DNA way to check halal claims

Are food and cosmetic products which claim to be halal really so? A Malaysian company may just have the solution for a quick answer.

Olipro Biotechnology's por-cine gene chip is said to be the first of its kind in the world that detects pork DNA or pork contamination in processed food and cosmetic products.

Olipro chief executive director Diong Sing Peng said the device could detect porcine elements in four to six hours.

"This is useful to manufacturers of halal products. Many are unaware that processed food and cosmetics could contain elements of porcine."

Diong said this may not be the manufacturer's fault as the ingredients to make products came from all over the world.
"The factory that does meat packing could be packing several types of meat as well, so chicken or beef could get contaminated."

He said the test kit could detect up to one billionth of a gm of porcine elements in any material.

He said the product, which was a result of 21/2 years of research, could raise the standards of halal certification.

It was recently launched at the Halal Industry's Development Corporation's World Halal Research Summit by the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Diong said: "Malaysia is the hub of halal food.

"It would be great if we could integrate a logo that says porcine-free or lab-tested to increase consumers' trust in products."

He said the company's next device could help detect what type of animal DNA was used in the production of a particular food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic product