Research institutions across the Middle East have been trying to crack the code of gelatin. The main element in medicine capsule production, transparent gelatin, has been the focus of 44 Islamic countries, which have been trying to acquire the formula. The problem with the gelatin formula is that it is made from extracts of the skin and bones of pigs, which Islam prohibits. However the companies, mostly based in Western Europe have refused partnerships with new companies, in order to develop a new type of formula that excludes the pig products. Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been trying to provide an alternative product to be exported to Islamic states. Two factories in the Islamic world produce 10 percent of the world's need for solid gelatin – which is only used in the foodstuff industry – in Egypt and Malaysia. Agriculture engineer Mohammad Habeeb Bokhari said that Iran had established a factory set to produce transparent gelatin, but the factory did not take off because Iranian experts were unable to acquire the formula. Islamic research centers are still seeking the production of “Islamic gelatin” that does not contain pig extracts, to provide to hospitals in Islamic countries. Bokhari said he doubted Saudi investors had obtained the secret formula to produce gelatin after a number of them announced in December 2007 an SR80 million gelatin factory which was to be established in Makkah through a partnership with a Chinese company. The factory would produce gelatin, which would use sheep instead of pig extracts, it was announced. Bokhari said that Islamic countries use products with gelatin- with pig components - in 50 percent of their foodstuff and beauty products, in addition to medicine capsules. Governance and Judiciary professor and international arbitrator, Hassan Safar, said that banks and Islamic institutions ought to support research centers in creating Halal gelatin. He said that senior scholars in Saudi Arabia have to issue a statement explaining their stance towards currently prohibited gelatin, which exists in medicine capsules found in pharmacies of the Health Ministry. __
