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@Halal | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER. 2019
Science Talk
BY BRO AMIN
Chairman,Global Haltech
CSI:
Contamination Scenario Investigation
When porcine DNA is found in a product previously thought
to be halal , we would be in dire need of a CSI team
C
RIME Scene Investigation,
better known as CSI is a famous
and informative American
serial crime drama which
combines methodical inves-
tigations, real-life topics and
themes in criminal problem solving.
While the CSI team in the series (and actu-
ally in real-life) has a role that is to extrapolate
the fl ow of criminal cases such as a murder
case, the same role applies in solving halal
dispute cases involving the halal status of a
product.
WHEN THERE IS DOUBT
AMONG CONSUMERS
CSI in halal is a concept proposed to the halal
certifi cation authority to manage complaints
from consumers about any given food
product in the market that is otherwise halal-
certifi ed. When consumers are having any
type of doubt on the halal-ness of a certain
product, the CSI concept has to be mobilised
as a response to the worries. Only with proper
scientifi c investigation will the doubts and
worries of consumers can be put to rest.
THE CHOCOLATE BAR DEBACLE
Looking back at the havoc that was the halal
dispute case of a famous chocolate bar a
few years back, in which the product that
had been certifi ed halal by the authority for
many years was found to somehow contain
porcine DNA. The result was from a lab operat-
ing under the Ministry of Health, in which
two variants of the chocolate bar were tested
positive.
Surprisingly, however, the same two prod-
ucts were sent to another lab which operates
under the Department of Chemistry, and the
result was found to be diff erent. They didn’t
detect any porcine DNA.
So you see, the dispute between the two
labs had not only complicate the matter at
hand, it also created a negative perception
by consumers about their competency and
trustworthiness. Moreover, seeing as the
Department of Chemistry’s lab was a lab offi -
cially recognised by JAKIM (Department of
Islamic Development Malaysia), the negative
perception spreads to them as well.
CSI COULD HAVE
SOLVED IT MORE EFFICIENTLY
The negative perception towards halal
authorities could have been avoided if the CSI
concept was put in place during the testing
period. The fi ndings itself may answer the
doubt on whether the positive result of por-
cine DNA was really positive or was actually
HALAL SAFETY:
Food products can be
contaminated with
procine DNA through
various means and at any
point in the supply chain.
false positive, hence leading to the solving of
where the source of contamination of porcine
DNA was from.
This is where having a halal CSI unit
investigating the case could be tremendously
useful. Not only could it help verify the exis-
tence of porcine DNA, it could also trace the
source of the contamination.
HOW COULD A PRODUCT
CONTAIN PORCINE DNA?
How would a CSI unit solve the dispute when
a lab result shows a positive for porcine DNA?
Well, one should fi rst understand that the
existence of porcine DNA in a product can
come in three ways.
SABOTAGE
A product may contain porcine-based ingre-
dients through sabotage. That is to say, the
product in actuality is free from any porcine-
based ingredient. However, a certain confl ict
with another party, perhaps, could result in the
addition of porcine-based ingredients without
the manufacturer’s knowledge, and therefore
would be fl agged as non-halal during testing. A
sabotage is an instance where a party is trying
to damage the product owner’s reputation.
FORMULATION
Besides sabotage, the product itself could
actually contain porcine-based ingredient in
its formulation. If a manufacturer does not
intend to have it, then it may occur because
of poor control of ingredients in the sourcing
process.