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Brunei: Comprehensive Study In Place To Establish Food-Processing Incubators

salama — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:47:37 +0000

Bandar Seri Begawan – In a 10-month timeframe, a comprehensive study on assisting the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood establish food-processing incubators will be completed.

It will help generate local agrifood processing entrepreneurs in the areas of production and marketing, focusing on the production of halal quality and food safety in order to penetrate the local and global market.

The incubators will also ensure proper implementation of good manufacturing practices by food entrepreneurs.

SQW China Ltd has been tasked with producing the comprehensive study after yesterday’s signing of an agreement between the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, and SQW China Ltd for the ‘Consultancy Project on Development of Food Processing Incubators for Local Food SMEs of Brunei Darussalam Phase I.”

Signing on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood was its Director Hjh Normah Suria Hayati binti PJDSM Dr Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri, with Assistant Director Pg Hjh Rosidah binti Pg Metussin as the witness.

Meanwhile SQW China Ltd Project Director Gary Ho signed on behalf of SQW China Ltd, with Project Manager Jim Jessamine as witness.

The scope of the project includes developing detailed a master plan including concept designs for the food processing incubators, developing agreement terms for the provision of utilising the incubators, recommending the most appropriate management structure for running the food processing incubators, and establishing human resource requirements.

For Phase I, four food processing incubator facilities for sauces, bakery products, beverages and meat products will be built at the Brunei Agrotechnology Park in Kg Tungku.

The park is a new development area initiated by the Brunei government through the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources as part of its main strategy for the development and promotion of industries other than oil and gas.

The four food processing incubator facilities will bring opportunities to food entrepreneurs who are without a proper food processing premise to fully mechanise their production in order to produce food products that are consistent in aspects of quality and safetST, which can contribute to an increase in local food supply for local and export markets.

Under the concept of the Food Processing Incubators Project, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood will provide advisory services and technical expertise as well as maintenance service for machines, utensils and incubator buildings to ensure the facilities operate in an orderly manner.

In an interview, Gary Ho said, “With the incubators here, we can facilitate with our successful experience in Hong Kong, China and Europe to explore international markets.

We also see huge market potential for the Brunei halal product brand in China.”

Meanwhile, Jim Jessamine said “We will be focusing on four areas of sauces, bakery products, beverages and meat products. We will work with local SMEs to develop and expand into new areas, using new techniques and equipment to work together in launching new products that will be commercialised in the market.

“For people or companies who have good ideas on how to make a successful business or new products, we will be there to help them.

“This is a study to set up the incubators to look at how it should be built, how it should be managed and what functions it should have, how people should be trained and what skills, and how much support the local companies need. At the end of this, there will be functioning incubators to develop new businesses,” he said.

“On our side, we will be providing information on SMEs, the products and whatever hiccup we have here. They will provide information of what is going on in the oversea market to see how this can work,” Agriculture and Agrifood Director Hjh Normah Suria Hayati binti PJDSM Dr Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri said.

She added, “The aim of the project is to export local products. And, to export local companies we will have to meet various certain standards.

“Therefore, this agreement will help give us the feedback. We engage the company to help us. We outsource because of their expertise. After nine months there will be lots of discussion whether this will work or not. Within the nine months we will also talk with SMEs, and after the nine months, we will actually have a plan on what kind of incubators we should have in Brunei.”– Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

USA: FDA Considers Approval Of Genetically Altered Salmon

salama — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:04:24 +0000

U.S. health officials are expected to determine whether genetically engineered fish are safe to eat in a decision that could deliver the first altered animal food to consumers’ dinner plates.

The fish in question is manipulated to grow twice as fast as traditional Atlantic salmon, something its creator Aqua Bounty Technologies Inc. says could help boost the nation’s fish sector and reduce pressure on the environment.

However, consumer advocates and food safety experts say that splicing and dicing of fish genes may have the opposite effect. They say that side effects from eating such fish are unknown, with little data to show it is safe.

“They’re basically putting the fish on permanent growth hormone so it grows faster … so they can sell bigger fish faster,” Jaydee Hanson, a policy analyst for the nonprofit Center for Food Safety, told Reuters.

Altering the fish genes also raises questions about the industrialization of the nation’s food supply at a time when consumers are growing increasingly concerned and seeking more locally produced meals.

Aqua Bounty Technologies is seeking FDA approval to sell its salmon, called AquAdvantage, to fish farmers across the U.S.

