HALAL MAKE UP?

By: Nina Naquiah Ahmad Nizar

“Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty.”

[Sahīh Muslim]

Cleanliness is pre-requisite to beautification, in which the state of purity is most loved by Allah and His prophet. Cleanliness, hygiene and beatification are highly related to cosmetics. There are numerous reasons that made cosmetics as women’s (and men’s) best friend. For some, cosmetics are worn daily due the importance placed on image and the competition in the workforce. Preference is more on color cosmetics that preserve and protect the skin against sun damage rather than just improving the exterior. These are the baby boomer generation who are innovation driven purchasers; yearning for age defying properties cosmetics, foundations that protect the skin against UV rays and reduce the appearance of fine lines, treatment ingredients that help a variety of skin problems, and lip glosses and lipsticks with a plumping effect. Apart from that, there are also users who want good quality mass-market personal hygiene products at affordable prices (Karl Lintner 2009).

There are disputes on whether or not halal cosmetics productions are necessary. Some may inquire if putting on make up to show non-muhrims is allowable or even in extreme cases, puts the query for halal cosmetics as darurah.  It isn’t inevitably a ‘Muslim’ principle to wear excessive make up because of the Islamic views on the importance of modesty.

Quran [24:31] And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers! Turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss.

So, is creating a Halal make up range in anyway contradictory? Samina, the founder of Samina Pure Make Up, in Islam, it is considered good for a wife to make the effort to look attractive for her husband while also maintaining a modest appearance when in public. There are plenty of family and women only occasions where Muslim women can wear what they want. Reality speaks; both practicing and non practicing Muslim women wear makeup, if so then why not provide a Halal option (Aftab Gulzar 2010).

In this side of the world, already there are Malaysian Halal certified cosmetics brands that include Safi, Binari, Syahirah, Clara International, and a few others. Wan Norma Wan Daud, Director of the Product and Services Development Division, Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation or MATRADE says, “We not only need to create awareness amongst the Muslims that they should be concerned about the cosmetic’s composition, but also tell them that Halal cosmetics are available and where to get them. Malaysia can sell a lot especially to the Middle East, simply because ours is certified Halal,” She also thinks that Islamic scholars must set the record straight on various issues concerning the use of cosmetics and the set limits for Muslims. 

Now, after decades, many Western companies are increasingly developing marketing campaigns and formulating products themselves with Muslims firmly in sight under the “Islamic marketing”. As the Islamic population has grown in size and affluence there are now vast community of Muslims worldwide and more multinationals are seeking to tap into the market. 

Colgate-Palmolive, for instance, claims to be the first international company to have obtained Halal certification in Malaysia for toothpaste and mouthwash products. Colgate’s products now bear the Halal logo, which also is featured in the company’s television commercials.

Ibn Umar (R) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Make a regular practice of the Miswaak, for verily, it is healthy for the mouth and it is a Pleasure for the Creator (i.e. Allah is pleased with the Muslim who uses the Miswaak)'.

                                                                                                                         [Sahih:Al-Bukhari]

Unilever says the Sunsilk Lively Clean & Fresh shampoo, which is sold in Malaysia and Singapore, was created for people who suffer from oily scalps after wearing any head covering, be it a baseball hat or head scarf. After company research showed that many women who wear the head scarf complained of oily scalps, it introduced the halal products in television commercial aimed at them. More to the point, The Tom’s of Maine brand had its products being certified Halal since 2006 except for bar soap and Wicked Fresh! Mouthwash, and Revlon Colorsilk and Colorsilk Luminista hair colouring products have been certified for more than ten years.

 Katie Leavitt of Tonic sums up a proposition of another makeup entrepreneur and former pharmaceutical clinician, Dr Mah Hussein-Gambles, saying that Halal is for everyone and we should approach it from the eco-ethical angle too, besides the religious angle. What's more, realizing the vast Muslim market, with the credibility of halal claimed products, she is confident that halal can sell, both for Muslims and non-Muslims. Hence, with the availability of halal cosemetics, beautify ourselves within the limits of Shariah and feel good! Wallahua’lam.

