A young scientist at the Faculty of Chemistry at Tomsk State University, Militsa Rakina, together with colleagues from Raden Intan University (Lampung, Indonesia), tests animal products for compliance with halal standards. The scientists have already developed the DNA analysis protocols that allow high accuracy to detect traces of pork, alcohol and other non-halal components. This project will provide an opportunity to enter the global market.
Irina Kurzina, Director of the Center for Research in the Field of Materials and Technologies, TSU Faculty of Chemistry, project supervisor
Raden Intan University is a state Islamic university, founded in 1968 to develop Islamic education in Indonesia. In 2024, TSU signed a partnership agreement with this university. At the beginning of 2026, the rector of the university, Van Jamaluddin, was joined the top 5 rectors of Islamic universities in Indonesia for his success in the development of Islamic education. In particular, Raden Intan University is a national leader in the field of Islamic economics, one of the most dynamic areas of modern economic science.
Halal testing, or testing of products for compliance with Islamic standards (for example, for the absence of prohibited substances such as alcohol, pork, meat of predatory animals, and violation of production, storage and packaging) is an urgent area of research. The process ensures that the product is “authorized” (halal) and meets high standards of quality and ethics. This increases consumer confidence and contributes to the competitiveness of businesses operating in the halal industry, tourism and food production. As a result of successful testing, the “Halal” sign appears on packaging.
— For example, there are industries that cook both beef and pork. A person professing Islam needs to be sure that the meat he consumed did not come into contact with pork in any way, i.e., there is no non-halal DNA in it, – said Militsa Rakina. – If the sample is clean, we can actually say that the composition of the product is halal. If other halal requirements, including those related to the financial and ethical side of doing business, are met, it can be sold on the market and it can be certified as halal.
During two business trips to Indonesia, a team of TSU scientists successfully worked out protocols for isolating DNA from various samples related to potentially non-halal products: samples of freeze-dried soup, drug, agar-agar powder and gelatin gummies. During the visit, Militsa Rakina also held joint workshops discussing the use of sequencing in halal testing.
— We focus on two areas in our study: testing for the presence of non-halal DNA of predatory animals (pigs, dogs, cats, eagles, lions, etc.) and the presence of alcohol or alcohol. During the analyses, we observed the expression, that is, the manifestation of a specific gene, in the sample. It was possible to successfully isolate DNA from three samples: freeze-dried soup, a drug, as well as human DNA from the blood. We assume that other products – agar-agar powder and gelatin gummies – have been over-processed, leading to DNA degradation. Then we did four PCR analyses. The sampling is quite insufficient, but we already have a positive result, – explained Militsa Rakina.
The team plans to scale the sample, train more specialists and achieve laboratory certification to enter the world market.
— Collaboration with the Raden Intan University is an opportunity to work with foreign scientists, enter a new direction that has a great future, as well as bring our knowledge and scientific methods to the international market, – commented Irina Kurzina, director of the Center for Research in Materials and Technologies, Faculty of Chemistry, TSU. – This is a global industry that is gaining huge momentum in the economy.
In 2025, Tomsk State University was recognized as the leading Russian university working with Indonesia. The largest diaspora of Indonesian students in Russia is studying at TSU – 80 people. In total more than 3.5 thousand international students from 68 countries study at TSU.
Together with Raden Intan University TSU opened a laboratory for holographic studies of the state and quality of water in water bodies of Indonesia, as well as the study of the actions of biocidal materials in tropical conditions. Besides, antimicrobial bandages and paints manufactured at the TSU World-Class Research Center “New Special-Purpose Materials” are being tested in Lampung hospitals in Indonesia.