Forensic determination of ethanol in import and local prepared vinegar for halal in accordance with Shafi’i school of jurisprudence

Abstract

The percentage of ethanol in food has raised controversy in Muslim society. Different countries have their standard for the permissibility of ethanol percentage in foods and drinks. Malaysian National Fatwa Committee only permitted below 1% of ethanol in food or drinks. Vinegar contains ethanol which resulted from an incomplete fermentation process. This study aimed to determine the ethanol content in vinegar and to compare modern processing and traditionally produced vinegar. The methods of processing vinegar and alcohol content were analysed based on Shafi’i schools of jurisprudence guidelines in producing vinegar. This study utilised two methods to obtain research data; laboratory analysis and interview. Laboratory analysis used Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer (UV-Vis) and Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) as the instrument of analysis. A total of ten random samples of imported and locally produced vinegar were analysed in this study. As for qualitative analysis, this study used content analysis through descriptive, deductive, and comparative analysis approaches. NVIVO 7.0 software program was used to help in analysing qualitative data. Results showed that the highest ethanol content was 3.21% in black vinegar while the lowest percentage of ethanol is in the traditionally produced Nipah vinegar, which was 1.70%. Interviews found that the traditional method used in the process of making traditional vinegar is in line with Shafii schools of jurisprudence’s guidelines for producing vinegar. All samples analysed for ethanol content were above the borderline allowed by Malaysian National Fatwa Committee (1% v/v). Thus, this study suggested that permitted ethanol content standards for processed foods through fermentation methods be reviewed and improved.