Food safety issue: PAhs toxin in food endanger human life

By: Kamilah Nazifah Kamin

Halalan toyyiban does not only cover the authenticity of the food being free from pig or alcohol presence but it also covers food safety. Food safety especially for meat-based foods is very important because they are basic nutrients as the main protein sources. However, toxins may occur in these types of food which has been contaminated by environmental pollutants that spread in the air and partition to the particle matter. 

Toxin compounds such as pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated and brominated compounds (i.e Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), Polybrominated dibenzodioxin (PBDD)) have a lipophilic nature thus it can be stored in muscle, liver or adipose tissue of animal and human after consuming it. Recently, toxin such as PAHs has become a big issue and extensively being discussed due to its carcinogenic, mutagenic and endocrine-disrupting activity to human (Mnif et al., 2011). Dissimilar to other harmful organic chemicals that have been barred or regulated in discharges, PAHs continue to be released into the environment because their persistent formation through the burning of fossil fuels in transport, petroleum products and forest fire (Burgess et al., 2003).

Zakaria et al. (2002) verified that input of PAHs to Malaysian waters are cause by frequent heavy rain that may transport leak petroleum and overflow of urban water treatment plants to flood into coastal waters and rivers hence exposing these toxins to be consume by fish. Other than that, these toxins can also be form during cooking process such as grilling, barbeque and smoking process. Nakamura et al. (2008) stated that it is probable to detect a single aromatic ring converted into a multiple ring systems at temperature above 400°C demonstrating the formation of PAHs due to char creation. He recommended that the production of radicals on the aromatic carbons by releasing the O-CH3 series may be the initial phase of PAH-like multiple ring system creation.

Therefore, bear in mind that though these foods are halal, but there are not toyyiban. Even though the toxins are present in very small amounts, they still harmful to human health (Nunez et al., 2005). These toxin effects can be reduce by removing the char from the grilled food such as in satay, chicken barbeque and so on. In addition we have to avoid from taking the same protein sources everyday and try to take different variety of protein sources such as meat, chicken, fish, egg and soy product. 

Last but not least, we are what we eat!

References 

Burgess, R., Ahrens, J. & Hickey, C., (2003). Geochemistry of PAHs in aquatic environments: source, persistence and distribution. In E.T. Douben, (Eds), PAHs: An Ecotoxicological Perspective. Ecological & Environmental Toxicology Series: Wiley.

Mnif, W., Hassine, A.I.H., Bouaziz, A., Bartegi, A., Thomas, & O., Roig, B. (2011). Effect of endocrine disruptor pesticides: A review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Publ. Health, 8, 2265–2303.

Nakamura, T., Kawamoto, H., & Saka, S. (2008). Pyrolysis ehavior of Japanese cedar wood lignin studied with various model dimmers. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol, 81, 173–182.

Nunez, O., Moyano, E. & Galceran, M.T., (2005). LC-MS/MS Analysis of Organic Toxics in Food. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 24(7), 683-703.

Zakaria, M.P., Takada, H., Tsutsumi, S., Ohno, K., Yamada, J., Kouno, E., & Kumata, H. (2002). Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rivers and estuaries in Malaysia: a widespread input of petrogenic PAHs. Environmental Science and Technology, 36, 1907–1918. 

Lemak Babi : Antara Manfaat , Kesan dan Alternatifnya dalam Produk Makanan.

By: Nur Illiyin Bt Mohamed Roslan

Lemak babi dan kegunaannya dalam makanan

Lemak babi merupakan antara sumber lemak yang paling banyak manfaatnya. Ia sering digunakan dalam pelbagai bidang seperti di dalam bidang makanan, farmaseutikal dan sektor-sektor pembuatan yang lain. Kandungan lemak babi dalam produk bakeri dan konfeksonari contohnya berperanan untuk menghasilkan sifat fizikal yang diingini bagi produk-produk makanan yang tertentu. Sebagai contoh,lemak babi sangat popular sebagai penambah perisa bagi produk pie crust.Ia juga dapat melembutkan tekstur kek dan menjadikannya lebih gebu. Dalam produk coklat pula,ia dapat menghasilkan coklat yang akan terus mencair di dalam mulut sebaik sahaja anda menikmatinya. Selain menjadi bahan ramuan di dalam makanan, lemak babi juga masih dijadikan sebagai medium menggoreng di sesetengah negara luar. Malahan lemak ini juga telah digunakan sebagai bahan untuk mencampurkan ramuan-ramuan di dalam produk daging kerana sifat stickiness yang terdapat di dalam lemak haiwan tersebut.

