JAKARTA – A social media post displaying a cooking seasoning package bearing a halal certification label has generated widespread attention online. The controversy emerged after users noticed the product’s ingredient list explicitly states it contains alcohol.

Halal certification carries significant importance for food and beverage products, particularly in Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia. Many consumers routinely verify halal labels before making purchases.

For a product to qualify as ‘halal,’ it must be free from alcohol, pork, and all substances prohibited under Islamic law.

However, a user’s post on the Threads platform revealed a cooking seasoning with halal certification that lists alcohol among its ingredients.

The Viral Product Label

The photograph shows text reading ‘contains 0.06% alcohol’ within the ingredient listing on the packaging. Meanwhile, the front displays a halal certification label issued by the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

This apparent contradiction prompted numerous comments from social media users, given that alcohol is commonly understood as prohibited in Islam.

The central question emerges: Is alcohol content permissible in food and beverage products according to Islamic law?

MUI Fatwa Establishes Clear Guidelines

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has actually established specific regulations regarding permissible alcohol usage in food and beverages. These guidelines appear in MUI Fatwa Number 10 of 2018 concerning Food and Beverage Products Containing Alcohol/Ethanol.

The fatwa specifies that ethanol content in halal food and beverages must meet safety limits and must not cause intoxication.

Distinguishing Between Different Types of Alcohol

According to the MUI fatwa document available on the LPPOM website, the ruling distinguishes between khamr (intoxicating beverages), alcohol/ethanol, and alcoholic drinks.

“Alcohol is ethyl alcohol or ethanol, a chemical compound with the formula C2H5OH,” the fatwa states.

Permitted Usage Conditions

The fatwa indicates that using alcohol/ethanol produced through non-khamr industrial processes for food product ingredients is mubah (permissible), provided it does not pose health risks. Mubah means permitted—performing it brings no spiritual reward, while avoiding it incurs no sin.

Specific Threshold Limits

The fatwa establishes different limits for different product categories:

For beverage products: Alcohol/ethanol content must not exceed 0.5 percent.

For food products (solid items): Content may exceed 0.5 percent, provided it does not endanger health.

Understanding the 0.06% Content

Based on these guidelines, the viral seasoning product containing 0.06% alcohol falls well within permissible limits for solid food products under MUI regulations. This explains how the product can legitimately carry halal certification despite listing alcohol in its ingredients.

Source of Ethanol Matters

The key distinction lies in the ethanol’s origin. The fatwa permits ethanol derived from industrial processes that do not involve intoxicating beverages (non-khamr sources). Such ethanol is chemically identical but comes from different production methods, typically involving fermentation of non-intoxicating substances or synthetic production.

Why Some Products Contain Alcohol

Small amounts of ethanol naturally occur in many fermented foods or serve functional purposes in food manufacturing, such as:

• Flavor extraction and preservation
• Ingredient solubilization
• Natural byproducts of fermentation processes

When present in minimal, non-intoxicating quantities from permissible sources, these trace amounts do not violate halal standards according to the MUI fatwa.

Consumer Education Needed

This incident highlights the importance of public understanding regarding halal certification processes and Islamic jurisprudence concerning modern food production. The presence of trace alcohol does not automatically disqualify a product from halal status, provided it meets established religious guidelines.

Consumers concerned about specific products can reference MUI fatwas or consult with the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) for clarification on certification standards.

Halal Certification Process Remains Rigorous

The BPJPH maintains strict evaluation procedures before issuing halal certifications. Products undergo comprehensive assessment of ingredients, production processes, and compliance with Islamic law interpretations as determined by qualified religious scholars.

The viral seasoning’s halal certification indicates it successfully passed these evaluations and meets established standards, including the ethanol content guidelines specified in MUI Fatwa Number 10 of 2018.

Original Article:

CNN Indonesia. (2026, January 21). Viral Bumbu Berlabel Halal Tapi Mengandung Alkohol.  Retrieved from https://www.cnnindonesia.com/gaya-hidup/20260121082249-262-1319129/viral-bumbu-berlabel-halal-tapi-mengandung-alkohol-cek-faktanya