PETALING JAYA: The Penang Hindu Association (PHA) has urged devotees to carefully check food labels on all packets of snacks and sweets meant for temple offerings or religious festivals, warning that many items contain hidden animal ingredients.
A survey led by PHA president Datuk P. Murugiah confirmed that several popular food brands contain ingredients made from animals.
PHA started a full investigation after getting many complaints from temple management teams and worried members of the public about the purity of food brought into places of worship.
Although strict religious rules ban non-vegetarian food inside temples, the survey showed that many worshippers were unknowingly buying packaged foods that contain fish, beef or pig gelatine and animal fats.
Murugiah said these products are often given as sacred gifts to the gods or served at big temple gatherings and important family celebrations.
“This problem affects a wide range of holy events and family functions, including major religious festivals like Deepavali and Navaratri (observed from Oct 11 to Oct 20), traditional occasions like ear-piercing ceremonies, parties for newborn babies, weddings, engagements and birthdays.
“Among the high-risk foods found by PHA were everyday sweets, including gummy sweets, soft candies, and marshmallows.
“The warning also includes popular desserts and baked goods like ice cream, biscuits, cookies, cakes and pastries.
“On top of that, some types of cheese and even certain brands of milk powder were found to have fish products listed on their packets.”
Murugiah said that a big problem for shoppers is the tiny print used on packaging, which often makes it easy to miss these important details when buying groceries.
He also pointed out a common misunderstanding about local food labels.
“While a halal logo guarantees that there is absolutely no pig ingredient in the product, it does not mean the food is vegetarian.
“Halal foods often contain beef gelatine or fish ingredients, both of which spoil the strict vegetarian purity needed for Hindu rituals.”
To protect the holiness of temples and make sure worshippers can complete their religious promises with peace of mind, PHA is requesting the public to stop using any product with fish, beef or pig ingredients for religious purposes.
“Temple management teams are urged to put up clear, easy-to-see signs at entrances to temples so that worshippers remember to check the ingredients of their offerings before going inside.”
Murugiah said PHA is sending an official request to the International Trade and Industry Ministry to introduce legislation to make it mandatory to place clear dietary symbols on all packaged food.
He said PHA suggests using the international system found in other countries, where a clear green circle is printed on packets to show that a product is suitable for vegetarians.