The company’s engineered trout and tilapia could follow the salmon if it is given the green light by the FDA. The U.S. already allows the sell of genetically modified plants.

The FDA will discuss the salmon on September 19 for three days. Outside advisers will weigh available data and offer advice.

“This is an Atlantic salmon in every measurable way,” Aqua Bounty Chief Executive Ronald Stotish told Reuters. “When you look at the fish, it’s impossible to see the difference.”

He said that the company analyzed its salmon and found no differences that warrant any kind of special labeling.

According to Reuters, using technology developed by Canadian researchers, AquAdvantage grows to full size in less than 250 days, compared with about 400 days for a traditional Atlantic salmon.

Some groups say that little is known about the hazards, and they have criticized the FDA for not releasing the data. The FDA said it hopes to make data public by Friday but that by law it does not have to release it until two days before the meeting.

Stotish said that Aqua Bounty has submitted all the FDA-required data, but has done no animals or human clinical trials. However, it has conducted several tastes tests.

An FDA official said testing whole foods’ impact on animals would be impossible because of the massive amounts they would have to be fed.

“I’ve eaten the fish, and it tastes great,” said Stotish, whom the company promoted to the top slot in 2008 to try to push approval worldwide, except in Europe where it would face a certain cultural backlash.

Stotish has a long history serving in research and development and is a trained biochemist.

U.S. Atlantic salmon was abundant in the rivers of the country’s Northeast until the early 1800s.

If the salmon wins FDA approval, it is not clear how soon it would hit the U.S. consumer market.

According to Stotish, few fish farmers in the U.S. cultivate salmon. He says he hopes farmers will convert their facilities to try the altered salmon.

September’s FDA meeting marks the second time the agency has publicly considered a genetically engineered animal.

The agency approved GTC Biotherapeutics Inc.’s modified goats last year, which are used to produce its anticlotting drug Atryn for patients with a rare inherited disorder.

Research: Seeing red: The health implications of meat consumption

salama — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:36:50 +0000

By Stephen Daniells, 18-Aug-2010, Special Edition, Meat Substitutes – www.foodnavigator.com

Headlines continue to raise concerns over the health effects of excessive meat consumption, a situation that is boosting consumer interest in meat substitutes. But what does the science say about meat and health?

In the second part of our focus on meat substitutes, FoodNavigator looks at the risks and benefits of excessive meat consumption. In recent years, high profile studies have linked meat consumption, be it red or processed meats, to increased risks of various diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Meat

The most attention – and headlines – has focussed on the link between meat intake and cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund published a report in 2007 that directly linked diet to cancer, with alcohol and red and processed meats posing particular risks.

The WCR report echoes studies from the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), which found that high intakes of red and processed meats may raise the risk of lung and colorectal cancer by up to 20 per cent.

The NCI scientists have also reported findings from a study with half a million people, noting that that increased consumption of red and processed meat may have a modestly increased risk of death from cancer or heart disease (Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol 169, pp. 562-571).

The Archives study was described by Barry Popkin from the University of North Carolina as “excellent” in an accompanying editorial. Popkin added that the results “reiterate the concerns echoed in other major reviews and studies on the adverse effects of excessive meat intake”.

Hearts and eyes

Only yesterday we reported on new data from Boston-based scientists that linked red meat to an increased risk of heart failure. According to findings published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, an average of 9.5 servings of red meat per week was associated with a 24 per cent increase in heart failure risk, compared with only 1.5 servings per week. The study was claimed to be the first to evaluate the relationship between red meat consumption and heart failure risk in a large cohort.

A significant body of science also supports a potential link between meat consumption and the risk of type-2 diabetes. Indeed, a meta-analysis from Norway and the US last year found that high intakes of all types of meat were associated with a 17 per cent increase in the risk of type-2 diabetes, while similar risk increases were also noted for high intakes of red meat.

Writing in the journal Diabetologia (2009, Vol. 52, pp. 2277-2287), scientists led by Dagfinn Aune from the University of Oslo also reported that high intake of processed meat may increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 40 per cent, based on data from 12 cohort studies.

Australian scientists have also reported links between red meat consumption and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over 50.

According to findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (doi:10.1093/aje/kwn393), two portions of red meat a day were linked to a 50 per cent increase in the risk of AMD. On the flip side, the researchers found that consumption of white meat may offer some protection.

Additives or other?

In an attempt to explain the observations and associations, scientists have pointed the accusatory finger at a range of meat constituents and additives. The salt/sodium content of processed meats has also been identified as a potential contributing factor.

