US firm extends invite to Islamic scholars in fake Gulf Halal Food case

A US-based food company accused of supplying beef to several Gulf countries that it falsely claimed was halal has extended an open invitation to Islamic scholars and official auditors in the Middle East to inspect its food process for Halal compliance.

Last month, it was reported that Midamar Corporation, based in Iowa, in Midwestern US, had been accused of supplying nearly $5 million worth of beef to Muslim customers in Malaysia, Kuwait and the UAE.

Directors of the company, named as brothers Jalel and Yahya 'Bill' Aossey, have been charged by US federal prosecutors with nearly 100 counts of conspiring to make and use false statements and documents, sell misbranded meat and commit mail and wire fraud.

The company issued a strong denial of the allegations on its website in December and has now issued the invitation in a bid to clear its name.

It said in a statement: "Recent news reports falsely claim that the company sold millions of dollars in meat to the GCC countries, which allegedly did not follow Halal practices.

"Company directors do not accept these allegations that have been made without fully considering the context and diversity of Halal market."

It added: It would be irrational, immoral, and counterproductive for a company like Midamar, which only produces Halal food for sale in the US and for export, to decide to produce and sell non Halal food to Halal consumers.

"This is an industry where companies must guard the Halal integrity of their brand, thereby earning the trust and confidence of Halal consumers. Midamar has been aware of this fact and has acted accordingly for 40 years."

Midamar said it has extended an open invitation to Islamic scholars and designated community leaders in the US, Asia, Middle East, and GCC countries.

Official auditors and community leaders are invited to visit Halal facilities in the USA and witness Midamar processes for themselves. Midamar said it will "engage in discussion on the true nature of the US Halal industry, its practices, challenges and opportunities".

Prosecutors claimed the beef came from a supplier that used bolt stunning to kill cattle and the labels were removed by employees to cover up the real source of the meat.

Source: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/us-firm-extends-invite-islamic-scholars-in-fake-gulf-halal-food-case-577894.html

Singaporean firm launches mobile app for Halal shops

While the halal food and beverage market is estimated to reach $1.6 trillion by 2018, a mobile application that enables Muslim foodies and travelers to share halal restaurant discoveries around the world has been launched

A Singapore-based company yesterday launched a mobile application that enables Muslim foodies and travelers to share halal restaurant discoveries around the world. The free "HalalTrip" app, available for Apple iOS and Android devices, enables users to take and upload photos of halal dishes, write comments and share them through social media. Clicking on a photo gives details about the dish as well as the location of the restaurant. The app, which has English and Arabic interfaces, also uses a traveler's location to display photos of halal dishes served in nearby restaurants. The term halal is used for food, products and services that comply with Islamic requirements. "Halal food is one of the biggest drivers of tourism for the Muslim market," said Fazal Bahardeen, chief executive of HalalTrip, part of a Muslim-oriented business group called CrescentRating. "When travelling, one of the main concerns of Muslims is halal food. What we did is to bring in a social media element into discovering halal food and making it more fun and more intuitive," he told AFP. Bahardeen predicted the Muslim travel market would be worth $192 billion a year globally by 2020, up from $140 billion in 2013.
In Turkey there are an estimated 5,000 firms with a halal certificate. Turkey is one of the world's most important markets for halal food. Although the majority of the population is Muslim, Turkey is lagging behind compared to other countries with regard to halal certification. The consequence is that Turkish companies are only minor players in the global halal market. For example, Brazil exports $6.5 billion worth of halal meat to countries with Muslim populations. With their current production conditions, food companies in Turkey are well positioned to take a sizeable bite out of this market once the halal certification issue has been addressed. In Turkey, there are two institutions that have authority to give halal certification: the Association for the Inspection and Certification of Food and Supplies (GIMDES) and the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE). GIMDES is a nongovernmental organization founded in 2005, and in 2008, it became a member of the World Halal Council, which brings halal certification institutions to 58 countries. The institutions that accredit GIMDES are the Indonesia MUI, the Malaysia-JAKIM, the Sıngapore-MUIS and the World Halal Council. 
The halal food and beverage market grew to a $1.1 trillion industry in 2013, according to the latest research note by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is based on a recent study by Thomson Reuters in collaboration with Dinar Standard. 
Globally, the halal food industry is growing in a number of markets - mainly in countries in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and South and South East Asia. Indonesia is the biggest halal food market with a market value of $197 billion in 2012, according to the report. Turkey, with $100 billion, is the second largest market.

Source:http://www.dailysabah.com/money/2015/01/08/singaporean-firm-launches-mobile-app-for-halal-shops

Halal food Production Launched in Balkans

In a bid to fight against economic crisis, producers in the Balkans turned towards halal food targeting both Western and Muslim countries markets, as demand for such products is constantly growing.

“Halal market represents more than one billion people across the globe. It is a young market with an important purchasing power and whose demand grows between 10 and 20 percent yearly,” said Amel Kovacevic, one of the organisers of a halal food fair in Sarajevo.

