Title: The compatibility of halal with good agricultural practices

Biography:

Dr. Jawad Alzeer is a senior scientist at Zurich University. Alzeer attended college at Karachi University, Pakistan, earning a B.Sc. in Chemistry, M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry. In 1996, he received his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich. Following a stay at Hoffmann La Roche, he became a Research Associate at Michigan University and the University of Zurich. From 2009 to 2010 worked as a senior scientist at Swiss health care company, Lipomed and from 2010 to 2012 he was an Assistant Professor at Palestine Polytechnic University. He is currently a director of Swiss Scientific Society for Developing Countries and a Senior Scientist at the University of Zurich focused on drug discovery, rational use of natural products and tackling halal issues in the field of pharmaceuticals and food.

Abstract

Food and agriculture are fundamental to our survival and play a very important role in our daily life. They act as a source of energy and provide us with diverse building blocks. Consumers’ attitudes towards food and agriculture are changing based on regional, cultural and religious influences. Halal production of food and agriculture is emerging as one of the most important issue, and hold a leading position in the global business today. The main objective is to ensure that process and ingredients are absolutely clean, pure and comply with Islamic principles. Hygiene and cleanliness are strongly emphasized in Halal production and it includes every aspect of individuals, equipment and ingredients involved during production. A Transparent system of halal auditing has been developed to ensure zero suspicion of a manufactured product that comply with all halal requirement. The future demand for halal product is strong and is creating a strong presence in developed and developing countries. Main issues in halal production, certifications and its compatibility with good agricultural practices standard will be presented.