In terms of heart health, scientists have proposed that the saturated fat and cholesterol content of red meat may increase the risks of both high blood pressure (hypertension) and coronary heart disease, both of which are risk factors for heart failure.

Another suspect is nitrite and nitrate additives. Nitrites are added to meat to retard rancidity, stabilise flavour, and establish the characteristic pink colour of cured meat. However, about 80 per cent of nitrates in the diet come from vegetables, while nitrites sources include vegetables, fruit, and processed meats.

Observational studies, including data from the third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) on 7,352 subjects over the age of 45, have suggested that increased consumption of nitrites from cured meat could increase the risk of lung disease.

But the topic of nitrites and nitrates is controversial. Scientists from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the researchers report that the compounds, also found in vegetables and drinking water, reduced heart cell death in the mice following a heart attack by 48 per cent (Vol. 104, pp. 19144-19149).

A recent study from researchers at Michigan State University went as far as to suggest that the compounds may actually be nutritious (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27131).

Moderation

The majority of the science has focussed on relatively excessive intakes of meat. A balanced diet is promoted by all public health agencies, and that should include meat.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) suggested last year that red meat packs should carry labels advising people to consume no more than three portions a week.

The WWF says it is not telling people to stop eating meat altogether – rather that they should reduce portions or eat it less often.

Research: Have Meat Subtitutes missed the boat?

salama — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:29:58 +0000

By Lorraine Heller, 19-Aug-2010, Special Edition, Meat Substitutes – www.foodnavigator.com

Many consumers around the globe are turning away from meat as health, price and ethical concerns grow. But the latest market research indicates that meat substitutes are failing to pick up the slack.

In the third part of the FoodNavigator focus on meat substitutes, we take a look at the market for meat and meat replacements and the reasons behind the declining growth rates for both categories.

“Growth rates for meat are declining, but this is actually appearing to be the case for meat substitutes too. Perhaps surprisingly, in markets such as Spain, Italy and the UK, there is not much difference in growth at all despite the perception that people are switching from one to the other. The figures for the substitutes are more worrying still when you factor in the much lower base rates, which usually exaggerate any growth,” says Datamonitor analyst Mark Whalley.

Current market data for meat and meat analogues can be found at the bottom of this article.

Meat consumption declines

Analysts point to four key drivers for a general decline in meat consumption in Europe and North America. These are: health, ethics, price and ethnocentrism.

Health: Whether justified or not, many consumers perceive meat to be unhealthy, particularly red meat which has been linked to cardiovascular disease. “Several diets encourage the consumption of less meat, or even complete abstention. As a society that is growing increasingly obese, more and more consumers are looking to these kinds of diets as a means of managing their weight,” says Datamonitor.

Ethics: The analyst also points out that eating meat has increasingly become a moral issue, with people turning away from meat as they do not agree with the killing of animals.

Price: With meat getting more expensive, some consumers are looking for alternatives, whether these are meat analogues or something completely different. However, Whalley points out that prices are also going up for meat substitutes. “Actually as a percentage of total cost some of the substitutes are increasing in price faster,” he says, which partly explains why meat analogues have not taken off.

Ethnocentrism: “Consumers have grown more concerned with the possible dangers of consuming meat, especially that imported from elsewhere,” says Whalley. Historical food crises such as the BSE/beef and swine flu cases have made some consumers reticent to eat meat due to fears over safety. Consumers are also proving to be somewhat less inclined to consume products imported from a long way away, as evidence by the rise of the localism trend.

Meat analogues: Missed opportunity?

However, market analysts indicate that meat substitutes are generally not shaping up to consumer needs and expectations, prompting them to suggest aggressive changes if the market is to be salvaged.

According to a survey conducted by Mintel, over half of consumers are disappointed with the variety of meat-free products, with a strong perception of poor taste of these products.

Meat substitute manufacturers need to focus on more exotic and ethnic flavours, as well as more premium products to increase appeal to many consumers, particularly women, says Mintel.

Datamonitor suggests that it may already be too late for meat substitutes.

“This could be a big missed opportunity for meat analogues. The growth rate of meat consumption is slowing yet these alternatives are not necessarily thriving. They still to an extent suffer from a widespread consumer perception that there is a significant compromise on taste – an issue still facing manufacturers of soy products, gluten-free products and similar,” says Whalley.