Komposisi lemak babi

Lemak dan minyak semulajadi biasanya terdiri daripada kombinasi trigliserida, digliserida, monogliserida dan asid-asid bebas lemak. Bagi lemak babi, ia mengandungi asid oleik, palmitik, linoleik dan sterik sebagai asid lemak yang utama. Lemak babi berada di dalam keadaan separa pepejal di dalam suhu bilik dan akan mencair sepenuhnya apabila menghampiri suhu 40°C. Selain itu,lemak babi agak unik berbanding lemak haiwan lain kerana asid palmitik terletak pada posisi kedua dalam molekul trigliserida. Apa yang menariknya, struktur molekul  trigliserida daripada lemak babi ini mirip dengan struktur susu manusia.Oleh itu, terdapat kajian yang telah dijalankan untuk mengkaji potensi lemak babi sebagai susu formula alternatif untuk bayi (Wang et al.,2010).

Islam mengatakan haram kepada babi

Meskipun lemak babi mempunyai banyak kelebihan, murah dan mudah didapati, agama Islam melarang penganutnya untuk mengambil makanan atau produk-produk yang mengandungi babi dan unsur-unsurnya. Ia dapat dijumpai secara jelas di dalam firman Allah s.w.t yang bermaksud:

“Diharamkan bagimu (memakan) bangkai, darah, daging babi, (daging haiwan) yang disembelih atas nama selain Allah, yang tercekik, yang terpukul, yang jatuh, yang ditanduk, dan diterkam binatang buas, kecuali yang sempat kamu menyembelihnya…”   (Surah Al-Maidah: 3)

Umat Islam mempercayai bahawa pasti terdapat hikmah yang tersembunyi di atas larangan tersebut. Tambahan pula kajian-kajian saintifik sendiri telah membuktikan kesan-kesan negatif terhadap penggunaan lemak babi terhadap kesihatan manusia. Menurut kajian yang telah dijalankan penggunaan lemak babi akan menyumbang kepada penyakit-penyakit berbahaya antaranya seperti  penyakit kardiovaskular, obesiti,kanser kolon, kanser payudara dan lain-lain lagi (Reddy et al.,1987; Grundy et al.,1986; Cohen et al.,1982). Sebagai contoh,penyakit kardiovaskular dan obesiti sering dikaitkan dengan kandungan lemak tepu yang terkandung di dalam lemak babi. Selain itu, ia turut menyebabkan peningkatan penyakit kanser seperti kanser kolon dan kanser payudara.

Potensi minyak tumbuhan sebagai alternatif kepada lemak babi

Ramai orang berpendapat lemak di dalam makanan hanya untuk menghasilkan rasa yang enak dan kalori semata-mata. Sebenarnya komponen lemak ini boleh berfungsi lebih daripada itu di mana ia penting untuk fungsi tekstur makanan selain memberi rasa enak yang sangat memuaskan.Oleh kerana lemak boleh wujud dalam bentuk kristal,cecair, separa pepejal dan lemak pepejal, ia dapat mempengaruhi sifat plasticity, struktur,keseimbangan dan kualiti banyak produk makanan.Kehadiran lemak di dalam makanan juga dapat membantu pembentukan emulsi, melembutkan produk bakeri,membantu aeration mentega dan tepung dalam adunan serta memberi kesan mouthfeel kepada makanan tersebut.

