The Rules Governing The Preparation Of Halal Meals Ready To Eat

By Anthony Cole


Almost every aspect of the daily lives of Muslims is guided by the Islamic Law. These laws cover literally everything, ranging from how relationships should be conducted to how Muslim congregations should worship. The laws related to the preparation of food are particularly comprehensive. Food is important to Muslims because they believe it does not affect the physical body, but also the spirituality of an individual. There are therefore many rules regarding the reparation of halal meals ready to eat.

Halaal certification is vital for any manufacturer of foodstuffs, restaurant or retailer that wishes to sell their products to the Muslim community. Essentially halaal certification means that the Halaal Council is satisfied that the applicant complies with each and every rule. The issue of certifications is not done before a thorough investigation is conducted and once it is granted, it has to be renewed every year.

Not all foodstuffs are allowed. Pork products and alcohol in any form is strictly forbidden. Even medication that contains miniscule quantities of alcohol may not be used. Some types of food may never be consumed together during a meal. Extracts and other derivatives have to be obtained from specially monitored and licenced abattoirs. The entire processing system at these abattoirs is closely monitored by qualified Muslim overseers.

It is not only the ingredients of food that are subject to the Islamic Law. The process whereby food is prepared is also deemed very important. Utensils, containers and cookware used in the preparation of halaal dishes must be used exclusively for that purpose. Anything used in the preparation of non halaal food must be discarded. The utensils and tools must even be cleaned and stored separately from everything else.

Contrary to popular believe, those preparing, transporting and selling halaal food does not have to be Muslims, nor does the process need to be overseen by a Muslim. Any business or individual can therefore apply for halaal certification and applicants are not prohibited from selling non halaal food. The process is easier, however, if the applicant does have a minimum of two Muslims present when food is prepared or packaged.

There are probably just as many non Muslims that enjoy and prefer halaal food than there are Muslims. People know that halaal food is prepared by using only very high quality ingredients. Extremely high standards of hygiene are maintained throughout the process and the preparation of this food is strictly monitored. In addition, many people find halaal food to be more flavorful and healthy that most other foodstuffs.

The market for halaal foods is a lucrative one and many unscrupulous operators that are not halaal certified try to pass off their products as the real thing. If a product or meal is marked as halaal friendly or if it does not boast the official logo of the Halaal Council, then it is probably not halaal. These days it is also easy to use the internet to check whether a specific restaurant, manufacturer or retailer is halaal certified.

Muslims live their entire lives by the dictates of Islamic Law. These laws are important to them and the vast majority of Muslims try their level best to comply with the rules. The rules governing food is deemed to be especially important.




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