He also points out that consumer surveys highlight “a widespread dissatisfaction among consumers regarding the choice and quality of products available. It seems that rather than switching from meat to substitutes, some meat reducers/abstainers are actually just cutting the whole concept out altogether.”

Meat market data

The European market for meat is currently valued at US$228bn, which marks a 2.5 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2004, according to Datamonitor. Moving forward, the analyst forecasts a continued decline in growth rates, with CAGR set at 2.2 per cent between 2009 and 2014, when it expects a market value of $254bn.

A similar movement is seen in the North American market, which was valued at $45bn last year – a 2.8 percent CAGR since 2004. By 2014, the market is expected to reach $51bn, with CAGR dipping to 2.3 per cent.

When looking at volumes, there were 2.1bn kg of meat sold in Europe in 2009, and 2.4bn kg forecast to be sold in 2014. This marks a 1.3 per cent and 1.2 per cent CAGR from 2004-1009 and 2009-2014 respectively.

In North America, 4.9bn kg of meat were sold in 2009 and 5.2bn kg are forecast to be sold in 2014. CAGR comes in at 1.3 per cent from 2004-2009 and 1.7 per cent from 2009-2014.

Meat substitutes data

A similar decline in growth rates is seen in the market for meat substitutes, both in terms of value and volumes.

In Europe, the meat substitute market was valued at $2bn in 2009, which represented a 3.4 per cent CAGR between 2004-2009. By 2014 the market is forecast to reach $2.4bn, with CAGR dipping to 3.3 per cent.

In terms of volume, 226m kg of meat substitutes were sold in Europe last year, a 2.3 per cent CAGR since 2004. By 2014, volumes are forecast to reach 249m kg, with CAGR falling to just under 2 per cent.

The North American market for meat substitutes held a value of $326m in 2009, with a 3.1 per cent CAGR since 2004. Forecasts for 2014 place value sales at $368m, with CAGR dipping to 2.5 per cent.

Volume sales of meat substitutes in North America were 53m kg in 2009, with 2.6 per cent CAGR since 2004. By 2014, Datamonitor predicts volumes to increase to 57m kg, but CAGR will decrease to 1.7 per cent.

US University Keen On Halal Food Research For NASA Programme

salama — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:27:33 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) — The Texas A&M University System is keen to conduct a research on halal food as a part of its National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programme.

Its Food Protein Research and Development Center Director Mian Nadeem Riaz said the research could only be carried out if Malaysia’s first astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor made an official request to have halal food developed in outer space.

“If there is a demand for Halal Food, we will have a research on it, according to NASA requirements,” he said when met after attending Dr Sheikh Muszaphar’s talk on “Innovation Technology, The Next Frontier” here Friday.

The Texas A&M University System conducts more than US$600 million (RM2.04 billion) in research and reaches out to about 11 million people, through its service, annually.

Meanwhile, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar said undertaking such research early was very important.

“It will be good to cooperate with researchers who are involved with NASA because halal food is also good for non-Muslim astronaut,” he said adding that he would be contacting Texas A&M University System on the matter.

– BERNAMA

Malaysia: More Halal Fairs Will Boost Growth Of Halal Industry, Says Rosmah

salama — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:25:35 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) — Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the Prime Minister’s wife, believes more summits for the halal industry will help its growth and participants to keep abreast with new findings and technologies.

“Without a doubt, new products are developed every day whilst new product technologies are being used by industries to remain competitive in the global market.

“To remain as a leaders of the industry, we must remain ahead of the curve as far as trends and consumer patterns are concerned,” she said at the closing of the third World Halal Research Summit 2010 here Friday.

Rosmah hoped that research and development efforts would continue to promote halal innovation for the benefit of the global Muslim community.

The government’s serious commitment to developing the halal industry was underlined in the establishment of the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) and the provision of grants and incentives to undertake research and development of halal products, she added.

“This is because these important endeavours will not only lead to the creation of niche market, but will also help to enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global halal industry as well,” she said.

She said the government had long recognised the importance of research and development in supporting long term competitiveness of industries generally in particular, halal industries.

“Since the relevant policies and institutional infrastructure are already in place to encourage R&D efforts, I strongly believe we should start leveraging upon emerging technologies such as biotechnology and nanotechnology to develop new products and improve the technology in halal food and non-food products processing,” she said.

Meanwhile, HDC signed two memorandums of understanding during the summit.

The first was for HDC to provide Taylor’s University College with halal training modules, said a HDC statement.

