Tourists’ Perception of Halal Food on Health in Berastagi

Caca Pratiwi, Yatty Destani Sandy, Muhammad Edwin Fransiari and Latifah Rahma Nurfazriah

Nutrition Study Program, Department of Family Welfare Education, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Medan,

Medan, Indonesia

Keywords: Halal Food, Healthy Food, Tourists’ Perception.

Abstract: Local tourists visiting Berastagi, North Sumatra are dominated by Muslim from around Medan. Most foreign

tourists are from Malaysia, most of whom are also Muslim. During the holidays, tourists tend to seek out

healthy food, and for a Muslim, the food consumed must be guaranteed halal. This study aimed to determine

the perception of halal food on health by tourists in Berastagi. The study used primary data collected from

100 respondents who were surveyed directly through questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to

analyze. A total of 100 tourists participated in the study, originating from cities around North Sumatra. A total

of 50 and 42 participants agreed and totally agreed, respectively, that halal food is hygienic, safe, and of good

quality. A total of 40 and 53 participants agreed dan totally agreed, respectively, that not-halal food has a bad

effect on health. Finally, 53 and 39 participants agreed and totally agreed, respectively, that halal food ensured

that the ingredients in their food did not pose a health risk. Conclusion: Overall, 92 % of tourists agreed that

halal food is hygienic and has a good impact on health. Halal food should be labelled by the government in

restaurants, cafés, or food products.

1 INTRODUCTION

The halal industry has been rapidly developing every

year. The halal lifestyle and industry have started to

spread across various sectors, including the tourism

sector. The government continuously promotes the

halal tourism industry due to global industrial

development in tourism. Part of the halal tourism

industry is the availability of adequate halal food

products for tourists.

Tourists need food every day, and said food

usually comes from animal and plant sources. During

vacation, the food eaten will provide the necessary

energy and nutrition for these tourists. Food

ingredients contain several vital elements or

compounds such as water, carbohydrates, proteins,

fats, vitamins, and enzymes. Food serves a function

in body growth, replacing damaged body tissues,

obtaining energy to carry out daily activities,

regulating metabolism, balancing fluids in the body,

and supporting the body's defense mechanism against

various diseases (Andriani, 2019).

In Islam, Muslims are ordered to consume halal

and tayyib food. Halal refers to products or food that

is permissible for consumption. Tayyib refers to

products or food that is consumed in a hygienic way,

and categorized as healthy, useful, and safe from

harmful substances for the body or the mind (Setiwan,

2014).

Indonesia has guarantees and quality standards

regarding the halal status of a product. The purpose

of halal certification is to provide certainly of halal

status, preventing consumers from being indecisive

about consuming the product (LPPOM MUI, 2019).

The halal labelling on products can pique the interest

of tourists to buy and consume halal food products

during their vacation because there is a guarantee of

food safety and quality. Halal food accentuates that

hygiene and sanitation are related to food safety and

quality (Ishardini et al, 2022).

Local tourists visiting Berastagi, North Sumatra

are mostly dominated by Muslim tourists from around

Medan. Most foreign tourists are from Malaysia, and

most of them are also Muslim. During the holidays,

tourists tend to seek out healthy food, and for Muslim,

the food consumed must be guaranteed halal and

tayyib. This study aimed to determine the perception

of halal food on health in tourists visiting Berastagi.

Pratiwi, C., Sandy, Y. D., Fransiari, M. E. and Nurfazriah, L. R.

Tourists’ Perception of Halal Food on Health in Berastagi.

DOI: 10.5220/0012901300004564

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Social Determinants of Health (ICSDH 2023), pages 98-103

ISBN: 978-989-758-727-6; ISSN: 2975-8297

2 SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This study centers around the perception of Berastagi

tourists’ awareness of halal products and their relation

to health. The study utilized a survey wherein the data

were collected using a questionnaire. The samples

were selected using nonprobability sampling. The

primary data were collected from 100 Muslim tourists

in Berastagi, specifically those at Gundaling and Lau

Kawar Lake. Respondents were screened before

being surveyed. A letter of approval was obtained

from respondents after elucidation on this study’s

purpose.