Fungsi lemak untuk menghasilkan makanan yang enak dan menjadi kegemaran ramai memang tidak dapat dinafikan. Walaubagaimanapun, lemak tersebut boleh dimodifikasikan agar ia dapat mengurangkan kadar ketepuan serta kalorinya dalam menghasilkan produk makanan yang lebih sihat.Dalam konteks lemak babi,beberapa kajian telah dijalankan untuk menggantikan lemak ini dengan sumber lemak yang lain. Tujuan kajian tersebut adalah untuk menyediakan produk makanan yang lebih sihat untuk pengguna tanpa menghilangkan keaslian ciri-ciri produk makanan tersebut.

Kebiasaannya,para saintis akan melibatkan sumber tumbuhan sebagai material kerana minyak tumbuhan mengandungi kandungan lemak tak tepu yang tinggi di mana ia berguna untuk kesihatan. Minyak zaitun mengandungi kandungan asid oliek yang tinggi dan sering dikaji sebagai pengganti minyak babi dalam produk sosej. Apabila ia digantikan secara separa sebagai sumber lemak dalam produk tersebut,didapati kesan nutrisi dan kestabilan oksida produk makanan meningkat (Rodr´ıguez-Carpena et al.,2011). Produk daging Kwung Wan di Taiwan turut dikaji di mana lemak babi telah digantikan dengan 11 jenis minyak tumbuhan yang berbeza.Minyak yang digunakan adalah daripada minyak kelapa, minyak bunga matahari, minyak sawit, minyak jagung, minyak kacang, minyak soya ,minyak zaitun dan tea seed dan minyak terhidrogenasi dari minyak kelapa,minyak sawit dan minyak soya (Hsu dan Yu, 2002). Hasilnya,minyak yang menunjukkan pengganti lemak yang lebih baik dalam produk tersebut adalah minyak kelapa,minyak sawit,minyak soya ,minyak zaitun dan minyak soya terhidrogenasi.   Selain itu, Muguerza et al. (2003) telah mengkaji hasil penggantian separa lemak babi dengan minyak soya dalam produk sosej. Mereka mendapati peratusan sebanyak 15%, 20% dan 25% merupakan peratusan yang sesuai untuk menghasilkan produk yang lebih kurang sama dengan produk yang menggunakan lemak babi.

Penggunaan lemak babi sebagai shortening dalam produk bakeri boleh digantikan dengan penggunaan lemak yang berasal dari tumbuh-tumbuhan. Produk shortening yang dikaji kebiasaannya akan diadun secara fizikal,mahupun melalui proses hidrogenasi,interesterifikasi dan beberapa cara yang lain. Sebagai contoh, Kim et al. (2008) telah menghasilkan produk marjerin yang mengandungi bebas lemak trans dengan menggunakan formulasi minyak canola,minyak sawit stearin dan minyak sawit kernel melalui proses interesterifikasi berenzim. Setelah itu, Prakash et al. (2010) pula telah menggunakan formulasi yang melibatkan minyak rice bran,minyak sawit stearin dan minyak kelapa dengan menggunakan kaedah yang sama untuk menghasilkan marjerin yang juga bebas lemak trans. Selain mencampurkan di antara minyak tumbuhan sahaja,terdapat juga kajian yang melibatkan formulasi minyak tumbuhan dan minyak haiwan sebagaimana kajian yang telah dijalankan oleh Liu et al. (2010).Dalam kajian tersebut,lemak lembu telah diadun dengan minyak canola menggunakan proses interesterifikasi berkimia mengikut nisbah dan kondisi yang telah ditetapkan. Mereka mencadangkan adunan bernisbah (lemak lembu:minyak canola) 85:15 dan 65:35 yang paling sesuai untuk diaplikasikan kepada produk yang berasaskan shortening seperti produk roti.

Kesimpulan

Penggunaan lemak babi dalam produk makanan adalah bermaksud untuk menghasilkan produk makanan yang enak dan menarik.Walaubagaimapun,ia menjadi isu dari sudut agama dan kepercayaan serta memberi kesan buruk kepada kesihatan manusia. Kajian-kajian yang sedang giat dijalankan menunjukkan bahawa terdapat potensi yang tinggi terhadap lemak tumbuhan untuk menghasilkan sumber minyak yang sihat. Pada masa yang sama,sumber daripada tumbuhan itu sendiri akan dapat meyakinkan pengguna Muslim terhadap status halal produk makanan yang berasaskan lemak dan minyak.

