The Halalness of Indonesian Street Food :

Problems and Solution?

Gemala Anjani1), Diana Nur Afifah, Adriyan Pramono1)

Dase Hunaefi2), Heni Budi Wijayanti2)
1) Nutrition Science, Diponegoro University
2) Bogor Agricultural University

Abstract

As a country that has variety of foods and drinks, Indonesians do eat out. But, instead go
to restaurant, they prefer street food as major choice. Halalness including food safety become a
big issue because the guarantee of halal in Indonesia by halal certification involve a formal area
and registered packaging products. So its hard to apply the certification in street food as an
informal area. The Halalness street food can be controlled by seller and consumers. The first
step to solve this problems is local government controller to the street food selling permission
including raw material and food processing information. And also halal education to the seller in
local area and local organization and consumer education by mass media.

Keywords : Halal, Street Food

INTRODUCTION

Street Food

One of the fascinating aspects of urban social life is in most Asian countries is the
ubiquitous presence of street food vendors. Rapid urbanization and associated social and
cultural changes, the demand for street foods has increased (Jayasuriya, 1991). Street food
have become popular for various reason. They are available at the place required, i.e. around
factory, offices, schools and universities, transit points and market places. With more people
joining the labor force and working away from home, street foods are the most accessible source
of food intake. Similarly, as more women have started working outside the home for their
livinghood, they find less time for cooking and street food provide a convenient source of
nourishment under the circumstances. In many cities with large ethnic population groups, this
traditional role of street foods has emerged as in important social factor. Almost all segments of
society visit street food vendors (Dawsen and Canet, 1991).
 Street food have been defined by FAO as ready to eat foods and beverages prepared/or
sold be vendors especially in streets and other public places (FAO, 1989). And the broader
definition is the sale by vendors of ready to eat foods and beverages prepared and/or consumed
on site in streets and other public places (Jayasuriya, 1991). Street food also can be defined as a
quick meal sold by a vendor with a push cart, basket, at a stall, or possibly at a store where
customers can see the preparation of food clearly. It provides a close connection between the
customer and the street food, unlike having a plate of food in a restaurant.
The street food vending is a multi-billion dollars business, involve mostly men and
women with a few years of schooling and young children. According to estimates of the food
and agricultural organization (FAO), employment related to street food vending in developed
countries in 1998 makes up 6-25% of total labor force and increased/year (Jayasuriya, 1994).
The street food industry has emerged in response to a socio-cultural need for nutritious,
convenient and inexpensive foods and beverages for the working population, students and
family members. Inspite of the tremendous economic activity generated by street foods and their
role in meeting food. Socio-economic and cultural needs of the community. The street food
sector has still not been recognized in many countries and continues to be treated as a so-called
‘informal sector’. This is perhaps a result of the fact that several governments, local bodies or
city officials thing street food vendors are something undesirable and do not need exist, or are of
a temporary nature and will disappear in due to course as a result of development (Dawsen and
Canet, 1991).

Indonesian Street Food

Indonesian has various traditional that are sold as street food. The types of food offered
vary from a simple fried tofu to a much more complicated dish like gudeg (raw jackfruit cooked
in a Javanese traditional way that originated from Yogyakarta), bakso or meatballs that are
usually served in a bowl, like soup, with noodles, bean curds (tofu), eggs, and/or fried meat.
Another popular soup-like street food is soto, that is mainly comprised of broth and vegetables.
Satay, that is a dish consisting of chunks or slices of dice-sized meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef,
pork, or fish) on bamboo skewers, which are grilled over a wood or charcoal fire, then served
with various spicy seasonings, mostly made of ground nuts.
Nasi goreng (steamed rice stir-fried with eggs, meatballs, chicken/beef/shrimp, assorted
vegetables and often with sweet soy sauce seasoning) is also very popular along with nasi rawon
(rice served with dark beef soup) originally from East Java. The dark colour comes from the
meaty seeds of kluwak nuts. Usually served with uncooked mung bean sprouts and salty duck
eggs, pecel (a mixture of vegetables and traditional crackers with spicy peanut paste). Madiun
and Blitar in East Java are popular for their pecel and gado-gado (a mixture of vegetables,
crackers and rice with peanut flavored sauce). The taste is sweet in Eastern Java and salty in
Western Java.

