Questions/Answers

The Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University (HSC-CU) has initiated “H numbers: Precision Halal Food Additive Searching Platform” the first global innovation of Halal food additives detection by being developed from the E number or INS which is the codes for substances used as food additives within the European Union and European Free Trade Association. The aim of this is to help approximately 9,096 manufacturers saving cost of laboratory analysis on the Halal condition (Halalness) identification. Moreover it helps to alleviate time-consumed process on submitting ingredient list (obtained from over 194,566 products) for Halal laboratory analysis. This ultimately impacts on the Halal food products access by 3,950 Halal restaurants and over 6 million Muslim consumers referring to Thai tourism network. Implementing the innovative Halal food additive searching platform, H numbers, with 473 entrepreneurs, it revealed that this could conceivably economise the analysis cost for 100% and a 67%-time reduction in Halal safety ingredients approval. In addition this also enables Halal food additives database which leads to create a prototype platform for interchangeably wider and various information on Halal food additives connecting not only in Thailand but also abroad. In addition, H numbers reap benefits to exceed the access to high quality and secure food in physical, chemical, biological and spiritual dimensions and to perform the eminence of Halal food society to all consumers, both Muslim and non-Muslim as a matter of fact to push Thailand to be one of the key countries in driving the Halal food business nationally and internationally, with a value of up to US $4 trillion.

The innovation H numbers is aligned with Fostering innovation to deliver inclusive and equitable services for all including through digital transformation. With this food additive searching platform,manufacturers in both Halal and non-Halal food industry have greatly been facilitated with food additives selection and production with free of charge. The Islamic organisation is able to have a traceability of food additives together with minimizing the systematic Halal food analysis. Both Muslim(approximately 6% of Thai population) and non-Muslim consumers can effortlessly approach high-quality Halal food while the government, manufacturers, Halal food certified examiners,and general consumers would gain large profits from this innovation.

The innovation H numbers reaches the 9th of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) by enforcing the infrastructure and developing all over forms of industries in a great extent. Aligning with subtopic of 9b, this also supports technology development within the country as well as research and innovation in developing countries. The policy which could induce multiplicity of the industries through environment concern has been implemented; therefore, it became apparent that the values of product being launched would further be intensified considerably. By this precision Halal food additive searching platform, many manufacturers can select the ingredients properly, precisely altogether resulting in time, cost and resource saving without harming the environment. As Halal food examined certification is qualified, it raises a great number of advantages in business thorough Muslim and non-Muslim countries such as more employment hiring from pre- to post-food production, Furthermore, H numbers database also becomes a prototype of secure Halal food production to suit food supplies chain of each country, promoting consumers’ health both physically and mentally. Food and services of Halal businesses would expand their proficiency and innovation development from alternative food additives as a substitute of risky contaminated ones by further study.

In terms of society,the innovation increases a higher quality of all consumers’ lives at all levels by offering accessible and optional high quality of secure foods with a contribution of appropriate cultural and religious issues through the Muslim consumption’s regulations. According to Halal food industry and economy,food production process could precisely alleviate a massive loss of funds and time of Halal product certification. Consumers in-and outside country could trust the quality of food which leads to marketing expansion and employment hiring. Moreover the innovation is an environmentally-friendly industry by reducing the chemical use and waste in Halal forensic science analysis.

Supporting proficiency and efficiency of government missions in terms of qualified, profitable and speedy Halal food certification process by H numbers innovation, it showed a fewer number of scientists and repetitive sampling tests in analysis of food additives in a laboratory which help in promoting the process of food supervision and consumer safety protection, enabling the Halal food examined certification process to be more convenient to all stakeholders. The consumers could completely be a part of ingredient traceability in term of sources and production process. They therefore enlarge integration between science and culture towards the Halal food approvals in Thailand, supporting international and university competitions in terms of research and innovation development. This H numbers platform is the key to drive Halalness in Muslim and non-Muslim countries by utilizing knowledge of religion, science and innovation altogether.

Without consumers’ discrimination by gender, age, and belief or religion, the innovation H numbers facilitate Halal status of food products regarding to their quality and security for consumers to have physically and mentally comfort as soon as taking in. Thus, the unity of society has been increased and Halal food market has greatly expanded, so it is no doubt to have more various employment positions to hire, not only from industrial food chains but also from related supporting businesses such as tourism services and restaurants.

