Global Halal, Islamic Finance News At Your Fingertips
An investigation into undeclared pork found in halal lamb burgers supplied for school meals in Leicester has found no action will be taken against the manufacturer.
In April last year Leicester City Council withdrew the foods supplied to 19 schools after test results showed up to 50% pork DNA in a sample.
The council say it is satisfied that manufacturer Paragon Quality Foods Ltd exercised due diligence.
Originally published in http://www.itv.com/news/
WHEN Shazia Saleem took a recent flight from London to Washington, DC, she requested a halal meal. On her outbound journey she was served a curry; coming back she got the same. “I’m grateful that the halal option is there,” laughs Ms Saleem, a businesswoman, “but it’s 2014–I think we’d be okay with something other than chicken tikka.”
For years Britons hungry for halal food, especially meat, have tended to patronise specialist butchers in areas with large Muslim populations. Diners seeking restaurants that eschew pork and alcohol have mostly had to pick curry houses. But as the tastes of Muslim consumers, especially younger ones, change, so too do the businesses that serve them.
Ready meals are one growing market. Ms Saleem runs I Eat Foods which pumps out halal shepherd’s pie and spaghetti bolognese. Those are a hit among the increasing number of Muslims who, like herself, grew up in Britain, craving the same grub that their non-Muslim friends ate. Willowbrook, an organic halal farm in Oxfordshire, produces bacon from beef and boned, rolled shoulders of lamb—ideal for Sunday roasts.
Halal food is also getting posher. Haloodies (a portmanteau of “halal” and “foodies”) is a brand of neatly packaged halal meats. Unlike many traditional halal butchers, it offers cuts such as fillet steaks. It helps that Muslim shoppers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from. Halal is about more than just the ritual of slaughter, argues Lutfi Radwan, the farmer at Willowbrook. It is also about the animals’ welfare while they are alive. This is one reason why Ms Saleem avoids factory-farmed meats in her ready meals.
This can be expensive. At TheMeatCo, a restaurant in west London with a separate halal menu and dining area, a T-bone steak is £50. The non-alcoholic Tempranillo at Meat and Shake, a fancy burger joint, is as pricey as the boozy kind elsewhere. But Britain’s Muslims are getting wealthier. The average monthly income of those born locally, with at least one parent born in Britain, is £1,219, compared with £815 for those who arrived aged six or older. And the growing number of converts–estimated at around 100,000–like food that unites their old eating habits and new faith.
Big businesses are recognising this market’s potential. Haloodies meat is sold through Ocado, an online supermarket popular with the middle class. Ms Saleem’s meals are available at large supermarkets. Haute halal is on the up.
Originally published on www.economist.com
Cadbury Is HalalCadbury Malaysia has assured its Muslim consumers that all its chocolates are halal including Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut 175g and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond 175g which were tested positive for porcine DNA last week.
The result of the test created a fiasco, with a Muslim consumer group threatening to initiate a civil case against Cadbury and another group even declaring “jihad” against the company.
National Fatwa Council has however, announced that it would maintain the halal status of two Cadbury products which contained traces of pig DNA.
Corporate affairs head of Mondolez Malaysia, Raja Zalina Raja Safran said the company stood by its halal certification and also had the highest levels of product labelling standards.
Raja Zalina said the company was focused on resolving the concerns which had led to the recall of two batches of Cadbury dairy milk products in Malaysia.
“Although the company recalled the products voluntarily, we have no reason to believe that there is any porcine or pork-related ingredient in our Cadbury chocolates,” Raja Zalina said in a statement to local media.
The company did not give any further details when contacted about its being halal.
The confectionary giant is continuing consultation with Malaysian authorities while waiting for the analysis from JAKIM. JAKIM is conducting the analysis on the two affected products and the supply chain associated with the products, Raja Zalina said.
She said Cadbury was also meeting with stakeholders and leaders in the Muslim community to reassure them of its commitment to making products that meet the needs of Malaysian consumers for its being halal.
“We are encouraged by the positive actions of the National Fatwa Council who is working with consumers to build an understanding that Cadbury products are suitable for consumption and maintain their halal status,” she added.
Originally Published on http://www.marketing-interactive.com
TORONTO – Canada: Muslim Community Cracking Down On Fake Halal Foods. Canada’s growing Halal food industry has made it an attractive target for fraud – something that leaders in Canada’s Muslim community hope to end.
