Australia’s Ballantyne Foods confirms ‘Golden Churn’ butter’s halal status

By Clara Chooi

August 19, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Australia’s Ballantyne Foods Pty Ltd declared today that its “Golden Churn” butter is halal, despite claims earlier this week by Malaysia’s Islamic Development Department (Jakim) that the product is not safe for Muslim consumption.

The company clarified the matter in a statement issued by legal firm Iza Ng Yeoh & Kit Advocates and Solicitors this evening, claiming that Jakim and religious authorities from Sarawak and Johor have also confirmed the product’s halal status.

“We, the Ballantyne Company of Australia, the proud owner of the internationally renowned ‘Golden Churn’ brand of butter for the past 70 years, would like to issue this press statement in order to clear any confusion that may have arisen with regards to the halal status of our product amongst the Muslim community in Malaysia.

“We wish to categorically reiterate that the Golden Churn frozen butter that is, the 250 grams salted and 227 grams unsalted cubes manufactured and shipped out of Australia, has been confirmed as halal by Jakim, the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the Johor Islamic Religious Department,” the statement read.

The firm also gave its assurance to all Muslim consumers that its products are completely free of any traces of pork DNA and that it has the community’s best interests under consideration at all times.

Last month, the Sarawak religious authorities declared “Golden Churn” butter as non-halal after it was discovered to purportedly contain pig DNA.

Earlier this week, Jakim director general Othman Mustapha reaffirmed the matter, saying the decision was made after discovering that the product comes from the same factory as that distributed in Sarawak although it was brought into the country by different importers.

“This was confirmed by the agent of Ballantyne Food, from New Zealand, which manufactures the product.

“Therefore, Muslims should not use the product,” he was quoted as saying on Bernama Online.

He added that the matter was also confirmed by an agent of Ballantyne Foods from New Zealand and that the company had also agreed to withdraw the product from the shelves.