Articles

24 November 2017

The clear golden color of packaged apple juice is not what nature gave us. Raw apple juice comes out brown or green from a blender at home or the huge pressers in a factory. It is cloudy with coarse particles of pulp or sediment that settle at the bottom of containers. The cloudiness is also found in juices of citruses, pears, berries, and cherries.

To make the juice more ‘appealing’ to consumers, manufacturers filter out solid particles and add clarifying agents to remove the cloudiness before stacking the shelves. It is a complicated cosmetic intervention that gives apple juice this clear golden color.

20 November 2017

Gelatin is derived from the collagen found in the bones, connective tissue, and skin of animals. Gelatines have a melting point near body temperature, which provides a unique mouth feel to the food like candies, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream, and yogurts.

Common source of gelatin would normally involve pig and it is difficult to differentiate these food products in the market from naked eyes.

Researchers in Abu Dhabi are now exploring the possibility of obtaining new source of halal gelatin from camel skin¹. The research project which is conducted by the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), is the first of its kind and has the potential to bring great benefits to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, not only in UAE and the Middle East region but also worldwide.

26 May 2017

Current investigation into alleged sanitary fraud and corruption in Brazil’s top halal beef exporters had once again thrown a spotlight on the issue of halal food fraud. With global value of certified halal food and beverage industry estimated at $ 415 billion in 2015, more often than not this issue of halal food fraud is motivated by greed and desire to maximize profit². Below is the recollection of global incidents of fraud that shook the confidence of halal consumers: