Valorisation of Food Waste into Sustainable Halal-Certified Pet Food

Abstract

Compared to Southeast Asian neighbours, Brunei lags in sustainable waste management procedures. Landfills receive 36% of the wasted food. Converting food waste into pet food would be a good substitute for treating it as waste, and instead as a valuable resource. This study explores the valorisation of Halal-compliant food waste, particularly Category 3 animal by-products (ABPs), into nutritionally viable and Shariah-compliant pet food. This approach could mitigate environmental problems and create a nutritionally balanced pet food option. This initiative aims to address food waste management and pet nutrition sustainability, aligning with global sustainability goals and potentially revolutionising the pet food industry. The study consists of an experimental approach, which in the first stage involved collecting the waste from an identified local supermarket, raw material selection following Halal compliance decision trees, and then processing it into pet food. The second stage of the experiment was using an exploratory experimental design; the study processed supermarket-derived Halal food waste into pet food and subsequently analysed its nutritional composition (protein, fat, sugars) and palatability.  Findings confirm that the valorised Halal pet food meets essential nutritional requirements and is acceptable to pets. This research contributes practical insights into sustainable Halal waste management and advances theoretical discussions on Halal valorisation and circular economy practices. It highlights the potential for Halal-certified pet food innovation in Brunei while emphasising the need for further risk assessment and consumer studies. From a policy perspective, the study highlights the need for dedicated regulatory frameworks and Halal certification guidelines for food waste valorisation and sustainable pet food production in Brunei.