The three-day fair, that opened on Wednesday, is the first of its kind in the Balkans and it hosted some 30 producers from the region.

They came with their meat products, cheese, sweets, pastry, oils and halal cosmetics.

The Balkans region is well located in the Mediterranean basin which enables it to target both Western and Muslim countries market, Kovacevic said.

“In this economic and financial crisis that puts into question the existence of many companies one has to profit from the fact that we are in the very middle, between the East and the West.

“We have clean land and air and unexpensive labour force. It is a chance for economic development of this region,” he concluded.

In 2009 global halal food market was estimated at some $635 billion (490 billion euros) according to the “World Halal Forum.”

“Halal should not been seen as something that will immediately accelerate production and make profit grow in a day,” Asim Bajraktarevic, in charge of production in a processed meats factory, told AFP.

“It is the way to improve the quality of products and create conditions for growth once we enter foreign markets,” the young man added.

The Brajlovic factory, near Sarajevo, with a capacity of some 15 tons of products daily, obtained its halal certification three months ago. It is among some 150 food producers in the Balkans region that decided to respect same production norms for more than 2,000 products.

The number of both companies that obtain halal certifications in the Balkans and their products grow between 30 and 40 percent yearly while their turnover is currently estimated at some 550 million euros ($708 million), Amir Sakic, head of an agency for halal certification in Sarajevo, said.

Halal, an Arab word meaning “lawful,” refers to all things and actions permitted by Koran to practising Muslims, notably to a ritual to slaughter an animal, only a herbivore, that has to be conscious when slaughtered and its body should by drained of blood.

Also at the time of slaughter the phrase “bismallah” or in the “name of God (Allah)” should be pronounced by a practising Muslim, Sakic explained.

“For me it is very important to have a possibility to buy products with halal certifications since I respect recommendations of the Prophet Mohammed that ban pork and its by-products,” assured Mirza Suvalija, a pensioner wearing the Islamic veil, who visited the fair.

Sakic’s agency, that is referential in the region, was founded in 2006 with help of local Islamic community in the country where Muslims are majority while the others are Orthodox and Catholic Christians.

Muslims make up some 40 percent of Bosnia’s population of some 3.8 million, but most of them are not looking for halal-labelled products. Also, purchasing power is rather low and regional producers focus their hopes elsewhere.

A large number of companies that demanded to be given halal certifications are from Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, neighbouring countries where Catholic and Orthodox Christians are majority.

“We export our products to some twenty countries. This year we obtained halal certification and it helped us a lot to increase our sales, notably in Scandinavian countries,” said Kalin Babusku, an official of the Macedonian factory “Mama’s.”

The factory produces jams and “ajvar,” a kind of seasoning based on pepper, egg-plant and garlic, a product very popular throughout the Balkans.

“Before obtaining the certification we were exporting to Sweden a truck of products every three months. Now we export a truck monthly,” said Babusku who was presenting “Mama’s” products at the Sarajevo fair.

Source: http://www.aquila-style.com/focus-points/muslimlifestyle/halal-food-production-launched-balkans/85430/

Halal Certification: A Gateway to Export Markets

The Halal food market is expected to be worth US$1.6 trillion globally by 2018. With an average growth rate of 6.9 percent a year, it’s a sector that cannot be ignored, especially by food manufacturers keen to make their mark internationally.

While many manufacturers may question the value of gaining certification in Australia, where the Muslim community represents a relatively small proportion of the nation’s population, those companies looking to broaden their horizon beyond Australia’s shores would be well versed in the importance of meeting Halal criteria.

What is Halal?

Derived from the Koran, Islam’s book of faith, the word ‘Halal’ literally means ‘lawful’ or ‘acceptable’.

Dr Muhammad Khan, chief executive officer at Halal Australia, a certification and accreditation company, told Food mag the best way to understand what Halal is, is to understand what Halal is not.

“As a general rule of thumb, everything is Halal except what has been described as not Halal.

“’Haram’ means ‘prohibited’ or ‘unlawful’, so products like swine or pork and its bi-products, and animals which are not properly slaughtered or they die before slaughtering, are not accepted as Halal. So the blood is prohibited. Obviously alcoholic drinks and intoxicants are also not Halal; carnivorous animals such as lions, tigers and monkeys are not Halal, and certain other animals like scorpions, snakes and things like that - they are not Halal.

“However, when it comes to processed foods, if it is contaminated with any of the products that I’ve mentioned, or their derivatives, including emulsifiers like 471 or 472, and also gelatin, they are not Halal,” Khan says.

Certification is about ensuring these ingredients aren't included in the manufacture of food products, and haven’t contaminated the manufacturing process in some way, for example, by being used on the same production line as non-Halal products or ingredients.

With Halal certification being more about what isn't included in the product than what is, a product could be deemed Halal without the manufacturer even realizing or intending it to be. However, if that product is – or one day could be – destined for an export market, certification is worth considering, if not essential.

Why gain certification?

Similar to organic and kosher certification, Halal certification guarantees Muslim consumers that the product has been grown/reared, processed and manufactured in a certain way.

