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ajinomoto-to-get-halal-certificate-1447893297",
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