Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Halal Meat: Do We Need A New Regulatory Framework?

The three-dimensional printing (3DP) process provides the ability to formulate innovative food ingredients that enhanced nutritional benefits as well as sensory profiles. 3DP technology is an alternative method in food processing which include the production of halal based products. Despite the rapid development of 3DP in recent years, there is still concern surrounding the technology such as quality, manufacturing process capability, taste, structure, or shape, and binding mechanism are some of the factors that can still be improved. The addition of binding components, for example, gelatin from an animal to enhance the meat processing will be subjected to debate based on the Halal guidelines. In today's world, the issues regarding food safety are discussed where the producers use inadequate instruments, unsterilized plating, and mixing non-halal based products with the halal based product. This article reviews the need for new standards and regulations for halal printed products, in particular meat-based products. Conventional standards and regulations for halal processing meat need to be revised according to the technology in food science and engineering. Consequently, other issues including ethical issues need to be addressed from different Islamic perspectives to provide strong foundations for 3DP halal meat standards and regulations. This study suggests for further in-depth research to be conducted in this field and urges scholars to view this as a fast-growing research field in Halal studies.