“Halal is really important to uphold a Muslim’s spirituality, the acceptance of our worship in the eyes of God is dependent on it, that we’re only consuming Halal,” says Omar Subedar, a Toronto-area imam who serves as the secretary general and official spokesperson of the Halal Monitoring Authority.
Subedar says that the inability of meat producers and abattoirs to meet the rising demand for Halal meat, coupled with a lack of oversight opened the door for exploitation.
“As the Muslim community grows here in Canada, and specifically the GTA, you’re going to see a lot of people now demanding Halal products,” says Subedar.
” There are people that do feel they can take advantage of this.”
Subedar says he was first tipped off to the scams years ago by sources inside the meat producing itself.
At first he was skeptical of the information, thinking it was merely an attempt discredit the competition while promoting their own product.
After some initial digging, Subedar and his peers organized a task force that carried out several investigations over a four-month period in 2004.
“We came across a lot of things that made us lose our sleep,” Subedar says.
In one particular investigation, involved a quail abattoir that produced Halal meat exclusively for a single client.
Knowing this, a distributor began sticking his own “Halal” labels on non-Halal meat leaving the abattoir.
“He slapped it on and next thing you know, when we were doing our investigations in all of these supermarkets, which grocery stores that carry halal products, lo and behold, that stuff is there and people are buying it.”
Subedar says that revelations from the investigation led to the formation of the HMA, which maintains a comprehensive listing of Halal-certified producers, brands and restaurants.
The next step for Subedar and his fellow imams is to create an official, national governing body to regulate the certification of Halal products.
Originally published on www.globalnews.ca
One of the beauties of Islam is that it has prohibited only such things as are unnecessary and dispensable, while providing alternatives which are better and which give greater ease and comfort to human beings. This point has been explained by Ibn al-Qayyim.
Allah has prohibited seeking omens by drawing lots but has provided the alternative of istikhara which is a supplication for Allah’s guidance.
Allah has prohibited usury but has encouraged profitable trade. Allah has prohibited gambling but has permitted betting on forms of competition which are useful for their (the Muslims) religious striving, such as horse or camel racing and competing in marksmanship. Allah has prohibited (to men) the wearing of silk but has given them the choice of other materials such as wool, linen and cotton.
Allah has prohibited adultery, fornication and homosexuality but has encouraged lawful marriage. Allah has prohibited intoxicating drinks in order that everyone may enjoy other delicious drinks which are wholesome for the body and mind. And Allah has prohibited unclean food but provides alternative wholesome food.
Allah desires to make clear to you and to guide you to the ways of the (righteous) people before you and to turn to you in mercy; and Allah is Knowing, Wise. And Allah desires to lighten your burden, for man was created weak. (4:26-28)
Another Islamic principle is that if something is prohibited, anything which leads to it is likewise prohibited. By this means Islam intends to block all avenues leading to what is haram. For example, as Islam has prohibited sex outside marriage, it has also prohibited anything which leads to it or makes it attractive, such as seductive clothing, private meetings and casual mixing between men and women, the depiction of nudity, pornographic literature, obscene songs and so on.
Accordingly, Muslim jurists have established the criterion that whatever is conducive to or leads toward the haram is itself haram. A similar principle is that the sin of the haram is not limited only to the person who engages in it but extends to others who have supported him in this, materially or morally; each is held accountable according to his share. For example, in the case of intoxicating drinks, the Prophet (peace be on him) cursed not only the one who drinks them but also the one who produces them, the one who serves them, the one to whom they are served, the one to whom the price of them is paid, etc.
Again, in the matter of usury, the Prophet (peace be on him) cursed the one who pays it, the one to whom it is paid, the one who writes the contract and the one who acts as a witness thereto. Accordingly, we derive the rule that anything which assists in the doing of what is haram is itself haram, and anyone who helps another person to do it shares in the sin of it.
Originally published on http://newsinfo.inquirer.net
The Global Halal Market size of 1.8 billion Muslim population is $ 3.2 trillion: Muhammad Zubair Mughal (Istanbul) Opinion: International Trade Can Be Enhanced Through Halal Certification. The importance of Halal Certification is being well-known because of rising awareness with Halal in Muslim societies which is increasing the Halal Certified products and services rapidly and finally international trade can be enhanced in the Halal marker having a size of $ 3.2 trillion of 1.8 billion Muslim population, these views were expressed by Muhammad Zubair Mughal CEO – Halal Research Council (HRC) during the speech at International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF) jointly organized by Turk AK, Ministry of European Union Affairs and SMIIC under the supervision of Turkish government on 25th and 26th October, 2013 at Istanbul in which delegates from more than 60 countries participated.
