LPPOM: Pornographic-Shaped Food Products Cannot Be Halal Certified

The discussion of a halal food product does not stop at its ingredient composition and production process, but also includes the product’s name, shape, and packaging. The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LPPOM) has confirmed that the culinary trend of Croissant Pattaya or Croissant Bulu, which is erotically shaped and resembles female intimate organs, cannot be halal certified in accordance with MUI fatwas. ‘The discussion of a halal product does not stop at its ingredient composition and production process, but also includes the product’s name, shape, and packaging,’ said LPPOM Corporate Secretary VP Raafqi Ranasasmita in Jakarta on Friday. The viral Thai croissant, which is considered to resemble female genitalia, has been widely discussed and reviewed by a number of Indonesian food vloggers. This phenomenon has raised questions among the public regarding the permissibility of the food from a halal perspective. LPPOM explained that the requirements for a product to be halal certified include not only raw materials and production processes, but also the name, shape, and packaging, which must be in line with Islamic law. ‘By definition, what is meant by thayyib here is a product that is good, safe, hygienic, of high quality, beneficial, and does not contradict the values of Sharia or human nature,’ he said. The provisions regarding product names, shapes, and packaging are regulated in MUI Fatwa Number 44 of 2020 concerning the Use of Product Names, Shapes, and Packaging That Cannot Be Halal Certified. The fatwa states that products using names, shapes, or packaging that contain elements of disbelief, immorality, negative connotations, or packaging shaped and/or illustrated with erotic or pornographic content cannot be halal certified. Although the fatwa does not explicitly regulate the physical form of products with pornographic nuances, he said, the substance and spirit (maqashid) of the regulation is directed towards protecting the values of decency and ethics, which are part of the thayyib concept. ‘In other words, it is illogical if the packaging is restricted, but the product’s contents actually display a shape that contradicts the same principle,’ he said. Raafqi added that this phenomenon also serves as a reminder for business actors regarding the importance of reporting every product development within the halal certification scheme. Any changes, whether in shape, name, design, packaging, formula, or new variants, should be submitted so they can be evaluated from the outset in accordance with Sharia provisions and applicable regulations.