News From : DagangHalal.com (24 Oct 2009)
Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei is interested in a Japan-made portable halal detection device that is seen to improve the efficiency and speed of government inspectors’ work in food quality certification
Expressing keen interest in the new device, Brunei’s Director of Agriculture Hjh Normah Suria Hayati PJDSMDSU (Dr) Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri requested for the device to be demonstrated to the Brunei Minister of Industry and Primary Resources.
Two representatives from Japan introduced the new equipment yesterday to Hjh Normah at the Rizqun International Hotel on the sidelines of the ASEAN Food Conference.
The date is still yet to be arranged by the parties. The Japan-made portable device is said to produce inspection results within one hour as compared to the old technology that requires few hours to complete the task.
Known as a “DNA sensor”, this is the first portable device in the world claimed to detect any trace of non-halal ingredients contained in a particular food, including bacteria and viruses. The device is as big as one’s palm.
“Any meat can be detected,” said Quamrul Hasan, founder and principal consultant for Bioinnovare Co Ltd from Japan, explaining that the device has to be connected to a personal computer or portable laptop to process the data.
He also told The Brunei Times in an exclusive interview yesterday that although the building of the sensor is almost complete, some aspect still require development.
“We are still working on it as there is still a need for more validation to be done to assess whether the results produced are accurate or not,” he said.
Most Muslim countries including Brunei are using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine to certify halal products, said Quamrul. Some users find the machine “bulky, take up space and employs tedious procedures”.
Eiichi Tamiya, president of Biodevice Technology in Japan who is also a professor at Osaka University, told The Brunei Times that this new device is a breakthrough in technology, and that Brunei could be the first country to use it if negotiations with the Brunei government are successful.
“Its portability is very useful for the authorities who certify halal food,” he said. “You can just place the device in a laptop bag, and you are ready to carry out the inspection on the spot”
Asked whether the makers of the device is considering selling it to the public, the Japanese representatives said it is more applicable for use by authorities in food certification.
Nevertheless, the possibility of releasing this piece of technology for individual use will not be ruled out, they said.
“In the future, people may want to know and find out themselves what their foods contain. As such, individuals may find it a need for this device in the future,” they said.– Courtesy of The Brunei Times