He also said that there are more than 300 Halal Certification bodies working in more than 125 countries while Halal certification is not only the name of business rather a big religious responsibility and on its basis, millions of people use these products discriminating the Halal and haram but a minor ignorance can cause a damage to the Shariah. In Islam Halal and haram is not only confined to the Food industry rather its scope covers the Services (Islamic Banking, Halal Tourism and Halal Business etc), Cosmetics and Physical (Touchable) items.
He also pointed out that non-Muslims have 82% control over Halal industry which is the unsafe phenomenon for the Muslims having only 18% share in the Halal industry. He, presenting Pakistan as a Case Study, said that there is viable environment in Pakistan for Halal Industry in which Halal Laboratories, Halal Meat Complex, Halal Accreditation Scheme, Government facilitations and well known Educational Institutes and schools for Food Industry are included that is why the majority people, having more than 50% control on Halal Certification belong to Pakistan and also facilitating in Halal Certification in America, UK, Germany, Australia, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain which is an authentic source of availability of Halal Products for Muslims.
Tayyip Erdoğan – Prime Minister of Turkey, addressing the inaugural ceremony of International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF), welcomed all the international experts of Halal Industry who had come from different parts of the world, and, expressed his well wishes for the success of the forum.
Originally published on http://www.zawya.com
MPs have rejected a proposal to amend the Consumer Rights Bill to force all halal meat products to be clearly labelled.
The motion was put forward by Conservative MP Phillip Davies in response to public debate on the subject, following a number of media reports on unlabelled halal meat in major supermarkets. However the Shipley MP’s proposed amendment was rejected by 281 to 17 votes.
In the Commons debate, Davies claimed: “There is widespread concern about the issue”, before quoting a Daily Mail article written by Taj Hargey, the director of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford: “This is covert religious extremism and creeping Islamic fundamentalism making its way into Britain by the back door. It is completely wrong that the food sensitivities of Britain’s Muslims — who amount to just 4.8% of the population — should take precedence over the other 95%.
“Halal meat should never be forced on customers without their knowing, surreptitiously and using clandestine methods.”
However the consensus in the Commons was that this would not be the best approach, with the amendment failing by 264 votes. A number of politicans at the debate clashed with Davies. Labour MP for Bolton South East Yasmin Qureshi said: “When the Honourable Gentleman says the issue is of great importance to the country, he means the Daily Mail and The Sun.” Meanwhile, Conservative MP Jonathan Djanogly asked: “Why is he picking on religious communities in his new clause?”
Originally published on http://www.meatinfo.co.uk
Following media reports that major retailers are selling halal meat without consumers’ knowledge, there have been calls for compulsory labelling of halal food. However, the BVA said this will have no impact on animal welfare, and that it is whether the animal has been stunned before slaughter or not that should be on the label. The association has written to David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband asking for their support on the issue.
The BVA has been campaigning for an end to non-stun slaughter, and said the issue was misunderstood. Around 88% of halal slaughter in the UK is stunned, with the remaining 12% involving no stun. The organisation said that labels simply stating ‘halal’ will therefore not indicate whether the animal has been stunned or not.
BVA president and veterinary surgeon Robin Hargreaves said: “It is very disappointing that so much confusion remains over the issue of labelling. Calls for products to be labelled as halal or kosher will do nothing to help consumers who want to make a pro-animal welfare choice, but could fuel prejudice.
“The answer is very simple. Food should be labelled as stunned or non-stunned – a measure that was also supported by the European Parliament in June 2010.
“This important animal welfare issue must not be hijacked by other agendas. We need all three parties to take a lead on this issue to promote better consumer information and better animal welfare.”
The letter, addressed to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, addresses the need for the issue to be one of animal welfare, as opposed to one that could encourage religious intolerance. It reads: “We have always made it very clear that we are not concerned with the practising of religious belief, but with the throat-cutting of animals that have not been rendered insensible to pain.
“To move the discussion away from one about ‘halal’ and ‘kosher’ we would strongly urge the government to compel the industry to label whether meat is from stunned or non-stunned animals – ie whether it is from animals that have been slaughtered in line with UK and EU welfare legislation or under the derogation.”