This study utilized descriptive analysis and

quantitative analysis. Descriptive analysis aims to

describe the results of respondents' answers to each

question indicator used by each variable with index

analysis (Ferdinand, 2006). The quantitative analysis

used validity, reliability, and linear regression tests.

2.1 Measures

Statement in the questionnaire were measured using

a Likert scale with intervals of 1 to 4 (1 = strongly

disagree to 4 = strongly agree). The respondents’

perception of halal food was measured through 12

statements : 1) Islam prohibits you from consuming

non-halal food (KH01); 2) Eating halal food is a form

of your religiosity (KH02); 3) Consuming non-halal

food is a sin (KH03); 4) Eating halal food will

establish good behavior (KH04); 5)All food is legally

permissible unless there is an argument that forbids it

(KH05); 6) Based on the halal-haram category, there

are three types of food, namely, halal, haram and

syubhat (KH06); 7) Halal food is food permissible for

consumption by Muslims (KH07); 8) Non-halal food

may be consumed in an emergency (KH08); 9) The

Methods of obtaining, processing, and serving food

are the criteria for halal food (KH09); 10) Additional

ingredients in food products (emulsifiers, thickeners,

etc.) are not necessarily halal (KH10); 11)Food that

are harmful to the body can be unhygienic (KH11);

and 12) always read the Indonesia Ulema Council’s

halal label before buying food (KH12).

The respondents’ perception of healthy food was

measured through five statements: 1) Halal food

symbolizes safe, hygienic, and quality food (KM01);

2) Halal food that is served hygienically still tastes

good (KM02); 3) I am sure that I can stay healthy by

consuming halal food (KM03); 4) Food that is

forbidden in Islam have a negative effect on health

(KM04); and 5) Halal food guarantees that the

mixture of ingredients in it is not harmful to health

(KM05).

3 RESULTS

3.1 Respondents’ Characteristic

A total of 100 respondents in this study were 100

made up of tourists who visiting Gundaling and Lau

Kawar Lake in Berastagi, Karo. Respondents were

screened before being surveyed. They had to fulfil the

criteria of being over 17 years old, Muslim, and

tourists. The respondents’ characteristics were

divided into two items, i.e., education and monthly

income. Data on the frequency distribution of

respondents according to education and income can

be seen in Table 1.

Table 1: Respondents’ Characteristics (n=100).

Items Classification Percentage

(%)

Education

Elementary School 3

Middle School 16

Senior High School 38

under

raduate 39

Graduate 3

Postgraduated 1

Income per

Month

< Rp 1,000,000 38

Rp 1,000,000-5,000,000 48

Rp 5,000,001-10,000,000 8

> Rp 10,000,001 6

The survey showed that most respondents had

most recently complete senior high school (38%) and

undergraduate programs (39%) in terms of their

education level. The data also show that the most

common monthly income range for respondents was

about in Rp 1,000,000-5,000,000 (48%), followed by

less than Rp 1,000,000 (38%), Rp 5,000,001-

10,000,000 (8%), and finally over Rp 10,000,001

(1%).

3.2 Validity and Reliability of

Instrument

This study employed a questionnaire as a research

instrument. It contained 17 questions, which

consisted of 12 items regarding halal food perception

(X) as well as five statements on food hygiene and

health (Y). The validity and reliability of test results

can be seen in Table 2.

Tourists’ Perception of Halal Food on Health in Berastagi

Table 2: Validity test.

Variable Item R x

R tab Conclusion

Halal

Perception

X01 0.761 0.196 Vali

X02 0.803 0.196 Vali

X03 0.793 0.196 Vali

X04 0.770 0.196 Vali

X05 0.801 0.196 Vali

X06 0.807 0.196 Vali

X07 0.761 0.196 Vali

X08 0.675 0.196 Vali

X09 0.737 0.196 Vali

X10 0.632 0.196 Vali

X11 0.614 0.196 Vali

X12 0.713 0.196 Vali

Healthy

food

Y01 0.756 0.196 Vali

Y02 0.789 0.196 Vali

Y03 0.820 0.196 Vali

Y04 0.786 0.196 Vali

Y05 0.830 0.196 Vali

Based on the data above, the variable perception

of halal food and healthy food was above 0.196.

Accordingly, all the data were valid and all the data

from the questionnaire could be used in this study.

Table 3: Validity test.

