Protecting Muslim consumers so that they can consume, use, and enjoy halal products is a right granted by law. Because it is a right, the law obligates all parties who provide services for Muslim consumers' needs to guarantee that products are halal (obligatory). However, one problem in fulfilling this need is that halal product detection technology that is mass-produced and affordable is not yet available. Another problem is the limited availability of domestically produced halal ingredients, which forces imports from abroad. At least these two problems have been given a way out by the three winners of the Halal Product Technology and Halal Food Security competition at OASE III 2026, held at the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta campus on November 3-7, 2026. First Place went to the UIN Sunan Kalijaga team with the work "Early Detection of Pork Contamination in Meatballs Through Microscopic Image Classification Using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Model." Second Place went to the UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang team with the work "Eco-Peptonila: Halal Peptone Production Through the Use of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Waste and Pineapple Cores to Support National Raw Material Self-Reliance." Third Place went to the UIN Sunan Kudus team with the work "Compas: Coconut Pulp Cookies of Jenang Kudus with Parijoto Granule Topping as a Zero-Waste and Local Wisdom-Based Halal Food Innovation."

These three finalists came a long way. In the preliminary round, 21 teams from 21 campuses were screened online. Eight teams were then chosen to compete in person in Yogyakarta. From those eight best teams, three finalists were chosen to receive First, Second, and Third Place. The three finalists have made a real contribution to one important need of Muslims: the availability of halal products. Until now, halal product testing has been done through direct human audits, except where certain things must be tested in a laboratory, so the process can take quite a long time. With the help of technology, a product's halal status can be detected or known in a short time, although there is still a limit: a result of "not detected" is not always proof that a product is certainly halal. This is because the method only looks for certain markers, and contamination may be uneven or below the detection limit. Halal assessment also covers the origin of ingredients, the production process, facilities, cleanliness, and the risk of cross-contamination. For that reason, laboratory testing is strongest when combined with ingredient traceability, process audits, and certification by an authorized body. Thus, technology cannot, or cannot yet, fully replace humans, but with its help humans can work more easily and faster, two things that matter greatly in this era.

The availability of domestic raw materials for halal products is also very important, considering that Indonesia's Muslim society is a consumptive one. Indonesia ranks fourth among importing countries, with a share of 8.4%, behind the UAE at 12.2%, Turkey at 12.1%, and Malaysia at 11.8%. To meet the need for halal products, the government has taken steps including: (1) developing halal research and increasing import substitution; (2) building halal zones integrated with halal logistics facilities; (3) building a halal information system, including speeding up the halal certificate process; and (4) increasing the contribution of halal product producers, whether micro, medium, or large, to exports of halal products around the world (the global halal value chain).

Local products related to halal raw materials need to be promoted, and if possible, once domestic needs are met, exported abroad. There are many kinds of local halal raw materials that can be developed. The second- and third-place works find their moment in this context. Both have made a real contribution to promoting local halal raw materials.

This is the real benefit of OASE III, which is held every three years by PTKIN under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. From the womb of OASE are born works by the nation's children that are very proud-worthy and contribute concretely to the progress of the nation and state. (Saifuddin, Vice Dean III, FSH)