The Role of Nutritionists in

Halal Nutrition Innovation to

Face Covid-19 Pandemic

IRWANDI JASWIR
International Institute For Halal Research And Training
(Inhart), International Islamic University Malaysia

UNIDA, Gontor, 28 Aug 2020

 2018

1980 1997 2011 2015

 HALAL???

25th and 27th April 2018, South Korea

What industry involve Halal?

Traditional Emerging

Cosmetics, personal care and healthcare products

Processed food and beverages

Tourism services
Organic and non-organic ingredients

Modest Fashion
Logistics services 4
Halal is about quality of life….

Halal concept is not just for Muslim. It is for everyone

5
Global Halal Market 2017 ~ US$3.1 trillion/year

Non-Food
Food (US$ 1.52 trillion)
(US$ 0.58 trillion)

Services (US$ 1.0

trillion)
Non-food Services Food

Source : Fourth Industrial Master 6

Plan (IMP4)
Within Halal economy, tourism and Islamic finance would be
hurting the most, accordingly food and pharma the least

Source: State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2019/20, DinarStandard

Covid-19 impact
Least –ve Least –ve Highest Least –ve Medium Highest
Medium
impact impact -ve impact -ve impact -ve
-ve impact
impact impact

4
OIC countries food security vulnerability segmented by four levels,
requiring different response

Source: DinarStandard synthesis and analysis, COMCEC Report

2019 6
 What is COVID-19
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and
airways. It’s caused by a virus called Coronavirus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spread in sneeze of cough

droplets. Current evidence suggests that the virus can
spread as easy as the flu virus that circulates every
winter.

Viruses can be easily spread to other people and you are

normally infectious until all your symptoms have gone

Coronavirus (COVID-19) may survive on surface if

someone who has it coughs or sneezes onto it. Simple
household disinfectants can kill the virus on surfaces
 What is Food Safety?
➢ The term food safety describes all
practices that are used to keep our
food safe.
➢ Food safety relies on the joint efforts
of everyone involved in our food
supply.
➢ All along the food chain, from
farmers and producers to retailers
and caterers, legislation and controls
are in place to reduce the risk of
contamination, and personally we
each have a role to play as well.
 Food Poisoning
❖Food poisoning (also known as foodborne
illness or food-related illness) is caused by
eating food that has been contaminated by
bacteria, viruses or parasites.
❖Food can become contaminated by these
microorganisms at any time before you eat it,
including at home during:
➢handling
➢storing
➢cooking
 Causes of Food Poisoning
➢ Bacteria and Viruses
➢ Parasites
➢ Mold
➢ Allergens
➢ Toxins (Mycotoxins, bacterial toxins)
➢Contaminants (pesticides, Vet drug, heavy
metals)
 Long term effects of consumption
of contaminated food
➢Kidney failure
➢Chronic arthritis
➢Brain and nerve damage
➢Cancer
➢Immune system disordering r
➢Death
Who’s at risk of COVID-19?
➢ Pregnant women
➢ Older adults
➢ Persons with chronic illnesses
➢ Young children
 Food Safety within the Pandemic
COVID-19 Crisis
➢ SARS-COV, MERS, and SARS-COV-2
circulate mainly among animals.
➢ Some of these viruses are also known to infect
humans.
➢ The virus is spreading from person to person
mainly via respiratory droplets that people
cough, sneeze, or exhale
➢ Food is not a route of transmission for these
relevant viruses
➢ However, transmission is possible if an
infected individual touches food, then
another individual collects it and
touches their eyes or mucous
membranes of the mouth.
➢ Fresh foods may also be exposed to
COVID-19 before being frozen, then the
transmission may happen.
➢A recent report showed that
COVID-19 can be transmitted
through frozen or refrigerated food
such as cold meat and salmon
➢The handling of packages should
be followed by extensive hand
washing or sanitizing in order to
minimize any risk from touching
food potentially exposed to COVID-
19
COVID-19 was found on
➢FDA recommended the sanitization chopping boards used to
and cleaning of surfaces for food cut salmon for imports
restaurants and kitchens in food market in China.
What we need to know
What are the measures that should be
taken by the agri-food (Halal industry) to
avoid food contamination by the virus?