Originally published on http://www.meatinfo.co.uk
Like a picture on an inflating balloon, the shortcomings within the Halal industry are getting bigger as the market expands.
There is no doubt that it is expanding. The DinarStandard-Thomson Reuters Report on The State of the Global Islamic Economy 2013 valued the Halal Food and Beverage market at just under $1.1 trillion. The same report expects the market to be worth $1.626 trillion in 2018.
There is a core customer base of 1.65 billion Muslims scattered across the globe, a population that is growing at twice the rate of the global average. 61% of this growing population is under the age of 30. This is an underserved and under-recognised market that is now –finally– getting the attention of governments, MNC’s, entrepreneurs and investors across the world. Not to mention an increasingly aware and vocal consumer base who now have access to an unprecedented level of information on the subject.
The foundation of this market is in compliance with Halal parameters. The self-appointed guardians of this compliance are the Certification Bodies, most of which fall into two categories: Government linked authorities and private sector businesses.
The government linked bodies, such as JAKIM in Malaysia, MUIS in Singapore, MUI in Indonesia have a monopoly on the audit process and the issuance of certificates. They are not monitored by any higher authority, and are naturally prone to the usual levels of inefficiency and potential for corruption that characterises any government agency anywhere.
The private sector CB’s that operate in the non-Muslim food exporting countries are self-appointed entrepreneurial Muslim businesses and mosque linked organisations who have recognised the significant profits that can be derived from the Halal certification business.
These private sector CB’s claim that all Halal food producers needs to be certified by them in order to demonstrate to their customers that their products are indeed Halal. They do not approve of food producers that self-certify. They engage in tactical battles with their competitors, usually by trumpeting their own adherence to the Shariah and Sunnah of Islam, and by pointing out the shortcomings and deviations of their competitors.
The problem with both these groups of CB’s (with the possible exception of Australia and New Zealand) is that they themselves are all self certified. They conduct the audits, issue the certificates and send their invoices all without any outside supervision by any form of accreditation body. The Halal marketplace is riddled with stories of bullying tactics and conflicts of interest
This scenario is at odds with the accepted norms of the mainstream food and beverage industry. Compliance to HACCP, GMP, GHP, BRC standards is normally done via third-party audits; ie the audit process is separated from the issuance of the certificate of compliance, and the auditors themselves are required to be an accredited body, recognised by the likes of UKAS in the UK and ANSI in the USA. The certifiers themselves are certified, and it is visible by the double logos, one for the auditor, and another for the accreditation body that can be seen on mainstream food packaging.
Until a similar degree of oversight is practiced in the Halal sector, there will continue to be fraud, infighting and a lack of both consumer and investor confidence in the Halal market space.
This is not necessarily the direct fault of the CB’s. They have emerged out of a need, and have evolved along with the market, and the problems are, for the most part, systemic and structural rather than intentional or devious. What is missing is the kind of leadership from governments and Islamic institutions that can bring the Halal sector practices up to speed with the normative practices of the non-Halal mainstream market.
The Halal standards that have been developed by Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), currently under the secretariat of the Emirates Standards and Metrology Authority (ESMA) may…against all previous odds…be in a position to bring a solution to this problem.
If (and we will see how big an if this turns out to be) the GCC countries adopt the SMIIC-OIC standards, then the tide will start to change. These standards cover not only food production, but, significantly, the parameters for both Certification Bodies and Accreditation agencies. They lay down a very specific set of guidelines for CB’s, and furthermore, they require the CB’s to be compliant with ISO 17021: Conformity Assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of managements systems.
For most independent CB’s operating in the non-Muslim food exporting nations, this may well turn out to be a significant watershed. CB’s around the world will in all probability be required to participate in the scheme that accompanies these standards. It may well be that the bigger multi-national auditing companies, such as Intertek and SGS, will see this as the long-awaited opportunity to gain a stable foothold in a market that has long eluded them…something that would be a real blow to the independent Muslim-led CB’s
Even the JAKIM’s and MUI’s of this world may struggle with ISO compliance…
If these standards do become the passport to entry into the valuable export markets of the GCC ($81 billion in annual F&B expenditure in 2012), then these new parameters will get the attention of all the major food exporting countries and companies in the world.
If these are actually adopted and enforced by the OIC, it will impact the $191 billion spent annually on food imports by the 57 OIC member countries.