Variables Item Cronbach’

s Alpha

Value Conclusion

Halal

Perception

12 0.924 0.6 Valid

Healthy and

Safe Food

5 0.854 0.6 Valid

Based on the data above the halal perception for

variable (X) received a 0.924 in the reliability criteria.

Meanwhile, the healthy food variable received a

0.854 with a Cronbach’s alpha value of over 0.60.

This means both items were reliable.

3.3 Perception of Halal Food

To obtain data on respondents’ knowledge of halal

food, a direct survey was conducted on tourists who

visited Gundaling and Lau Kawar Lake in Berastagi.

Respondents’ responses can be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Respondents’ Perception of Halal Food.

Based on the survey, 76% of respondents strongly

agree that Islam prohibits consuming non-halal food

(KH01), 18 % agree, 1% disagree, and 5% strongly

disagree. As for the statement that Eating halal food

is a form of religiosity (KH02), 72% of respondents

strongly agreed, 21% agreed, 1% disagreed, and 6%

strongly disagreed. On the third statement that

consuming non-halal food is a sin (KH03), 69% of

respondents strongly agreed, 23% agreed, 4%

disagreed, and 4% strongly disagreed. In regards to

the fourth statement that eating halal food will

establish good behavior (KH04), 62% of respondents

strongly agreed, 29% agreed, 4% disagreed, and 5%

strongly disagreed. Then, on the fifth statement that

all food is legally permissible unless there is an

argument that forbids it (KH05), 47% of respondents

strongly agreed, 45% agreed, 5% disagreed, and 3%

strongly disagreed. Following that was the sixth

statement that there are three types of food (halal,

haram, and syubhat) (KH06), with which 40% of

respondents strongly agreed, 52% agreed, 4%

disagreed, and 4% strongly disagreed. The seventh

statement was that all food is permissible food for

consumption by Muslims (KH07). In this case, 61%

of respondents strongly agreed; 33% agreed; 2%

disagreed; and 4% strongly disagreed. The eighth

statement that non-halal food may be consumed in an

emergency (KH08) had 26% of respondents strongly

agreeing, 58% agreeing, 11% disagreeing, and 5%

strongly disagreeing. Concerning the ninth statement

that the method of obtaining, processing, and serving

KH01

KH02

KH03

KH04

KH05

KH06

KH07

KH08

KH09

KH10

KH11

KH12

Strongly Not Agree

Not Agree

Agree

Strongly Agree

ICSDH 2023 - The International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

100

food is the criteria for halal food (KH09), 36% of

respondents strongly agreed; 59% agreed; 9%

disagreed; and 2% strongly disagreed. Based on the

responses to the tenth statement that non-halal

ingredients in food products (emulsifiers, thickeners,

and others) (KH10) were mixed, 32% of respondents

strongly agreed; 51% agreed; 11% disagreed, and 3%

strongly disagreed. Regarding the eleventh statement

that substances harmful to the body can make food

unhygienic (KH11), 34% of respondents strongly

agreed; 47% agreed; 15% disagreed; and 4% strongly

disagreed. Finally, on the twelfth statement that

respondents always read the Indonesia Ulema

Council’s halal label before buying food (KH12),

42% of respondents strongly agreed; 50% agreed; 7%

disagreed, and 1% strongly disagreed.

3.4 Healthy Food

To obtain data on respondents’ perception of healthy

food, a direct survey was conducted among tourists

who visited Gundaling and Lau Kawar Lake in

Berastagi. Respondents’ responses can be seen in

Figure 2.

Based on the survey, 42 % of respondents strongly

agreed that halal food symbolized safe, hygienic, and

quality food (KM01), while 50 % agreed; 6%

disagreed, and 2% strongly disagreed. When given

the prompt that halal food served hygienically still

tastes good (KM02), 42% of respondents strongly

agreed; 55% agreed; 2% disagreed; and 1% strongly

disagreed. When asked whether they could stay

healthy by consuming halal food (KM03), 46% of

respondents strongly agreed; 50% agreed; 2%

disagreed; and 2% strongly disagreed. When given

the statement that forbidden food in Islam has a

negative effect on health (KM04), 54% of respondent

strongly agreed; 40% agreed; 5% disagreed; and 1%

strongly disagreed. On the fifth and final statement

that the mixture of ingredients in halal food is not

harmful to health (KM05), 39% of respondents

strongly agreed; 53% agreed; 6% disagreed; and 2%

strongly disagreed.

