IFANCA's President, Dr. Muhammad M. Chaudry opened the Conference by welcoming the attendees from 18 different countries, including delegates from the embassies of Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, representatives of food corporations, government agencies, universities and Islamic organizations. Dr. Chaudry shared his duties as host and presenter with IFANCA Directors, Dr. Mohammed Sadek and Dr. Ahmad H. Sakr, who each have many years of training and experience in food technology and Halal implementation.

Dr. Chaudry introduced IFANCA and discussed the role IFANCA has played in promoting Halal across the world and the role it has played in helping the industry benefit from production of Halal certified products.

The Conference presented information on Islamic Food Laws, the limited number of prohibited food categories, the complexity of food production and how these few prohibited food items can find their way into otherwise Halal foods. Industry representatives presented their experiences in getting Halal certification and their experiences working with IFANCA. Representatives of government and Islamic organizations discussed their roles in the production and promotion of Halal food products. And of course, what would a European food conference be without a discussion of E-numbers and a visit to Masjid Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

Mr. Jose Lopez, M.D., of NestlÈ Malaysia gave the keynote address and he discussed the commitment NestlÈ has made to produce Quality Halal Products.

Dr. Chaudry presented an important discussion of critical food ingredients. Today, food production involves the combination of over 5000 food ingredients. For Halal food production, all the ingredients must be Halal. Professor Salim Sumar of the University of Surrey graphically illustrated the complexity of food production. He discussed a study in London, which revealed that 9 percent of 570 beef samples were contaminated with other species of meat. It also found that 12% of meat represented as Halal contained pork or other meat. Professor Sumar emphasized the importance of implementing strict procedures and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAACP) systems to ensure Halal products are not contaminated.

Dr. Sadek reviewed the prohibited food items, which include pork and its by-products, blood, meat of dead animals (not properly slaughtered), meat of animals slaughtered in a name of other than Allah and alcoholic drinks and intoxicating drugs. He also presented a comprehensive view of the global Halal markets and presented the Halal production requirements for various markets around the globe. Production of Halal foods requires using only Halal ingredients and preventing any prohibited ingredients from contaminating the Halal ingredients.

Dr. Sakr provided an insight into wisdom of Islamic ethics sand he discussed the basis and background of the Islamic dietary regulations.

A number of industry representatives presented their experiences in Halal and in working with IFANCA. Jes Knudsen of Novozymes of Denmark explained that Novozymes chose to work with IFANCA to certify their Halal products because of IFANCA's global presence and high service orientation.

Dr. Nordin, Chairman of NestlÈ Malaysia's Halal / Haram Committee presented a case study of the Halal program at NestlÈ Malaysia. He discussed the details of Halal program, which includes customer service aspects as well as food production. He stated that every product made by NestlÈ Malaysia is Halal.

Mr. Francois Fleischmann of SKW Biosystems, the largest gelatin manufacturer in the world, explained his experience in producing Halal gelatin. He thanked IFANCA for the effort put forth to help SKW Biosystems to produce and maintain the integrity of Halal gelatin. He informed the attendees that IFANCA Halal certified bovine gelatin is now available in large quantities to food processors and nutritional and pharmaceutical use. There is also a limited quantity of fish gelatin available.

Dr. Lipinski of Germany presented the rationale behind the European use of E-numbers in food labeling. E-numbers were adapted as a regulatory tool, with a clear meaning. However, use of E-numbers has limited value on determining whether a food product is Halal or not.

Government agencies were represented by Hj. Mustafa, Director of the Islamic Development Department of the Malaysia Federal Government and Dr. Professor Aisjah Girinda, Director of the Indonesian Assessment Institute of Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics.

Hj. Mustafa discussed the implementation of Halal food regulations in Malaysia and the cooperative effort between the government and religious scholars to find solutions to contemporary issues.

Dr. Girinda explained how his organization monitors Halal programs under the auspices of Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI). He also explained the efforts of the World Halal Food Council to globalize the Halal standard and a Halal logo for universal use.

IFANCA presented personalized awards to all the speakers in honor of their contribution to the success of this Conference. In keeping with the tradition IFANCA established at the previous two Conferences, IFANCA presented the IFANCA Industrial Achievement Award to NestlÈ Malaysia for their role as a leading supplier of Halal food products. Tengku Marina accepted the award on behalf of NestlÈ Malaysia.

Before leaving Paris, conference attendees enjoyed a guided tour of the beautiful city of Paris, including a visit to Masjid Paris, where they were awed by the beautiful architecture and decorative art. This was followed by dinner and the award ceremony overlooking the Eiffel tower.

Another IFANCA Conference came to a close with attendees expressing their thanks for the opportunity to learn about the opportunities available in the Halal market, the rules and regulations required to produce Halal products, the expertise and support IFANCA brings the industry and the experiences that were shared by producers of Halal products. Perhaps we will see you again at a future Conference.

Food allergies are not as common as one thinks, although many people are allergic to some foods. Only about three percent of children and one percent of adults have a food allergy, as indicated by clinically results. Food allergies can cause severe illness and even death, so it is important for those with food allergies to identify the culprits and avoid them.

Allergic reactions cause the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE), a type of protein called an antibody that circulates through the blood mast cells, a specific cell that occurs in all body tissues. People are born predisposed to allergies in general, so if one's parents have allergies, including hay fever, asthma, or hives, etc., they are more likely to be allergic.

What normally happens is a person predisposed to a food allergy eats a food and when the food is digested, it triggers certain cells to produce large amounts of specific immunoglobulin, which is released and attaches to the surface of mast cells. The next time the person eats that food; it interacts with the immunoglobulin on the mast cells and triggers a release of chemicals such as histamine. If the release is in the ears, nose, or throat, the person may feel an itching in the mouth or may have trouble breathing or swallowing. If the release is in the gastrointestinal tract, the person may have abdominal pain or diarrhea. If the release is in the skin, it may cause hives. Allergic reactions can occur within minutes of eating a food item containing an allergen.

Some common foods that cause allergic reactions are shellfish, peanuts, walnuts, fish eggs and milk. Children are generally more affected by eggs, milk and peanuts while adults are more affected by shellfish, peanuts and eggs. Also, different geographic regions may have allergic reactions to local foods, such as rice allergies in Japan and codfish allergies in Scandinavia.

Discovering allergies is not an exact science. It is often determined by trial and error, by ingesting or injecting a specific food and observing any reaction. This can be dangerous with people who exhibit severe reactions to allergens. In some cases, food poisoning causes similar reactions to food allergies.

The most common food intolerance is lactase deficiency, affecting 10% of people. Lactase is an enzyme produced in the stomach and it degrades the lactose in milk. If the body does not have enough lactase, it cannot digest the lactose in milk so it is used by the bacteria, which form gas, resulting in bloating and abdominal pain.

Some chemicals also cause adverse reactions such as flushing, headaches and chest pain. Among these chemicals are yellow dye number 5 and monosodium glutamate.

The treatment for food allergies is to avoid the food in question. While this sounds simple enough, some foods may contain small amounts of such allergens, so it is very important to read ingredient labels if you have known food allergies. It is also a good idea to consult with your physician if you suspect a food allergy. (Extracted from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases article from January 1999.)