Seminar and Scientific Study of Kehalalan (Islamic Lawfulness) of Herbal Medicines and Cosmetics

In terms of food consumption, public awareness is increasingly rising of selecting lawful, good and healthy foods. But when selecting lawful medicines and cosmetics, people still have low awareness. So said the Head of Socialization and Promotion, Lia Amalia of the LPPOM MUI in the Seminar on the Scientific Study of Lawfulness of Herbal Medicines and Cosmetics, held by Student Association of IPB Biochemistry Department, in the auditorium of J. H. Hutasoit, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Darmaga Campus of IPB, 14/10.

Meanwhile, according to Anna P Roswiem, a teaching staff of the Department of Biochemistry IPB, although most herbal medicines are derived from plants, which are lawful, they may not be categorized as lawful to consume if produced and given certain additives. Anna added that in Islam, the prohibited foods are pigs, dead anima s except for fish carcasses, blood, wine and animals not slaughtered by the name of Allah. The critical point of Islamic lawfulness depends on the added stuff or additives and or the production of foods.

Further, she said that consumers need to be aware of the herbs or foods that require some additives such as emulsifiers, colorants, Perisa, sweeteners, tablet fillers, polishing materials, solvents and encapsulation because usually the added materials come from animals such as pigs, Perisa material from the body organs of berang-berang, sweeteners from milk, solvent from blood, and the stuff of encapsulation from animal gelatin. (Mtd)