➢The hygiene controls implemented by food business

operators should be designed to prevent the contaminatio
of the food by any pathogens including COVID-19.
➢Regular training actions in food businesses on all these
requirements are mandatory so that people working in th
food industry know how to work hygienically.
Among the good hygiene practices required at all
stages of food production:
➢Cleaning and, disinfection of food producing
facilities and equipment between production
lots.
➢Avoidance of cross-contamination between
types of food at different stages of the process
(e.g. raw VS cooked food).
➢Personal hygiene such as washing and
disinfecting hands, wearing gloves and masks
Does the lockdown undermine the safety of
food?
The lockdown may limit controls on the application
of hygiene in food businesses.
➢However, official controls are part of a safe food
chain, the current limitations are not considered
to affect the safety of food, which first relies on
the commitment of all actors of the food chain,
from farm to fork.
➢The EU Commission adopted control actions to
limit the spread of COVID-19.
➢These measures apply for two months and will
then be reviewed.
What happens if a food business
employee is infected with COVID-19?
➢Specific protocols should be established within
the food processing industry to safeguard the
health of employees.
➢These measures include social distancing while
at work, plexiglass when distance cannot be
maintained, no contact between truck drivers
and the food facility, more hand sanitizers at
disposal, no more workers than strictly
necessary, or where possible working from
home.
 Raw
Materials

Three Main
Issues in Halal Processing
Food Products
(Nutritionists’
Roles) Authentication
HOLISTIC CONCEPT OF HALALAN TOYYIBAN
 Potential Critical Areas
▪ Raw materials – animal or plant origin
▪ Slaughtering – stunning and thoracic sticking issues
▪ Processing operations/equipment – cross-contamination
▪ Packaging/Storage/Transportation (logistic issues)
▪ Ingredients and additives
▪ Pig and its by-products (e.g. pork, lard, gelatin)
▪ Enzymes (e.g rennet, pepsin)
▪ Emulsifiers (e.g. E471/E472 or mono- & diglycerides)
▪ Intoxicants (alcoholic beverages, drugs)
▪ Blood
▪ GMO/GMF
▪ Safety and quality aspects
 R & D on Halal Authentication
For Food and Pharmaceuticals
• Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy
• Electronic Nose (E-nose) technology
• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
• Molecular Biology techniques (DNA, ELISA)
• Chromatography (e.g. GC-FID, GC-ToF-MS,
HPLC, GCMS)
• Biopotential Telemetry EEG & ECG
Molecular Biology Techniques
 Real-time PCR

Specificity test on pork primer designed against

other meat species (beef and chicken).
Past and Current Research on Gelatin

• Gelatin from local goat for pharmaceutical capsules (in

Indonesia)
• Fish gelatin (30 species)
• Production of fish gelatin nano-particles
• Encapsulation of bioactive peptide using gelatin nano-
particles
• Production of plant-based gelatin replacers
• Development of portable device for rapid authentication
of non halal gelatin
• Determination of gelatins in dental materials
• Camel gelatin project (with KSU)
• Seaweeds projects
Camel Gelatin Project
Pilot Plant of Gelatin and Derivatives
 Antioxidant

Anti-cancer

Anti-diabetic

Anti-inflammatory

Anti-obesity
 0.8
: Fucoxanthinol
: Amarouciaxanthin A
0.6 : Cis-Fucoxanthinol
mg/mg protein Picture of
Abdominal WAT
0.4 in Obese Model
Mouse
Control +Fx

0.2

0 Perirenal Gonadal Retro- Liver Kidney Spleen Small Large

Peritoneal Intestines Intestines

Abdominal white adipose tissues (WAT)

Concentration of Metabolic Products in Mouse Fed
Fucoxanthin (FX) (0.1%) for 4 Weeks.
*A considerable amount of fucoxanthinol was also found in
plasma as a main metabolite.
LAUNCHING OF HALAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
Laboratory Equipments
irwandi@iium.edu.my