As manufacturers of food industry can directly access to the information about the Halal food additives and check their raw materials and ingredients’ status in a pre-food production by using the H numbers platform. Therefore, it helps interchangeably connect to a broader manufacturer network (approximately 92% of E Number used in Thailand) to wisely select food additives on the production process. Moreover, this platform can reduce 100% costs of normal expenses of Halal status laboratory analysis from approximately 6,000 - 42,000 baht (198-1386 USD) to 0 baht (0 USD). 67% out of Halal food certification takes less time from 3 to 1 month. Besides, Halal food products are randomly checked their Halal status after being on market to ensure the secure Halal food providing to all consumers. Considering to consumers, they can also trace whether Halal food is safe by searching for in-depth information via the innovation H numbers. Over 133 million online searches of H numbers show that it exactly and sustainably raises awareness of consumer protection.

Despite being able to examine Halal food additives by E number method in the same way using with general food industry,it might not guarantee that ingredient is Halal due to the same code being implemented among different sources or factories. As a result,some manufacturers and Halal food certification examiners could have a lack of entirely clear understanding to properly select food additives which caused a serious problem in many countries. In 2015,HSC-CU initiated the precision Halal food additive searching platform called H numbers by collecting significant data on 92 % of food ingredients used in Thailand food industry along with Halal status identification regarding to forensic science and Halalness examination based on the official Islamic organisation. It was then proved that the food additives being examined the Halalness by with and without Halal certification from the trusted reliable foreign organisations. On the contrary,some of food additives being examined by Halal forensic science methodology are not required to double check Halal status. Later on,HSC-CU provides the food additives details to the Islamic organisations to diagnose and affirm the Halal status,leading to a conclusion of 2016 meeting for the innovative Halal food additive searching platform,H numbers for 144 items in total. H Numbers was first published in “Thailand Halal Assembly 2016” and was presented among academic conferences in many countries as a model creation and a way to strengthen networks. In 2017 to 2018 respectively,consumers could then access information via website and online platform. In 2019, the innovation was extensively applied in Halal food industry enacting to higher connections and the latest information of the database. Nowadays, in 2020,H numbers has increased its information in database with development of systematic membership network of H numbers users for interchanging information and feedbacks in order to make a further progress of the innovation development.

To diagnose Halal status of ingredients in food additives from Islamic organisations, it takes lots of time and the Islamic and science experts are in need. Consequently, Halal food additives have been examined while the conferences have regularly been brought up between key persons of Islam and science to discuss about secure Halal food consideration and reasons to implement the food additives by more virtual and proficient substitute improvement. Finally, it found that food additives searching platform H numbers could substitute 144 contaminations while 7 out of them were required for further research due to being unacceptable in some countries.

H numbers becomes the first innovation in the world being developed from international numbering system for food additives and European number (E number). As E number is overpriced on analysis process with time-consuming Halal certification of food production resulting in poor trade competition, Therefore, 548 items of H numbers have been facilitated manufacturers and Halal food examiners to search for food additives themselves by books, website and platform. For only 1 month without charge for laboratory analysis, leading to faster Halal food examination and higher quality on food production due to adding on consumers’ feedback.

Regarding to Thailand, as one of the non-Muslim country despite having such a great number of food exports, manufacturers are short in exactly clear comprehension about food additives. Furthermore, as E number cannot identify Halalness, H numbers plays a part to solve this by developing the E number food additive code as inspiration for referring the standard of accurate food additive and production in Halal food industry based on Islamic commandment. For the purpose that the ingredients during the production process would not be contaminated with impermissible ingredients, Thai manufacturers definitely reach the global Halal food proficiency.

With free of charge, H numbers has been integrated digital technology for creating platform and application which bring about the most convenient and instant just one-click to access information about food additives. The innovation can widely be downloaded both on IOS and android, the industrial sections (473 factories), government and non-government organisations thus effortlessly connect database downloaded. Of course, this Halal food additive information is also broadened by covering Halal community on website www.h4e.Halalthai.com.

The masterpiece was at first published as a book in “Thailand Halal Assembly 2016” on December 9th to 11th, 2016. Being a role model and connection maker among the targets, H numbers has presented across many countries and for over 15 becomes a trade network. For instance, Selangor International Business Summit 2018, Malaysia, International Islamic Finance Conference, and Halal summit Manila, Philippines, World Halal Day 2018, Korea, International Seminar on Halal Industries 2018, Indonesia, and Halal Food additives standard according to SMIIC 2016-1017, Turkey. As for manufacturers over 473 factory networks, every connection would be trained in order to have accurate understanding and knowledge and possess capability to foster Halal food production industries.

