By: By Qais Bajaeifir

[An Indonesian Muslim scientist has developed an electronic portable nose that can detect lard and alcohol content rapidly and with the highest accuracy in food and beverages as well as non-Halal substances in cosmetics and other consumer goods used by Muslims all over the world.]

Prof. Irwandi Jaswir, who is the deputy dean of the International Institute for Halal Research and Training at the International Islamic University Malaysia, has dedicated his entire life to conducting Halal research and promoting Halal science. This valuable device is the result of long years of research and can help millions of Muslims everywhere detect non-Halal compound in many consumer goods.

A significant invention
The device is important, especially following fake Halal logo and certification cases that have been reported in the past years and continue to be reported in several countries. Halal regulators have found that some Halal food producers used dubious source of ingredients in their products in order to maximize commercial profits.

The volume of Halal food market was estimated at USD 0.58 trillion in 2005 while today’s estimates for the market volume indicate that it will reach USD 2.55 trillion by 2024 as a result of the rising demand for the consumption of Halal food. These enormous figures explain the fierce competition going on among some food producers who tend to use adulterated material, claiming it to be Halal in order to expedite the Halal food production processes and sell the largest quantity possible in a short time, making huge profits.

Fake Halal logo cases have made Muslims around the world increasingly concerned about the dubious ingredients contained in Halal products, which could include pork substitution or any prohibited materials Muslims are not permitted to eat. Food fraud indeed poses a major risk for Muslims living in non-Muslim countries.

The electronic portable nose can monitor Halal labelled products, help Muslims double-check their authenticity and make informed choices about a product before purchasing it. Mitigating the concerns of Muslims about dubious ingredients was one of the reasons why Prof. Jaswir invented this device.

King Faisal Prize
Prof. Jaswir realized these concerns among Muslims and wanted to alleviate them by giving his fellow Muslims a device helping them identify non-Halal substance in food products quickly and easily. He felt it was his duty as a Muslim researcher to come up with a practical solution for this problem and do something that serves Islam and Muslims all over the globe. His genuine efforts and long years of research were recognized earlier this year when the prestigious King Faisal Prize in Service to Islam was awarded to him.

Other reasons for granting the prize to Prof. Jaswir included his valuable contribution to and eclectic role in establishing and developing Halal science through various publications and research studies. Prof. Jaswir, who is also the Secretary of Council of Professors at IIUM, exerted strenuous efforts in leading the International Institute for Halal Research at IIUM.

The institute has become today, thanks to him, a renowned center for research and services related to Halal food and consumer goods.

Works and awards
Professor Jaswir published over 120 peer reviewed articles in scientific journals and accomplished over 30 research studies. His publications include articles titled “Identification and verification of porcine DNA in commercial gelatin and gelatin containing processed foods”, “IIUM-Fabricated Portable Electronic Nose for Halal Authentication in Beverages”, and “Formulation Development Development and Systematic Optimization of Production Fish Gelatin Nanoparticles as New Resource for Drug Delivery”. His work has been recognized by over 60 awards and honors including the 2013 HABIBIE award and the Islamic Product Innovation award in 2016 by Malaysian Innovation Agency for the Lard Detector using E-nose.

Academic career
Professor Jaswir, who was born on 20 December 1970 in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, earned Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology and Human Nutrition in 1993 from Bogor Agriculture University (IPB) in Indonesia, Master of Science in Food Science and Biotechnology in 1996, as well as PhD in Food Chemistry and Biochemistry in 2000 from the Universiti Putra in Malaysia. He has assumed many academic and administrative positions during his productive career.

Advice
Professor Jaswir urges fellow Muslim scientists and scholars to always maintain the same strong passion for scientific research and remember that the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah are full of scientific concepts that had inspired Muslim scholars in the past and spurred them to contribute to improving humankind life and civilization.