HALAL FOOD QUALITY: AN ANALYSIS OF RELEVANT GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

The world has seen rapid growth the development of halal food industry in recent years. At the same time, issues regarding the quality of halal food are also increasing, such as inconsistent flavours, portions, and incomplete orders. Hence, relevant halal food guidelines and regulations must also emphasise the tayyiban aspect of food. In this regard, the tayyiban aspect is related to food quality, where the guidelines and regulations must not only ensure the food is halal, but also the quality must fulfil the required standards. This paper attempts to examine existing guidelines and regulations in Malaysia related to halal food, such as the Manual Procedure for Malaysia Halal Certification (Domestic) 2020 (MPPHM 2020), Clean, Safe and Healthy (BeSS), Food Regulations 1985 (PPM 1985), Food Act 1983, Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (APD 2011), and Consumer Protection Act 1999 (APP 1999). This study utilises content analysis on documents related to the guidelines and regulations. The results of the study found that the guidelines and regulations adequately cover the essential aspects in assuring acceptable food quality. While there are areas that can be improved, overall, sufficient guidelines and regulations are already in place.