Halal issues in processed food: Misuse of the Halal logo

Abstract

Lately there have been media reports of unethical behaviour on the part of food manufacturers that use non-halal ingredients in their products, yet display the halal logo. One such case is that of a sausage manufacturer who used non-halal items to make his sausages. The reason for this behaviour is none other than the desire to maximize profit. Despite the efforts by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) to introduce the halal logo and shariah compliant standards for food and other products, the false halal logo was unashamedly used by these unscrupulous manufacturers. Muslims were sadly deluded into believing that the products were halal due to the halal logo that these manufacturers blatantly displayed on the food packaging. Increasingly aware of the logo misuse and the manipulative behaviour of the food manufacturers, many Muslim consumers are making noise, demanding that the authority takes action against them. Several manufacturers have, so far, either been caught using the fraud halal logo or misrepresenting the actual ingredients used in the food products. To restore Muslim consumers’ confidence in purchasing halal food products, this issue must therefore be solved.