KUALA LUMPUR: The International Islamic University (IIU) of Malaysia and the King Saud University in Saudi Arabia will work together to produce gelatin from camels to meet world demand for halal gelatin.
“The production of gelatin from camels is a first to be carried out in the world,” said the deputy dean of Initiative Studies, IIU Studies Management Centre, Prof Dr Irwandi Jaswir.
He said the process of producing the gelatin at a cost of RM1.8mil, contributed by the Saudi Arabian government, would be undertaken by a group of researchers from the IIU and the King Saud University early next year.
“There is a strong demand for gelatin in the production of various food, health and cosmetics products,” he noted. “However, it has become a sensitive issue as 95% of the gelatin in the market now is produced from animals prohibited for use by Muslims,” he said here on Thursday.
Meanwhile, three IIU researchers have won gold and silver medals for their inventions at the recent Seoul International Invention Fair 2012.
They are Assoc Prof Dr Hazleen Anuar of the Faculty of Engineering, who received a gold medal; Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Razak Sapian of the Department of Architecture and Environmental Design, who also received a gold medal; and Assistant Assoc Prof Dr Nurul Fadzlin Hasbullah of the Faculty of Engineering, who received a silver medal.
Dr Hazleen invented a bioplastic product from the kenaf plant while Dr Abdul Razak came up with an equipment to reduce the temperature in a building through solar-induced ventilation. Dr Nurul Fadzlin made a nuclear irradiation chamber to filter and study the source of radiation. – Bernama
