Public Perception and Practices Towards Ethanol Content and Halal Assurances of Herbal Syrup Products

Background: Herbal syrup is known to be an alternative medicine due to its safe material. However, the presence of ethanol content in herbal syrup as the extraction residue can be crucial in determining the halalness of the product. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate public perceptions and practices regarding the ethanol content and halal assurances of herbal syrup products in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted with 300 respondents for perception and 250 respondents for practices among the general public in 14 sub-districts across Yogyakarta City. A validated and self-administered questionnaire was developed and distributed both online and paper-based. Results: This study found that 51% of the respondents had positive perceptions and 62.80% of the respondents had positive practices regarding the ethanol content and halal assurances of herbal syrup products. Age (p<0.001) was found to have an association with perception, while religion (p=0.0013) was found to be associated with practices. The correlation between perception and practices was also found to be moderate (p<0.001; r=0.340). Conclusion: The majority of general public perceptions and practices in Yogyakarta City were found to be positive regarding the ethanol content and halal assurances of herbal syrup products and identified a correlation between perception and practices as well as sociodemographic characteristics with perception and practices. These findings can be used by various stakeholders, including the government and manufacturers, to improve the halal certification of herbal syrup products and raise public awareness about the ethanol content of herbal syrup products.