October 8, 2007

 

Malaysia forms committee to ensure chicken feed is halal

 

 

Malaysian authorities have formed a committee to ensure that the chicken feed used by commercial farms in the country is free from pig enzyme.

 

The committee comprises senior officers from the Veterinary Services Department, Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and Universiti Putra Malaysia.

 

A source said the committee was formed following complaints from several Muslim associations that most of the chicken feed imported from countries such as the United States, Brazil and China contained pig enzyme.

 

"The Veterinary Services Department has agreed to assist Jakim by collecting samples of the chicken feed. We will use the facilities at UPM to determine the status of the products," says Jakim in a statement.

 

The source said samples would be collected from the farms as soon as possible.

 

Meanwhile, a Jakim official said there was no truth in the claims that chicken feed used by breeders contained pig enzyme.

 

He said samples collected from farms so far showed that the enzyme was "halal".

 

The officials said Jakim and a few government departments have been monitoring the use of chicken feed, especially those imported from Europe. So far, the department found that breeders had conformed to the regulations set by the authorities. The chicken feed is free from pig enzyme and there is nothing for Muslims to worry.

 

The official, however, said the committee was formed so that an official statement on the status of the chicken feed could be issued by Jakim to ease the worries of Muslim consumers.

 

He said the samples would also be sent to the Chemistry Department and the Halal Research Institute for analysis. The results were expected to be known in the next few months.