Whether this happens remains to be seen. The OIC has in the past not enjoyed a reputation for dynamic action. However, if the OIC-SMIIC-ESMA linkage gets the support of the UAE, spurred on by Dubai’s push to be the capital of the Global Islamic Economy, then the usual dynamics (or lack thereof) may well change. A new kind of horsepower may well kick-in.
With national agendas and national pride on the one hand, and the world’s biggest food companies on the other, it is likely that the rules of the game that have been in operation for the past few decades in the Halal sector may well be about to change.
Whatever the case, for the CB’s, the days of operating without any regulatory oversight may well be coming to an end. Time will tell.
Originally published on http://halalfocus.net
The High Street restaurant chain says it serves only ritually-slaughtered chicken on its menu, provoking anger among campaigners
Pizza Express is serving ritually-slaughtered halal chicken in every dish on its menu that uses the meat, it has emerged.
But customers are only told that the chicken they are eating is killed in line with strict Islamic law if they ask staff, as it is not stated on menus.
Under Islamic law, chicken can only be eaten if the bird’s throat has been slit while it is still alive. A Koranic verse is also recited during the ritual.
Some non-Muslims object to halal because they claim the method of slaughter can cause unnecessary suffering.
The firm, which has 434 restaurants across the UK, states on its website: “All our chicken is halal approved but it is important to note that all birds are stunned before being slaughtered.
“Our chicken supplier is accredited by the British Retail Consortium. This means it meets the global standard for food safety and legality.”
Popular meals such as Pollo Ad Astra pizza, Pollo Pesto and the salads Chicken Caesar and Pollo Pancetta are all made with halal chicken.
A spokesman said: “At PizzaExpress the quality and integrity of our ingredients remain our number one priority, and we have always been happy to provide information on our ingredients to our guests.
“It is no secret that all the chicken used in our dishes is halal slaughtered. Our teams in restaurants have and always will provide this information, and in addition it is available on the customer service section of our website.
“We’re committed to high animal welfare standards and as such the birds are stunned before slaughter.
“The quality, safety and integrity of our products is paramount and our chicken supplier is accredited by the British Retail Consortium. This means it meets the global standard for food safety. None of our other meats are halal.”
The revelation has provoked anger among campaigners. Stephen Evans, of the National Secular Society, told The Sun: “Unsuspecting members of the public are routinely being duped into buying meat from religious slaughter methods.
“Meat should be properly labelled, enabling consumers to make an informed choice about the food they’re buying.”
The halal meat market in the UK is worth around £2.6billion a year and it is expected to grow dramatically, with Britain’s Muslim population of 2.7 million predicted to double by 2030, according to the Pew Research Centre.
Meat inspector Richard North said chains such as Pizza Express served halal chicken to save money.
He added: “Keeping halal and non-halal meat is expensive and creates the risk of non-halal being fed to Muslims, which shops and restaurants know will cause uproar. Maybe they think non-Muslims are less likely to complain.”
Last week it was revealed that Subway has removed ham and bacon from almost 200 fast food outlets and switched to halal meat alternatives in an attempt to please its Muslim customers.
Turkey “ham” and turkey rashers will be used instead in 185 of its stores, where all the meat will now be prepared according to halal rules.
The chain, which has around 1,500 outlets across the UK, explained its decision by saying it had to balance animal welfare concerns with “the views of religious communities”.
Traditional halal slaughter has animals having their throats slit before bleeding to death.
In Arabic the word halal means “permitted” or “lawful” and covers anything that is allowed or lawful according to the Koran.
It is often used to indicate food – particularly meat – that has been prepared in accordance with Muslim principles and techniques.
In Britain, killing an animal without prior stunning is illegal but the law gives special exemption to Muslim and Jewish meat producers on religious grounds.
In the UK there are thought to be around 12 abattoirs dedicated to unstunned slaughter, while hundreds practise stunned halal slaughter.
The RSPCA said: “We recognise religious practices should be respected but we also believe animals should be slaughtered in the most humane way possible.”
A spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said: “As long as animals are still killed for food, banning the most inhumane slaughter methods – in which animals have their throats cut while they’re still conscious – is a step in the right direction.
“No religion needs to slaughter animals for food, so the kindest thing that we can do for all animals is to leave them off our plates by adopting a vegan diet.”
Originally published on halalfocus.net