Saturday, November 18, 2017

Halal Certified Food Provides Muslims With Peace Of Mind

By Sarah Gibson


The daily lives of Muslims everywhere in the world is, to a large degree, dominated by Islamic Law. The laws pertaining to what one may or may not eat and how meals must be prepared are comprehensive. This is because Muslims believe that foodstuffs not only affect the physical body, but also the morals and spirituality of a person. Islam authorities go to great lengths to make sure that Muslims are able to buy products and Halal certified food that fully comply with these laws.

Any retailer or wholesaler that wish to provide foodstuffs to Muslim communities in one form or another must obtain certification that their products adhere to the strict rules imposed by Islam. Applying for such certification can be a lengthy process and certification is easily withdrawn if the rules are not strictly kept. Every country with a significant number of practising Muslims has some form of Halaal Council.

Foodstuffs and products that contain certain ingredients, extracts or derivatives can never qualify for halaal certification. No Muslim may consume anything that contains any form of pork. Alcohol in any form is strictly forbidden, even if it is used as a minor ingredient. Derivatives and extracts have to be sourced at a strictly halaal abattoir because the processes in these abattoirs are very strictly monitored. No other source is allowed.

The evaluation of certification applicants do not focus solely on the ingredients used in food. The processes used in the manufacturing of products and preparation of meals are also scrutinized. Halaal foodstuffs may never be cross contaminated with non halaal foodstuffs. The crockery, utensils and cooking equipment used must be used exclusively for halaal meals and products. These implements must even be washed and dried in separate facilities.

Halaal certification does not require that only Muslims are involved in the manufacture of products or the preparation of meals. Nor is it necessary for an applicant to exclusively cater for the needs of Muslims. Any business or restaurant that complies with the criteria can apply. The full time presence of a minimum of two Muslims are, however, strongly recommended when meals are prepared or products manufactured and packaged.

It is not only Muslims that prefer halaal foodstuffs. Many people from other religions and people that do not adhere to any religious belief prefer halaal foods. This is because the preparation process is so carefully monitored. Halaal foods are always prepared in extremely hygienic situations and this fact provides peace of mind to many people that are hesitant about the origins of the foods that they buy and eat.

Obtaining halaal certification requires a lot of effort and preparation. Not everyone want to go this route, but they still want to attract Muslim customers. They therefore use terms such as halaal friendly, causing some consumers to think that the products in question are officially sanctioned. Consumers must therefore make sure that the products they buy and eat are truly approved.

In general, Muslims lead very disciplined lives. They have many rules to follow but they do so gladly because they want to be obedient to the Islamic Law. Halaal certification is there to help them make sure that they obey all the rules related to what they consume.




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