If there is an institution that meets Indonesian (BPJPH’s) requirements and standards regarding halal product assurance, it will not be difficult for export business players from (the United States of) America to get halal certification for their proJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry's Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) conducted an assessment of the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA), a halal certification institution in Chicago-Illinois, the United States.
"Thank God, the BPJPH has completed the assessment process for IFANCA. It was the second foreign halal institution (LHLN) to be assessed by us," Head of BPJPH Aqil Irham said in a statement here on Thursday.
He noted that the assessment of IFANCA was part of a mutual recognition and acceptance process between Indonesia and the United States regarding halal product assurance (JPH).
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The assessment was conducted by two teams: the technical assessment team and the sharia assessment team or Halal Islamic Affairs Expertise.
"The assessment methods implemented (by us) included data review, interviews, and on-site observation," the BPJPH head remarked.
His side lauded IFANCA's attempts to apply to BPJPH for halal institution accreditation since it could encourage sound collaboration and cooperation to advance the global halal market.
“If there is an institution that meets Indonesian (BPJPH’s) requirements and standards regarding halal product assurance, it will not be difficult for export business players from (the United States of) America to get halal certification for their products, and (the products) can (easily) enter the Indonesian market,” he noted.
On the same occasion, the assessor team also visited a factory owned by one of the halal supplement, vitamin, and multivitamin manufacturers certified by IFANCA to review the production process, value chain, as well as the raw materials of the products.
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According to the agency’s site, the team also attended a meeting with the United States Trade Representative in Washington D.C. to discuss BPJPH’s halal product assurance regulations and five American LHLN that had proposed for cooperation with BPJPH, among others.
Earlier, in June 2022, the BPJPH had also assessed the application for halal accreditation as well as mutual recognition and acceptance from the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF) in Seoul, South Korea.
To date, the BPJPH had received accreditation proposals from 97 LHLN from 40 countries.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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