Kompas.com – Not long ago found dates labeled Kosher in one of the supermarkets in Jakarta. The label was photographed appearing to be in the back of the packaging.
As is known, Kosher is a term in the law of Jewish food which means food or drink that is allowed to be consumed based on Jewish religious rules.
According to the explanation of the Deputy Agency for the Indonesian Halal Product Guarantee (BPJPH), Afriansyah Noor, Kosher is a label originating from Israel.
Also Read: What Is Kosher Salt? Closely related to the tradition of eating Jews
Considering that dates are a product consumed by the community, especially Muslims during the month of Ramadan, then is the dates labeled Kosher safe?
All products circulating in Indonesia must be halal certified
According to Afriansyah’s explanation, dates are halal products or food sold in the market. This refers to Presidential Regulation (PP) Number 42 of 2024 concerning the Implementation of Halal Product Guarantee.
As for PP Number 42 of 2024 Article 2 paragraph 1 it is written that the products that are incoming, circulating, and traded in the territory of Indonesia must be halal certified.
“As for this dates, because he is already halal, it means he needs his name Safe Declarebecause it is made from materials that contain plants, “Afriansyah told Kompas.com via telephone on Thursday (7/3/2025).
Also Read: The Process of Making Kosher Salt To Get Jewish Halal Certification
However, he continued, specifically dates that are not pure or dates that have been processed into various variants by adding other components, need a certification process.
So that, it can be known in more detail related to the content in the dates. This certification process is carried out through the Halal Agency in Indonesia.
This halal -certified product rules also apply to products imported from abroad to Indonesia.
“As long as he (imported products) made from halal, does not contain other ingredients, this product remains halal, but later the halal label will work with halal institutions,” he said.
The Indonesian Halal Agency has no diplomatic relations with Israel
Considering that the product labeled Kosher originated from Israel, Afriansyah said that until now the halal agency in Indonesia has no Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), aka there has been no cooperation with the Halal Agency in Israel.
Dates become a good fruit for breaking the fast.Therefore, he said, if there are Kosher labeled products circulating in Indonesia, it is necessary to question the regulation of the entry of these products to Indonesia.
“This PP has been in force in 2024, October the 17th. That is, the compulsory eating products, both from within and outside the country, must be halal certified,” concluded Afriansyah.
Important check the halal label
Separately, LPPOM Corporate Secretary, Raafqi Ranasasmita said that dates are basically products with a relatively low critical point of halal. The reason, because dates are vegetable products that are naturally halal.
