Halal label not certified

Halal label not certified

BATAM, Riau: The local Religious Affairs Office said the island needs to establish its own council that will certify whether a particular food, beverage, or restaurant is halal, or permissible under Islamic laws.

The office's head, Fauzi Mahbub, told Antara that many items produced on the island carry halal labels although the origin of their certification is not known.

Some restaurants have also been putting up the halal label, including a number of Chinese restaurants, he said.

Given that the certification is now authorized by the Indonesian Ulema Council, the validity of some of these claims is doubtful, according to Fauzi.

He added that imported food and beverages must also pass the halal test although some of them are already carrying such labels. (emb)