Rujukan

Cohen, L.A., and P.C. Chan.(1982). Dietary Cholesterol and Experimental Mammary Cancer Development, Nutr. Cancer 4:99

Grundy, S. M. (1986). Cholesterol and coronary heart disease: a new era. Journal of American and Medical Association, 256, 2849.

Hsu SY, Yu SH (2002) Comparisons on 11 plant oil fat substitutes for low-fat Kung-wans. Journal of Food Engineering 51: 215-220.

Kim, B. H., Lumor, S. E., and  Akoh, C. C. (2008). trans-Free margarines prepared with canola oil/palm stearin/palm kernel oil-based structured lipids. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 56(17):8195–205.

Liu,Y., Jin,Q.,Meng,Z.,Shan,L.  and Wang,X.(2010).Preparation of specialty fats from beef tallow and canola oil by chemical interesterification: physico-chemical properties and bread applications of the products. Eur Food Res Technol  230:457–466.

Muguerza,  E., Ansorena, D., Astiasaran, I. (2003) .Improvement of nutritional properties of Chorizo de Pamplona by replacement of pork backfat with soy oil. Meat Science 65:1361–1367.

Prakash,A Shin, J.A. Lee, J.H. Hu, J.N. Zhu, X.M. Akoh, C.C. Lee, K.T. (2010).Production of trans-free margarine stock by enzymatic interesterification of rice bran oil, palm stearin and coconut oil. Journal of the science of food and agriculture 90:703-711.

Reddy, B.S.(1987).Dietary Fat and Colon Cancer: Animal Models, Prev. Med. 16:460.

Rodriguez –Carpena, J.G., Morcuende, D, Estevez, M. (2011). Partial Replacement of Pork Back-Fat by Vegetable Oils in Burger Patties: Effect on Oxidative Stability and Texture and Color Changes during Cooking and Chilled Storage. Journal of Food Science 6 : 1025-1031.

Wang, H.Y.,Qin, X.L.,Zhu, Q.S., Zhou,R.,Yang,B.,Li,L. (2010). Lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of lard for the production of human milk fat substitute. Eur. Food Res Technol 230: 769-777.

Halal bukan sekadar pada makanan.

Seorang anak kecil, perempuan berusia lingkungan 6 tahun tertarik kepada gugusan anggur yang baru diletakkan oleh pekerja TESCO.  Mungkin sudah lama tidak dihidangkan dengan anggur dirumah, lantas dia bertanya kepada ibunya,

"Mama, nak makan anggur"

"Okey nanti kita beli" jawab ibunya

"Tak mama, kakak nak ambil satu, nak makan sekarang jugak!" gesa si anak kecil itu.

Ibunya segera menjawab "mana boleh sayang, kita kena bayar dulu. Dosa dan haram bila kita makan makanan tanpa kita bayar dulu"

"Habis tu makcik tadi ambil satu, lepas tu dia makan. Dia masuk neraka lah?"

"Sayang, benda yang tak elok kita tak boleh ikut ok! Promise lepas ni kita bayar dulu baru makan ok!" segera ibunya membetulkan keadaan.

"Sure mama" akur si kecil itu.

Halal itu bukan sekadar tak makan BABI,

Jua bukan sekadar tak makan ANJING,

Ia jauh lebih BESAR dari keduanya

Fikirkanlah!

Oleh: Siti Aimi Sarah Zainal Abidin

Welcome!

Assalamualaikum,

A blog for Halal Products Research Institute (IPPH) Postgraduate students has been successfullly created.

InsyaAllah, it will be a platform to share knowledge or articles regarding halal concern, issues, fraud, or anything..(yeah anything) which covers from islamic view, economics, management, tourism, scientific views and many more.

May this small efforts will benefit the Ummah! Amin!