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Tuesday 19 March 2019

The Strict Rules Applicable To Halal Certified Meals

By Brian King


The daily lives of Muslims are strictly regulated by the many laws and rules contained in the Islamic Law. Every aspect of life is affected. There are also very strict rules regarding the packaging, manufacturing and preparations of food. For Muslims, these rules are important because to them, food is not just fuel for the body. It also has a profound effect on the morals and spirit of the individual. This is the main reason why Muslims make sure that they only consume Halal certified meals.

To obtain Halaal certification is truly not just a matter of filling out an application. One needs to apply to a local Halaal Council and they certainly do not merely serve as rubber stamps for applications. Each one is carefully evaluated and great care is taken to ensure that the applicant is following each and every rule of the Islamic Law in the manufacturing, preparation and packaging of food.

Some foods are utterly forbidden to Muslims. They may not consume alcohol in any form. This is even the case with medication that contains alcohol. Extracts used during the preparation of food must be sourced from specially licensed abattoirs where permanently on site Muslim inspectors make sure that the entire process is conducted according to the rules of the Islamic Law. Pork is also completely forbidden.

Apart from using approved ingredients, even the process whereby food is manufactured, packaged and prepared is subjected to many rules. There may never be cross contamination between Halaal and other food. Contaminated food must be discarded immediately. Separate utensils, containers and tools must be used in the preparation of Halaal food. These must be cleaned and stored separately too, using separate facilities such as wash basis or dish washing machines.

It is not necessary to be a Muslim to apply for Halaal certification. Anyone that strictly adheres to the rules contained in the Islamic Law may apply. Applicants do not have to concentrate solely on the manufacture, packaging or preparation of Halaal food either, but great care must be taken to avoid cross contamination. Halaal Councils prefer the presence of Muslims when food is prepared, but this is not a strict requirement.

Many people will be surprised to learn that there are millions of people that are not of the Muslim faith that also prefer Halaal food. They are attracted by the fact that this food is prepared under such strictly controlled hygienic conditions and that the ingredients are always of the very best quality. They believe that Halaal food tastes better and that it is generally healthier than other food.

The market for Halaal food is very lucrative and it is only to be expected that there are many unscrupulous operators that try to pass their products off as Halaal approved. They use ambiguous terms such as Halaal friendly on their packaging to try and fool consumers. If the official logo of the Halaal Council is not displayed, then the food is not approved.

There is no downside to the consumption of Halaal food. It is healthy and the standards maintained during preparation and manufacturing are extremely high. For Muslims, adherence to the rules related to food is an integral and important part of their spiritual lives.




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