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)