DURING the Covid-19 pandemic, incidences involving food fraud have reached a new level. Recently, the authorities uncovered a case where a warehouse in Johor Baru allegedly distributed foreign frozen meat products originating from various countries with falsified halal logos.
This notable food fraud scandal proves that the country's halal industry is at stake and requires an immediate and practical solution.
Another similar incident occurred when the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department confiscated a consignment of non-halal food material several months before being distributed into local markets. This is a threat to the nation's food defence.
For the majority of the country's population, halal food is the lifeline of Muslim consumers. The pandemic has slowed the pace of the food service industry since the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to flatten the infection curve.
Therefore, the time has come for each of us, as a micro-component of the larger halal ecosystem needs, to take responsibility to protect and defend halal food from such imminent threats. The first line of defence for keeping halal integrity throughout the food supply chain is the authority.
When we talk about the food supply chain, it will involve a network of food supplies as raw materials may originate from different sources or countries. This makes it difficult for us to identify and control the supplies. The complexity of the raw material network leaves the integrity of both aspects — safety and halal — vulnerable.
Diplomatic relations and bilateral agreements with exporting countries will help with the monitoring of incoming food supplies for safety and halal inspections.
With every entry point to the country kept in check, incoming food crime threat will be prevented from entering the country. The authorities have made great efforts in cracking down on non halal elements from penetrating the local market. For the industry players and consumers, these guidelines below will hopefully boost the nation's food defence.
FIRST, get certified. Many, including European countries and the United States, require imported food products to be certified with their respective Food Defence programme.
The programme is one of the requirements under the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 2200) and International Standard Organisation (ISO).
In Malaysia, we have a food defence certification that is offered by the Health Ministry. An internal food defence system will ensure the effectiveness of the food safety assurance system as it covers intentional and unintentional contamination.
In defending halal food products from food crime threat, food producers need to get the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia's (Jakim) halal certificate.
Firms applying for the certificate need to establish a halal assurance system within their operations. The system will be inspected to ensure its effective implementation.
Every raw material, processes, processing aids and equipment must follow the MS1500:2019 standard, as well as procedures outlined by Jakim.
Halal risk management, internal halal audit, management review, surveillance audit, all packaged within the certification programme, will help the industry to monitor their halal production securely.
SEC OND, know our suppliers. Choosing the right supplier is the key to achieving a sustainable halal supply chain.
This is important to ensure that raw food materials meet the halal and safety specifications and are sourced from trusted entities. It also helps with the materials' trace ability.
THIRD, food producers need to keep themselves updated with the authorities. Jakim has published a revised version of its halal certification manual, the Malaysian Halal Management System 2020, previously known as Manual Procedure for Halal Certification 2014.
Updated information is vital to ensure that the halal assurance system meets the relevant requirements. The consumers are urged to be well-informed on halal related news by referring to Jakim's official website and as well as other platforms.
They should not be duped by fake news. Consumers can contact Jakim or state Islamic Affairs Departments for clarification or file a report on any case where halal integrity is compromised.
The ultimate solution is by boosting our food defence system at the macro- and micro-levels.
It is our responsibility to defend it, and the time has come for us to protect the halal food ecosystem as an impregnable fortress from food crime threats.
The writer is Lecturer of Halal Industry Management, Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies (ACIS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam