Click on image to go to Author Website

Tuesday 23 April 2019

Why Halal Certified Meals Are So Immensely Popular

By Diane Foster


Muslims live strictly regulated lives. Almost every aspect of their day to day existence is controlled by the Islamic Law. This law also contains many rules and prescriptions related to the food that Muslims eat, from manufacturing to the preparation and enjoyment of food. Food is very important in Muslim lives because they believe that food not only nourishes but that it also impacts upon their spiritual lives and their moral characters. This is why Halal certified meals are so important to them.

In order to obtain Halaal certification from a Halaal Council it is necessary to prove that all the rules related to food in the Islamic Law are followed to the letter. Certification is not granted easily and the evaluation process can take a long time. Even then, certification is only issued for one year at a time and if any rules are broken in the interim, certification will be withdrawn.

There are some foods utterly forbidden to Muslims. They may not consume any alcohol, not even when medication that contains minute quantities of alcohol. Pork in all its forms is also strictly prohibited. Even the derivatives and extracts used in the preparation of food may only be sourced at specially licensed Muslim abattoirs where round the clock inspections of every single step of the process are conducted by Muslim inspectors.

The rules pertaining to Halaal food also covers all aspects of manufacturing and packaging. At no time may the food be in contact with other types of food. If this inadvertently happens, the food must be thrown away. The utensils used in preparing the food may not be used for any other purpose and the same holds true for the cookware and containers used. Everything must even be cleaned and stored separately.

Interestingly, it is not necessary to be a practicing Muslim in order to apply for Halaal certification. Anyone that can show that he stringently follows the rules of the Islamic Law can apply. Applicants also do not have to focus solely on the manufacturing, packaging or preparation of Halaal food as long as systems are in place to avoid cross contamination and the process is overseen by a Muslim.

Halaal food are prepared and manufactured under strictly controlled circumstances. Only top quality ingredients are used and extremely high hygienic standards are maintained at all time. It is no wonder that so many people that are not Muslims also prefer Halaal food. Not only do they like the fact that such high standards are maintained, but they also say that this food is both healthier and much tastier than other food.

When there is a large demand for something there will always be those that try to profit without following the rules. There are many suppliers and outlets that proclaim themselves to be Halaal friendly even though they are not certified. Consumers should check for the official Halaal logo on the packaging and they can consult the website of the Halaal Council to determine whether any particular vendor or restaurant is certified.

There are no mystic elements involved in Halaal certification. It is simply a matter of high hygienic standards and the use of strictly controlled high quality ingredients. Unfortunately, much of the food consumed by non Muslims all over the world cannot compete with these high standards.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment