UNAIR NEWS – Based on Global Islamic Report (GIER) 2015-2017, the world’s Muslim society spent their wealth US $ 1.9 trillion in 2016-2017. In 73 countries,  members of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OKI), 89 percent of them or US $ 1.7 trillion were spent on food and beverage consumption.
With the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia has potential in the trending halal industry and the state needs to provide health insurance to the public. Therefore, with its potential, Universitas Airlangga supports it by launching Halal Research and Product Development Center (PRPPH) UNAIR or Halal Center UNAIR on Wednesday, March 28.
Head of PRPPH UNAIR Dr. H. Mustofa Helmi Effendi, DTAPH., Drh., explained that Halal Center UNAIR serves as a research center related to halal products. He added that it is very suitable because UNAIR has an advantage in that field.
“Because, UNAIR is capable of testing its DNA, whether there is pig or not. In addition, we have qualified human resources UNAIR, so it (Halal Center UNAIR) can be a reliable halal examiner institution, “he said. “So, later the halal inspection center is an institution that can declare a product halal or haram. It will work with BPJPH (Halal Product Assurance Board), “he added during a National Seminar titled “Acceleration, Implementation of Halal Product Assurance in Indonesia “.
Furthermore, he added, at UNAIR, there are 35 candidates for halal auditors, 10 halal product research and development projects, and it is preparing an international conference in the near future. The center focus is checking and testing the product. The role of issuing the certificate is BPJPH. There are three areas of focus of Halal Center UNAIR, the field of food (food and beverage), pharmacy (drugs), and humanities (perception).
“This perception relates to the necessity of halal certification. It needs social science, economics, and others, “he said.
“Talking about health, there are three aspects we need to consider, physical, mental, and social community. If the social community is disturbed, it is haram, it won’t be peaceful. So, we make the society unhealthy, in the context of health, “he added.
Adding the statement, Vice Rector III UNAIR Prof. Ir. M. Amin Alamsjah, Ph.D., who represented the rector revealed that talking about halal products, it is the same as talking about the fulfillment of the needs of Indonesia, which is dominated by Muslim society. Related to local regulations, halal is necessary in the context of meeting the needs of healthy and good food for the community.
“The fulfillment of good and healthy products is mandatory. Of course, all must be aligned with science. Therefore, UNAIR is ready and supportive, “he said in remarks of the Halal Center UNAIR inauguration.
In the inauguration, there was also a national seminar. The keynote speaker in the seminar was KH. M. Cholil Nafis, Lc., Ph D from Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) Center. There was also Prof. Ir. Sukoso, M. Sc., Ph. D. (Head of BPJPH of the Ministry of Religious Affairs) spoke about the policy on the implementation of halal product guarantee in Indonesia; Prof. Dr. Sugijanto, MS. Apt (senior researcher of UNAIR and director of LPPOM MUI East Java) on the implementation of halal product assurance: obstacles and challenges.
Dr. H. Mustofa Helmi Effendi, drh., DTAPH., also speaks about the constraints and strategy of preparing halal auditors in Indonesia; Dr. Drs. Zainal Alim Mas Ud, DEA (senior researcher and secretary of the Halal Science Center Bogor Agricultural University) on the development of halal research in Indonesia; and Nur Kusuma Dewi, practitioners in the field of ASUH (safe, healthy, halal, and intact) standard meat production business. (*)
Author: Feri Fenoria
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