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Fiscal years 2017 to 2019, H numbers has consistently acquired financial support from the government project “The Islamic consideration of Halal status of ingredients and products through complicated technology” contributed to have human resources such as scientists, Islamic specialists, and IT experts relating to the innovation for 80 people approximately.

Thailand has potential through Halal certification requirement by 89% as most of food products and agriculture in the country are Halal. Thai government has regularly supported since 2002 henceforth driving the country to 9th place in the present. Thailand has certified for high quality Halal food. The 9,096 establishments have been ameliorated covering 194,566 products in total saving time and funds on Halal certification process and ingredients or food additives examination. Approximately, 3,950 Halal restaurants and at least 6 million consumers certainly approach to Halal products with reasonable price and scientists reap more opportunity to create remarkable innovation.

Yes

Office of the Public Sector Development Commission formally evaluated the innovation. H numbers showed outstanding performance to achieve the national award Public Sector Excellence Awards: PSE in the public service category which classified as service innovation in outstanding level. The innovation was actually implemented by manufacturers including office of the Islamic committee of province and the central Islamic council of Thailand. There is moreover an evaluation from university administrators according to the project “The Islamic consideration of Halal status of ingredients and products through complicated technology” in fiscal year 2017-2019.

According to the outstanding innovation, H numbers brought out many significant outcomes. For example, 404 lists of food additives that has Halal certification, 144 lists of food additives that has been examined from honorable chief of the Muslim committee, 118 networks of manufacturers on food production, import and export food additive ingredients, 355 networks of manufacturers using database and 4 networks of Islamic organisations, 1,000 published Halal food additives books, 1 website of Halal food additives database, 1 platform, and other 133 million websites which refers to H numbers.

The food additives database of H numbers is several and numerous for Halal food industry to be able quickly accessible information. It is obviously seen that there are a higher number of manufacturers networks using the innovation H numbers reaping greatly benefits, the Halal certification examiners could actually apply the innovation with the higher potential to Halal certification process approximately 67%. Although the HSC-CU forensic science laboratory lack profits as it is no need to pay cost on the analysis by using Halal forensic science. The HSC-CU recognises the industry competition resulting in reforming their role on an academic development instead. Some of them developed through further research development on Halal ingredients additives for risky contaminated ingredients or chemicals which leads to considerably beneficial knowledge and innovation for many organisations and country.

The H numbers: precision Halal food additive searching platform supports Thailand Halal certification examination which collaborated with relevant government agencies following: - The provincial office of the Islamic committee of province and the central Islamic council of Thailand play an important role on supporting the information of Halal food additives for H numbers analysis execution including to apply Halal certification examination and to give a feedback for both adjustment and improvements. - National Institute of Metrology (Thailand) assists the metrology in part of analysis and calibration based on international standard including give an advice for database preparation. - The honorable chief of The Central Islamic Council of Thailand is responsible for Halal status identification of food additives and the Islamic consultant. - Industrial sections take part in the database creation, application, and feedback given for the system adjustment. - Consumers would reap benefits from accessible various and higher quality of Halal products.

The precision Halal food additive searching platform H numbers started with cooperation among various departments by following: - HSC-CU takes charge of Halal testing together with food additives database collectors over 92% out of food additives in Thailand. Also, they participate in H numbers planning divided food additives in Thailand into 3 groups which are 1) The food additives which are Halal by certification from trusted Islamic organisations 2) The food additives which are Halal by justice of Islamic committee 3) The food additives which are Mashbooh (questionable). Halal forensic science methodology would be required in case of doubtful food additives and the ones without Halal certification. - making a network of manufacturers and applying H numbers database through food industries. - in point of fact, the Halal food examiners did implemented the database to evaluate industrial factories more conveniently and accurately. - consumers can participate in food additives examinations for various options such as platform, application and give a feedback at all the time.

The unforgettable lesson from the initiative is that database and reliability along with belief to food production process should consider physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of us all. Consequently, it is crucial to the system development to be as safe and honest as it could be by the post COVID-19 situation. In this era, consumers are irresistibly shaped up and regulated their behaviours by digital technologies as it plays a prominent role. It must be noted that government, private and public sectors, and other relevant organisations are required to work with each other for impartial, verifiable and beneficial database and platform to long range terms for application thriving and fostering trust economy.