ICMI to hold halal food training

ICMI to hold halal food training

JAKARTA: A local branch of the Association of Indonesian
Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) will hold halal food preparation
training for chefs and restaurant managers next week, the
organizer said yesterday.

A number of ambassadors to the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC), including those from Malaysia, Egypt, Iran and
Saudi Arabia, are expected to attend the event, said H. Agus
Soetomo.

Agus said the day-long training, on Dec. 3 at the Ministry of
Tourism, Post and Telecommunication, will acquaint people with
the need to ensure halal (religiously permissible) food
preparation for Indonesia's 170 million Moslems.

"There are currently no restaurants that can guarantee the
food they serve is halal," Agus said. "It's doubly difficult to
identify halal food in hotels and restaurants because not all
food stuffs have the halal label."

The program has been planned to form part of the ICMI's annual
meeting from Dec. 3-5, as well as a way to greet the Dec. 11-14
meeting of member states of the Organization of Islamic
Conference which will take place here. It targets 200 cooks from
middle to high establishments.

Minister of Food Ibrahim Hasan will officiate at the program,
while Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave
will give a key-note speech. Speakers include Ali Yafie of the
Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) and Aisjah Girindra of
Institute for the Study of Medicine and Food at the council.

The Islamic sharia on food and the question of whether
additive substances in food preparation are halal will be
discussed.

MUI and the Ministry of Health cooperate in examining food
products and issuing the halal label. At present, 180 items have
been certified halal. (03)