Cadbury is one of the oldest and most famous chocolate makers in the world but it is suffering a major setback in Malaysia after traces of pig DNA were found in two varieties of its signature chocolate bar Dairy Milk.
According to Huffingtonpost Cadbury Malaysia has pulled its Dairy Milk hazelnut and Dairy Milk roasted almond bars from shelves after the Malaysian Health Ministry found traces of porcine DNA in the products, which were labeled as “halal.”
To be certified as halal, or “permissible” for Muslims to eat, meat must be killed in a specific way and cannot include any pork, which is classified as “haram,” or “forbidden” in the Quran.
A halal check conducted by the Malaysian Health Ministry turned up the pig DNA, leading to a national outcry against the British multinational. Religious leaders have called for Cadbury to be fined or even banned from Malaysia.
Over twenty Muslim groups have come together to insist on strict measures for Cadbury, saying that it has “crossed the line” at a news conference covered by Malay Mail Online.
“They have betrayed us Muslims by putting ‘haram’ elements through the foods we consume in our body, to weaken us Muslims,” declared Abu Bakar Yahya, chief of Perkasa Selangor, according to Malay Mail Online.
Another spokesman, Ustaz Masridzi of Perkid, even called for jihad, which literally means “struggle,” against Cadbury. “We need to unite, we must declare jihad!” he said at the conference.
