The Role of Halal Assurance System – Imagine you’re at a supermarket, and you see a food product labeled as ‘Halal.’ What does this mean? ‘Halal’ is an Arabic term that means ‘permissible,’ and in the context of food, it refers to food that is permissible according to Islamic law. The Halal food industry is growing rapidly, and a key part of this industry is the Halal Assurance System (HAS). This system ensures that Halal food remains Halal, or permissible, throughout its journey from the farm to your plate. Let’s delve deeper into what the HAS is and why it’s so important in Halal food logistics [1].
Understanding the Halal Assurance System
The Halal Assurance System is like a guardian of Halal food. It’s a set of procedures and checks that make sure food products stay Halal throughout their entire journey in the supply chain. This includes everything from the sourcing of ingredients, to the way the food is processed and packaged, and even how it’s transported and stored [2].
The Role of Halal Assurance System in Halal Food Logistics
In the world of food logistics, which is all about managing the way food gets from one place to another, the Halal Assurance System plays a crucial role. For example, consider a can of Halal soup. The HAS would ensure that all the ingredients used in the soup are Halal. It would also check that the soup is made and canned in a way that follows Islamic laws. And it would oversee the way the cans are transported and stored, making sure they aren’t contaminated by non-Halal items [3].
The Importance of Halal Assurance System in Ensuring Halal Integrity
The Halal Assurance System is essential for maintaining ‘Halal integrity.’ This means ensuring that Halal food stays Halal at every stage of its journey. This is important because when people buy Halal food, they trust that it has been produced according to Islamic laws. The HAS helps to build and maintain this trust [4].
Challenges in Implementing the Halal Assurance System in Food Logistics
While the HAS is very important, implementing it can be challenging. For example, it can be difficult to ensure that every ingredient in a food product is Halal, especially when ingredients are sourced from different suppliers. It can also be challenging to ensure that Halal food is stored and transported separately from non-Halal food [5].
Conclusion
The Halal Assurance System plays a vital role in the Halal food industry. It helps to ensure that Halal food stays Halal from the farm to the plate, building trust with consumers and supporting the growth of the Halal food market. While implementing the HAS can be challenging, the benefits it brings make it a key part of Halal food logistics [6].
References
[1] Pew Research Center. (2017). The Changing Global Religious Landscape. Link
[2] Halal assurance in food supply chains: Verification of halal certificates using audits and laboratory analysis. Link
[3] Consumer perception on halal meat logistics. Link
[4] Halal food supply chain integrity: from a literature review to a conceptual framework. Link
[5] Halal risk mitigation in the Australian–Indonesian red meat supply chain. Link
[6] Application of multi-based quality function deployment (QFD) model to improve halal meat industry. Link
