Food labeling system prone to manipulation
SURABAYA (JP): The government's plan to appoint a private company to issue halal (permitted in Islam) and non-halal labels on food, beverages, medicine and cosmetic products has baffled many.
Among them is Dr. Tri Susanto, a food technology professor, whose 1988 survey on halal food created a national uproar after his findings showed that many food products were non-halal.
"I can't understand why certified companies are not allowed to put the halal label on their products themselves," Tri told The Jakarta Post, referring to the current system in which certification of halal food is issued by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) following a recommendation from the Ministry of Health to companies voluntarily asking for the certificates.
"Haven't they gotten the certificates of halal from MUI already? Why can't they stamp the labels on themselves?" he asked.
If a company which has received a halal certificate from MUI is allowed to put halal labels on by itself it would be much easier, practical and efficient, he said.
"If a company having the sole labeling right is set up separately it would be technically more difficult to do the labeling and has risks of higher product prices as well as manipulation," said the professor from Brawijaya University, Malang, East Java.
Tri sees the danger that when a private company has the special right of labeling, it would sell labels to uncertified companies.
"There would be a lot non-halal food having the halal label. How do we control this?" he asked.
But isn't the current system equally prone to manipulation?
"If certified companies fake their halal registration numbers they can be sued," he said.
But the professor is glad that many manufacturers now realize the importance of halal labeling.
"They are eager to get halal certificates from the Directorate General of Food and Drugs and MUI even though it's not obligatory as yet. I guess they understand that they will have bigger sales by putting halal labels on their products," he said.
He acknowledged that among the hundreds of companies now possessing the halal certificates, most are big companies.
Like other observers, Tri also questioned the commercial motive behind the labeling business once the government ruling comes into effect.
"We are speaking about trillions of rupiah because there are millions of products. Putting a label on means another Rp 10 (4 U.S. cents) on each package that should be paid by the manufacturers," he said.
He said the whole issue boiled down to a suspicion that certain parties might want to take advantage of the halal labeling process. (26)