Ajinomoto resumes production in East Java
MOJOKERTO, East Java (JP): Giant manufacturer of flavor enhancer, PT Ajinomoto Indonesia, resumed production at its main factory here on Thursday, following the issuance of a halal label for its products by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) on Feb. 19.
"We welcome the decision of the authorities which enables the production process to resume and for all employees to return to work," Vice President Director and Factory Manager Y. Oda said in a statement on Thursday.
A ceremony attended by MUI executives in East Java, including chief Abu Somat Buchori, secretary-general Imam Wawardi, edict commission chief Syaichul Hadi Permono, laboratory and research chief Abdul Mudjid, and local military and police top officers marked the resumption of the company's operation.
The factory has the capacity to produce 100 tons of flavor enhancer daily and "hopefully will reach our customers soon", Oda said.
None of the company's 1,600 employees resigned during the process of regaining Ajinomoto's halal license, Oda added.
PT Ajinomoto applied for a halal label, which allows its product to be consumed according to Islam, in a meeting with MUI leaders on Jan. 30 after the council found the company had used porcine enzyme in its MSG-making process.
Around 80 percent of the country's population of 210 million are Muslim. Islamic law bans the consumption of pork or pork by- products.
The furor caused Ajinomoto to suspend operation and withdraw a total of 10,000 tons of its product from the market.
Ajinomoto said it has used mameno enzymes -- extracted from soybeans -- as its catalyst, instead of the previous pork-based bactosoytone enzyme, in producing MSG.
"We are thankful and touched that the production process has started again smoothly," said Wiwik, a member of the production staff who has worked for the company for 16 years.
Ajinomoto's management on Thursday "guaranteed that all of its pork-tainted products will be recalled from the market and will not be distributed in Indonesia." (edt)