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Monday 7 January 2019

Halal Meals Ready To Eat Have To Be Officially Certified

By Anthony Cole


Muslims live their lives according to the dictates of the Islamic Laws. These laws cover every conceivable aspect of the day to day lives of all Muslims. The laws governing the manufacturing of foodstuffs, the preparation of food and the ingredients used in these processes are particularly strict. This is because Muslims believe that food not only has an effect upon the body of an individual, but also on his spirituality and even his morals. This is why all halal meals ready to eat are subject to strict rules.

Anyone that wants to sell their food related products to Muslims will have to obtain halaal certification from the Halaal Council. Such councils exist wherever large groups of Muslims reside. Certification is only approved if the council is sure that the applicant is following all the rules of the Islamic Law. It is a time consuming process and even a small breach of the rules can cause certification to be cancelled.

Certain types of food and drink are forbidden, even if it is used in conjunction with other types of food. Alcohol is taboo, even medication that contains alcohol. Pork in any for is also forbidden. Extracts and derivatives that are used in the preparation of a meal must originate from a halaal certified abattoir. The Halaal Council monitors these abattoirs very carefully and the monitoring process is extremely strict.

Halaal certification is not just about the use of approved foodstuffs and ingredients. It also depends upon the use of cookware, utensils and containers that have never been used in the preparation of food other than halaal. These tools and utensils also have to be washed, dried and stored apart from all other kitchen tools used for preparing non halaal food. Certain ingredients may never be used in the same dish.

One would think that halaal certification requires the applicant to be a Muslim. This is not the case. Anyone that can comply with all the rules of the Islamic Law is allowed to apply. Applicants do not have to cater for the halaal market exclusively either. Because the application process is so strict, many applicants nevertheless employ one or two Muslims to oversee their processes. This can ease the application process.

It is interesting to note that halaal certified food is not just popular among Muslims. Many people of other faiths also prefer halaal certified food. They now that this food is prepared and packaged under very strict conditions and that high standards of hygiene are maintained at all times. Halaal food contains only the very best ingredients and many people find this food to be tastier and healthier than other types of food.

The popularity of halaal foods has prompted some unscrupulous businesses to circumvent official halaal certification by marking their products as halaal compliant or as halaal friendly. Consumers should make sure that the products that they buy are truly certified. One can check the credentials of any restaurant, manufacturer and supplier on the internet but one should also look out for the official halaal council logo.

Muslims believe that the Islamic Law is there to help them live better lives. Food is important in the Muslim culture. That is why the laws governing the manufacturing, preparation and presentation of food are also deemed to be important.




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