RECENT ADVANCES IN HALAL RESEARCH VIA MICROSCOPY AND IMAGING APPROACHES: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Halal authentication has garnered a lot of attention in the last few years due to improve of public awareness in ensuring the food and product are safe, good quality and permissible by syariah to muslim consumer. Traditional methods for Halal verification often rely on labor-intensive techniques, with significant challenges in detecting cross-contamination and identifying trace amounts of non-Halal substances. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in microscopy and imaging approaches which provided new opportunities to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of Halal authentication. Techniques such as light microscopy, electron microscopy and camera imaging have been proven to be effective in identifying contaminants and verifying Halal status by detecting foreign materials and microstructures at a cellular level as well as suitable for analyzing halal-critical animal-derived materials, such as leather, bone, and bristles. Despite these advancements, current microscopy imaging technologies face limitations such as high costs, technical complexity, and the need for skilled personnel. These challenges hinder the widespread adoption of these techniques in routine Halal testing compared to other methods such as spectroscopy. Additionally, the sensitivity and specificity of imaging methods need further improvement to effectively trace the non-Halal substances. Emerging technology such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are powerful tools that can be employed in addressing these limitations. By integrating ML algorithms with imaging techniques, the speed and accuracy of Halal authentication can be significantly improved. AI-driven image analysis can provide prediction, assisting automate detection, reduce human error, and provide real-time insights, thus empowering existing technologies for better scalability. Looking forward, the convergence of advanced microscopy techniques and AI has the potential to revolutionize Halal research, enabling faster, more reliable, and cost-effective Halal authentication.