(Newswire.net — May 23, 2020) —

The generation of Halal or permissible foods for consumption by observant Muslims requires following Islamic law. To receive Halal certification, a food must be prepared, butchered, packaged, processed and transported under Islamic Law. The HCS certification requirements are completely voluntary and will allow a food producer to use the HCS stamp on their products at the point of delivery.

 

What Are Islamic Dietary Laws?

 

Muslims are forbidden from consuming certain foods. For example, Islamic law forbids the consumption of any animal blood or blood-based products. Because they can’t be bled, any animal slaughtered after death is not Halal.

 

Pork products are forbidden under Islam, as are animals that are carnivorous or birds of prey. Finally, land animals without external ears are forbidden, so dishes that feature an amphibian, such as turtle or frog, are not Halal. Other animals that live both on water and on land, such as alligators and frogs, are also forbidden by Islamic dietary law. But when you are outside of your home how can you find halal foods. Suppose you are in the US now. So normally you can take help from Google by typing halal restaurants near me and Google will show you some results. Otherwise you can use apps like cravehalal for that.

 

What Are Halal Requirements

 

Halal simply means permissible under Islam. The term can be applied to any activity of daily living. In terms of food preparation, Halal is often applied to the slaughter of an animal. The animal must be treated humanely. This includes offering the animal food and drink before slaughter. A prayer is said over the animal both before and after slaughter.

 

Once the blood is drained from the animal, it can be butchered. The Halal butchering process is inherently slow. Not only must every animal be blessed, fed and watered before being cut, but no other animal can witness the death. The cutting process is very specific. An animal properly slaughtered for Halal certification should be cut deeply enough to sever the main arteries of the neck as well as the trachea and esophagus for a quick death.

 

It’s important to note that Halal foods can be manufactured in facilities that make and package non-Halal foods, though they are generally handled in a different area. However, any space that butchers pork cannot be used for the slaughter of Halal meat.

 

Non-Meat Products

 

No non-meat product that includes an intoxicant can be used in Halal foods unless the intoxicant can be removed during the processing. Pickling and vinegar products in general can be consumed in an Halal diet, but anything preserved in or containing alcohol such as a red wine preservative cannot be considered Halal.

 

Food Preparation Requirements

 

The person preparing Halal meat must be Muslim. However, the preparation of non-meat products that fulfill Halal requirements can be done by those who are not of the faith, though the final certification should be approved by someone well versed in Islamic dietary law.

 

Transportation and Storage

 

Permissible aspects of packaging, transport and storage are also covered by Halal requirements and by the Health Codes of the region. Storage of Halal and non-Halal products can occur together if containers are individually sealed, such as staples like crackers and other dry products. Halal meats should be stored separately in refrigerators that have never held non-Halal meat products, particularly pork.

 

Where to Find Halal Foods

 

Halal foods can generally be found in Middle Eastern delis and grocery stores. Additionally, many major supermarket chains in large urban areas offer Halal products. However, those who intend to stick to strict Halal dietary laws should be ready to trace the storage of any Halal meats sold by a large grocery store as the risk of pork crossover storage is high.

 

Conclusion

 

The clean and safe handling of food, particularly meat, has long had cultural and religious implications. The slaughtering process, in addition to the required prayer, are crucial to keeping to dietary laws. Additionally, because the meat storage must be carefully traced, any butcher hoping to receive Halal certification should carefully review their supply chain to make sure that no meats defined as non-Halal have been slaughtered or stored in the same facility.