The second was sealed with Negereh Neguin Kish of Iran for Malaysian small and medium scale enterprises to access its distributor network and retail market in Iran and Commonwealth of Independent States of Russia.

The sectors involved are speciality processed foods, niche food, cosmetics, toiletries, personal care, herbal based products and other consumer items.

– BERNAMA

Malaysia: WHRS Recommends International Framework On Halal Experts

salama — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:23:24 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) — The World Halal Research Summit (WHRS) 2010 recommended an international framework on halal experts for the industry and recognition of the importance of technology commercialisation.

Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) chief executive officer, Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin, said the summit reiterated the importance of research and innovations for the development of a halal eco-system.

“We also see the importance of elevating the halal standard in line with international good industry management and manufacturing practices,” he said at the 3rd WHRS 2010 Closing Ceremony here Friday.

The Prime Minister’s wife, Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor officially closed the three-day summit, which carried the theme, “Inspiring Innovation Through Halal Research”.

The summit also agreed on the importance of funding to support halal research and development (R&D) and the need to expand education programmes on the halal industry in the higher institutes of education, Jamil said.

He said the summit appreciated the importance of R&D in various ingredients to obtain alternatives in the supply for halal products and services industries.

“The summit will also focus on halal ingredients and pharmaceutical industry at the WHRS 2011, which is proposed to be held in April,” he said.

The last presentation at the event was the launch of a HDC Global Halal Blog at www.hdcglobal.com/blog by the country’s First Astronaut, Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha Al-Masrie.

– BERNAMA

Malaysia: Perak to have halal research centre

salama — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:59:43 +0000

By P. Chandra Sagaran

IPOH: A RM3 million centre for scientific research on the halal industry will be built in Bandar Meru Raya here, said Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Construction of the centre is expected to be ready in November while operations will commence by early next year.

The halal industry has huge growth potential as even the non-Muslims had shown interest in producing halal products and obtaining the halal certification.

“The centre will conduct scientific studies related to the industry and also complement the religious authorities in the issuance of the halal certificate,” he said after launching the project undertaken by Perak Halal Corporation Sdn Bhd on a 0.72ha site here yesterday.

Also present was corporation chairman Datuk Mohd Najmuddin Elias.

The complex will serve as a one-stop centre to provide information to entrepreneurs and investors on services related to halal certification.

It will also coordinate training programmes to deepen understanding of entrepreneurs in the field of processing and logistics on production of halal food and products.

It will open up avenues for incubator programmes while providing a hands-on approach.

Zambry noted the annual global market value for the entire halal trade was estimated at RM6.93 trillion while annual retail sales of halal meat in the United Kingdom alone was RM3.2 trillion.

“The centre will not only cater to local industry players but also entrepreneurs from other states as halal trade is fast catching up.”

He also said to complement the industry further, the slaughterhouse project in Lekir in the Manjung district would be revived.

The project was put off due to the economic crisis in 1997.

Zambry also announced the appointment of Dr Sufian Jusoh as consultant to the state government on the bio tech industry.

Malaysia: Boost for halal industry

salama — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 07:52:17 +0000

A team of researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has discovered a method of differentiating chicken from pork in food products by using a sugar mixture called ribose.

Through the method, which uses the Maillard reaction approach, the two meats will change into a different colour as a result of their reaction to the sugar compound.

The Maillard reaction is named after French scientist Louis Camille Maillard, who discovered the reactions of amino acids and carbohydrates in 1912.

USM head of research Prof Azhar Mat Esa said the test was simple and could be done at home with the right equipment.

“All you need to do is to take a piece of meat and mix it with the sugar compound and then heat the meat to a certain temperature for the colour change,” he told reporters at the university recently.

Others in the research team were Dr Abbas F.M. Alkarkhi and Tan Thuan Chew.

Prof Azhar, who is also the dean of USM’s School of Graduate Studies and Research, said that by using a device called spectrophotometer, the colour achieved would indicate whether the meat was chicken or pork.

“Using the test, the public, particularly Muslim consumers, need not worry whether the meat they will be eating is really chicken as the test result will be known in less than two hours.”

Prof Azhar said the new discovery, which would be filed for patent application, would also be useful to differentiate gelatin derived from cows and that derived from pigs.