HALAL PROBLEMS
Base of General Guidelines for use of term halal, (CAC/GL 24-1997 1) issued by the
Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standard Programme (1999), halal food is defined as
food permitted under the Islamic Law and should fulfill following conditions:
1. Does not consist of or contain anything which is considered to be unlawful according to
Islamic law including : food of animal origin, food of plant origin intoxicating and
hazardous plants), drink (alcoholic and all forms of intoxicating and hazardous drinks),
food additives and regulation of slaughtering procedure of lawful animal.
2. Has not been prepared, processed, transported or stored using any appliance or facility
that was not free from anything unlawful according to Islamic Law; and
3. Has not in the course of preparation, processing, transportation or storage been in direct
contact with any food that fails to satisfy 1 and 2 above.
In addition, halal food can be prepared, processed or stored in different sections or lines
within the same premises where non-halal foods are produced, provided that necessary measures
are taken to prevent any contact between halal and non-halal foods. Halal foods can also be
prepared, processed, transported or stored using facilities which have been previously used for
non-halal foods provided that proper cleaning procedures, according to Islamic requirements,
have been observed.
 Within Asian region, food safety legislation, as in the case with legislation on other
health-related matters, has generally received relatively low priority. In most countries, the
legislation has evolved over a long period time and, not surprisingly, there are still a few
countries without any for of comprehensive legislation (Jayasuriya, 1991). Some countries that
have updated their legislation have failed to invest adequate resources to enable the relevant
laws and regulations to be monitored and enforced.
In theory, food safety laws of general nature extent to street food vending, but because of
special nature of street food activities and the condition under which these take place, more
specific and targeted provisions are generally required.
The problems currently associated with street food vending cannot be easily eliminated or
minimized unless there is a multi-sectoral policy. Legislation is only one component of such
policy. There is no single legislative model which can be applied universally. In some countries
such as Malaysia and Singapore, street food vending has been accommodated within urban
relocation, city planning and tourist development scheme, but in the rapidly expanding urban
areas of some development countries such schemes may be difficult to implement because of the
monetary investment required. However, it is important that all development plans take into
account the reality of street food vending.
It is clear that legislation can be truly effective only when others measures are in place creating a
better environment within which street food vending can take place. Infrastructure development
to provide for better water service and sewage and garbage disposal facilities as well as overall
improvements in public hygiene and sanitation are important intervention. Education and
training of street food vendors is as important as that education in public with regard to healty
lifestyles and food habits. Most importantly, street food vending needs to be recognized as an
important service industry. It must be transformed from its present ‘informal’ or necessary
public nuisance’ status to that of one which is accorded equal status with other consumer-
oriented service industries which are pro-legislative policies and programmes (Jayasuriya, 1994).
The steps to legitimize the street food industry are needed to assure the healty
performance in providing safe and wholesome food to the consumers. (Dawsen and Canet, 1991)
The food hygiene and sanitation is a major problem in the food street vendor industries,
microbial contamination, the using of unpermitted food additives (In Indonesia study FAO and
FTDC, 1984) confirmed the use of non-permitted coaltar colour in soft drink and other foods, as
well as the presence of unpermitted mould inhibitors such as sodium benzoate and sodium
metabisulphit and sodium benzoate in street foods. Other types of additive detected included
texture modifiers such as ‘bleng’, a borat-containing salt found salt found in noodles and tapioca
chips (Dawsen and Canet, 1991).
As an ‘informal sector’ the halalness of Indonesian street food vendor is hard to be
controlled. The using non-halal material e.g. ang sui in chinnese food (noodle, nasi goreng),
chicken blood in gudeg, non-slaughtering animal and unpermitted food additives are still found
in Indonesian street food. The problem is there is no information to the consumers about that and
almost no halal certification in street food vendor. Because the halal regulation and certification
as a formal area not applicable to this area.

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
As mentioned above, is not easy to apply the halal certification in ‘informal area’. To get
the halal certification these informal area should transform to ‘formal area’.
So to improve the street food situation, the following essential action need to be taken by :
A. Government
1. Registration system
The registration of street food vendors in local government as a first step to get and
give the truth information about raw material, and the halal condition of food are sold.
2. Legislation and regulation involve Haram Analysis Critical Control Point (HrACCP).
A system which could point out the critical points where haram or najees (najasa)
materials may contaminate halal materials, as well as preventing haram materials to
be used for the production of halal foods. There are 6 elements which go to make an
HrACCP system by Apriyantono (2001) :
2.1 Identify and assess all haram and najees materials.
2.2 Identify the critical control points.
2.3 Establish the monitoring procedures.
2.4 Establish corrective actions.
2.5 Establish a record-keeping system.
2.6 Establish verification procedures.
 3. The regulation effort should be supplemented by contiuous monitoring by qualified
individuals trained for this type of work. The food inspectors should immediately
correct un-halal conditions and assist the vendors in undertaking improved halalness
practices in preparation, handling and selling of food.
4. Finally, all actions leading to recognition and improvement of street food should be
associated with the proper training of food handlers and vendors in adequate practice
for the preparation, handling and selling of street food.
B. Consumers need good information on the food they are buying, and are showing increasing
concern for environmental issues. The mass media is a best choice to give all of public and
consumers information about halalness from government, universities and learned societies.

CONCLUSION
Indonesian has various traditional that are sold as street food. As an ‘informal sector’ the
halalness of Indonesian street food vendor is hard to be controlled. To get the halal certification
these informal area should transform to ‘formal area’. The registration of street food vendors in
local government as a first step to get and give the truth information about raw material, and the
halal condition of food are sold. Consumers need good information on the food they are buying,
and are showing increasing concern for environmental issues. The mass media is a best choice to
give all of public and consumers information about halalness from government, universities and
learned societies.

REFERENCES
1. Jayasuriya. 1994. Street Food Vending in Asia : Some Policy and Legal Aspects. Food
Control :Vol 5, No 4.
2. Dawsen, R.J and C. Canet. 1991. International Activities in Street Food. Food Control
July.
3. FAO/WHO. 1989. Code of Hygienic Practice for Preparation and Sale of Street Vended
Foods. Join FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Alinorm 89/36 Appendix III. Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
4. Apriyantono, A and Soenaryo, E. 2001. Halal Requirement For Instant Noodle
Manufacture. Paper presented at The 3rd IRMA Summit, Thailand, 14-15 March.