Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulema Council confirmed on Wednesday that it cannot grant the halal certificate for pork-flavored instant noodles even if they are entirely made from plants.

The statement came following a discussion on the internet about a Japanese instant noodle product labeled as vegan food with pork bone broth flavor.

It reportedly carries a halal certificate from the local council. But the MUI said such a product won't be certified halal in Indonesia based on the council's fatwa issued in 2003.

"The use of artificial vegan flavor to taste like pork cannot be certified, so the Tonkotsu instant rice noodle product is not allowed to be distributed across Indonesia by carrying the halal label on its package," Raafqi Ranasasmita, an official with the MUI's examination agency for food, drugs, and cosmetics, was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

The 2003 MUI fatwa states that food and beverage products must not contain the flavor and/or fragrance of non-halal substances such as pork, bacon, whiskey, brandy, or beer, he said.

It also bans the use of non-halal symbols like pigs or liquor in food and beverage products from consumption among Muslims, Raafqi added.

On the instant ramen product that carries the halal label despite the pork flavor, Raafqi said that there are "different standards between the halal certification regimes in Indonesia and other countries".

He called on Indonesian Muslims to buy and consume products that get halal certification from the MUI-backed Drug and Food Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/lifestyle/porkflavored-vegan-noodle-cant-get-halal-certification-mu