“It can be applied in the food industry like the halal frozen meat sector,” he said, adding that a spectrophotometer cost about RM25,000 and a bottle of ribose (4gm), RM15. — Bernama

‘It’s a non-issue whether H1N1 jab is halal or haram’

salama — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:07:07 +0000

Rasidah HAB

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A MALAYSIAN medical expert yesterday quashed worries on the safety of the Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine, saying that there are no problems of whether the jabs were halal (permitted) or haram (prohibited) for Muslims.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Dr Danial Zainal Abidin, managing director of Danial Zainal Consultancy Malaysia Sdn Bhd, said, “If there is any issue (on vaccines), it is the issue of halal and haram. So far, as a doctor, this is really not an issue.”

Dr Danial was in Brunei as a speaker for the National Seminar of Islamic Scholars and Experts on Influenza A (H1N1) at the International Convention Centre, which began yesterday.

Commenting on the concerns that the vaccines may contain elements derived from pigs, he said “the statement is relevant, but there is no need to worry”.

He added that the vaccine elements were derived from the virus, which can be taken from either infected animals or individuals.

“Once Influenza A (H1N1) infected an individual, we can extract the virus from the patient and develop the vaccine. Therefore, it is not derived from pigs,” he said.

Brunei’s Ministry of Health has previously assured the public that the vaccine, which is made from an egg medium, is 100 per cent halal.

Dr Danial Zainal Abidin speaking at the National Seminar of Islamic Scholars and Experts on H1N1.

“Vaccination programme is being promoted because it is a concept of prevention (from H1N1),” he said, adding that getting vaccinated is something that is important for life and health.

A vaccine is any preparation intended to produce immunity to a disease by stimulating the production of antibodies. Vaccines include, for example, suspensions of killed or weakened microorganisms, or products or derivatives of microorganisms. The most common method of administering vaccines is by injection, but some are given by mouth or nasal spray.

“In Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once said, do not do something that can cause bad things and try to avoid bad things from occurring. It is in a way, a statement of prevention. Vaccination is in line with this concept,” said Dr Danial.

He also touched on the complacent attitude among the public in getting the H1N1 jabs.

“Once we have a pandemic, our biggest concern is that the disease is a killer (disease). When everything subsides, complacency sets in. What we did in Malaysia is continuously giving medical advice, reminding the masses that there could be a second wave coming within months,” Dr Danial added.

He added: “What is most important is to educate them continuously. Complacency is something that is natural, in cases like this. (With many thinking) that everything that is dangerous has subsided. There’s nothing for us to be concerned anymore.”

In January, Health Minister Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman said Bruneians were among the many people refusing to take the H1N1 shots on account of the pandemic being categorised as “mild”.

Dr Danial said his main objective in speaking at the seminar was “to tell the masses that Islam is a modern religion, a scientific religion that addresses issues that have not been addressed earlier. Islam has addressed these issues 1,400 years ago”.

“I came here to explain that Islam is a scientific religion. Its rules, regulations and laws actually encompass everything, and at a certain period people may not understand its rules and regulation, but they will later on,” he said, adding that Islam is relevant in the modern era.

“That is why I came with the idea of ‘Protaz’ (professor and Ustaz (religious officer)), combining science with Islamic religious knowledge and contemporary knowledge. In the end, we can see the beauty of Islam,” he said.

Islam is a comprehensive religion. Al-Quran is telling us that science and Islam is compatible, and Islam is a religion for everybody.

The three-day seminar is organised by the Ministry of Health and State Mufti Department.

The Brunei Times

halalfocus.net » Science & Research

Brunei: Comprehensive Study In Place To Establish Food-Processing Incubators

USA: FDA Considers Approval Of Genetically Altered Salmon

Research: Seeing red: The health implications of meat consumption

Research: Have Meat Subtitutes missed the boat?

By Lorraine Heller, 19-Aug-2010, Special Edition, Meat Substitutes – www.foodnavigator.com Many consumers around the globe are turning away from meat as health, price and ethical concerns grow. But the latest market research indicates that meat substitutes are failing to pick up the slack.

US University Keen On Halal Food Research For NASA Programme

Malaysia: More Halal Fairs Will Boost Growth Of Halal Industry, Says Rosmah

Malaysia: WHRS Recommends International Framework On Halal Experts

Malaysia: Perak to have halal research centre

Malaysia: Boost for halal industry

‘It’s a non-issue whether H1N1 jab is halal or haram’

By Lorraine Heller, 19-Aug-2010, Special Edition, Meat Substitutes – www.foodnavigator.com

Many consumers around the globe are turning away from meat as health, price and ethical concerns grow. But the latest market research indicates that meat substitutes are failing to pick up the slack.