Figure 2: The perception of healthy food.

3.5 The Correlation Between Halal

Food Perception to Health

The regression coefficient for the independent

variable of halal food perception (X) was positive,

indicating a unidirectional relationship between halal

food perception and health (Y).

Table 4: Regression coefficient.

Model

Std. B

Coef. Std.

rror

Std.

Coef.

Beta

t Sig.

(Constant)

11.384 1.364 8.345 .000

alal Food

erception

.136 .034 .377 4.024 .000

An F value of 16,195 was obtained with a

significant level of 0.000 <0.05. The regression

model was then used to predict the variable of halal

food perception and to observe whether the variable

of Halal food (X) had an impact on the health variable

(Y).

Table 5: Regression Model.

Model

Sum of

Squares

Mean

Square

F Sig.

Regression 101.709 1 101.709 16.195 .000

Residual 615.451 98 6.280

Total 717.160 99

The data shows that the value of the correlation/

relationship (R) is equal to 0.377. From this output,

KM01 KM02 KM03 KM04 KM05

Strongly Not Agree Not Agree

Agree Strongly Agree

Tourists’ Perception of Halal Food on Health in Berastagi

101

the coefficient of determination (R Square) is 0.142

which is obtained, meaning that the effect of the

independent variable (halal perception) on the

variable health is 14.2 %.

Table 6: Model Summary.

Model R

Square

Adjusted R

Square

Std. Error of

the Estimate

.377

.142 .133

2.506

4 DISCUSSIONS

Whether a food product consumed by humans is halal

or not will determine the mechanism of its

physiological processes. When a person consumes

alcohol at a certain level, he will lose rationality,

intellectuality and the noble function of brain cells,

resulting in uncontrollable behavioral changes that

lead to personality disorders with various excesses.

And, in the next stage it will cause certain

complications, both physical and psychological, such

as the appearance of mutagens in digestive cells

which end in malignancy, fatty liver, stomach ulcers,

and so on (Kholishudin, 2021).

The concept of halal products can be used as a

standard for a product.Not only Muslim consumers,

consumers from other religions have also startedmake

halal products the standard for the products they will

consume.Halal products are used as a reference or

standard for quality assurance, cleanliness,health and

safety from what they consumes (Ambali and Bakar,

2014).

Halal knowledge and tourist income influence

the interest in consuming halal food, even when it is

not labelled halal (Rahman, 2022). Nowadays, many

Muslim in any stable situation are more aware of

selecting halal food products that have halal

certificates. Halal certification is very important for

Muslim because food products with said certification

are guarantee to be safe and not to contain anything

harmful to the body (Ishardini et al., 2019).

Food safety has a significant and positive

influence on health. Food safety has several

indicators, including expiration date, safety guarantee

labels, product condition, and product origin. Food

safety is a factor that encourages consumers to be

wary of their health in choosing halal food. The more

consumers believe that halal food products are safe

for consumption, the more convinced they will be that

those halal food products are healthy (Nurhasanah,

2018).

Moreover, the subject of halal food and health

are not only important to Muslim, but are also

fascinating to non-Muslim. In Malaysia, non-Muslim

Consumers have been known to be interested in halal

food products, due to food safety assurance (lee et al.,

2018). In Semarang, Indonesia, the non-Muslim

community believes that halal food products assured

the quality of the product’s hygiene and sanitation

(Ishardini et el., 2019). According to Salsabila (2021),

halal food influences to food safety, food safety

influences to quality and quality influences to

purchasing decisions of consumers.

5 CONCLUSIONS

In conclusions, the respondents’ characteristics based

on education and income provided a satisfying

perception of halal food for health. The tourists’of

halal food productswas determined to be good

because most tourists had knowledge of what halal

food products were. Further studies on halal food

need to be conducted by the government in

cooperation with all related institutions. These parties

should conduct socialization regarding the status of

halal food to make tourists who visit Berastagi not

find it difficult to locate good halal and tayyib food.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors want to express their gratitude to The

Institution of Research and Community Service at

Universitas Negeri Medan (UNIMED) who funding

this study.

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