Dalene Wray, general manager at OBE Organic, a certified organic and Halal producer and exporter of beef, says certification allows companies to access new markets around the world.

“From a manufacturing point of view, it gives the manufacturer or the producer of the product more opportunities for sales of their product globally, if its Halal certified.

“There are markets around the world that you can’t export to unless you have Halal certification. So those would include the Middle East, Indonesia, Malaysia and to some extent Singapore. However, what we’ve found is that our Halal certification is advantageous to all markets we export to around the world, even though to clear customs you don’t need it.

“For example the US. We don’t need Halal certification to clear the US government customs, however we’ve found that the end users of our product in retail in America are Muslim consumers and they want our product to be Halal certified,” Wray says.

She adds that certification allows OBE Organic to capitalize on the Australian government’s efforts to build relationships with certain export markets.

“We can take advantage of a lot of the activities that the federal and state government is doing to build relationships in those markets … and also we’ve got the Queensland government doing trade visits to the Middle East, so [we’re] really capitalizing on a huge growth trend in opportunities in the Middle East markets.”

According to a report commissioned by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the global Halal market is expected to be worth US$1.6 trillion by 2018, up from US$1.1 trillion in 2013. Halal food made up 16.6 percent of the total world food market in 2013, and by 2018 this is expected to rise to 17.4 percent.

The Muslim population represents roughly 23 percent of the global community – or 1.8 billion people - and is growing at a rate of about three percent per annum, says Halal Australia’s Mohammed Khan.

But certification isn't all about servicing Muslim consumers or benefiting export markets; Australians – regardless of their faith or background – can benefit from the growing Halal market too, he says.

“A lot of companies are happy to seek certification because they see it as adding value to the company, something that bring a lot of money and that also can increase the employability of Australians. Companies can sell a lot more products than they would normally sell [if they’re Halal] and that obviously increases the demand for employment.

“It’s a win/win situation for everybody. Even if one person is employed by a company, and that person is a bread winner and either he or she can support their family in the Halal way – Halal means in a lawful way – it’s good.”

Spreading the word

Gaining certification is only one half of the equation, says Lisa Mabe, founder of Hewar Social Communications, a PR consultancy specializing in the global speciality food market.

“If you make the effort and spend time and money to earn certification, why would you not target the very people who are looking for that certification?” she says.

Mabe told Food mag that manufacturers exporting to regions with Muslim populations tend to focus on their relationships with retailers rather than the end users. They’re relying on distributors in foreign markets to market the product’s certification on the manufacturer’s behalf, but the message often doesn't get through, she says.

“In terms of reaching consumers, I don’t see many products doing much at all … I really think there’s a lack of understanding of the potential of those markets,” she says.

OBE Organic is a client of Mabe’s, and is one of few Australian brands to actively promote its Halal certification both here and abroad. The company even has a separate Facebook page dedicated to targeting Muslim consumers.

“A lot of business that we do is private label, which means that the retailer puts their own label on the product, and they may or may not choose to identify the product as Halal certified. Our job then is a little more difficult, and we have to articulate that message through our marketing, which is mostly done through social media,” Wray says.

“So we have a dedicated Facebook page just for marketing to Muslim consumers. We don’t know of any other food or beef company in Australia that has two Facebook pages: one for marketing to the world and one specifically for communicating with and sharing content that’s relevant to Muslim consumers.”

Content includes recipes, conversations about the Islamic holy month, Ramadan, and discussions regarding festivals celebrated in Middle Eastern communities.

Wray agrees with Maybe that Australian manufactures which have gained certification aren't promoting it as effectively as they could, or should.

“OBE is one of the few companies in Australia that is leveraging and marketing the fact that our product is Halal. We make a big deal of it; it’s all over our homepage,” she says. “There are not many other companies around the world that can produce certified organic beef that’s also Halal certified.

“I don’t know if I could even count the number [of brands] on one hand that actively promote the fact that their product is Halal,” she says.

Mabe came to Australia from the US about 18 months ago, and was surprised by the number of brands that had certification, however very few of them were communicating it to consumers.

“It’s a missed opportunity,” she says, especially considering Australia already has a reputation overseas for being a clean, safe food manufacturer.

Put the trust that this ‘clean and green’ reputation creates together with the reassurance that certification provides to a growing, potentially lucrative demographic, and Australian manufacturers are in an enviable position.

“[Muslim consumers] trust that if it’s from Australia, it’s safe. With its reputation of producing clean and safe food, Australia is in a unique position to not only participate in, but also lead in the Halal food market,” Maybe says.

Source http://www.foodmag.com.au/features/halal-certification-a-gateway-to-export-markets

Organic Halal Meats Get Muslims Thinking About What It Really Means To Eat Religiously

The Prophet Muhammad advised his followers to treat animals with kindness and, if needed, kill them mercifully for food. And he didn’t mince words.

“Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without a just cause, Allah will hold him accountable on the Day of Judgment,” the Prophet reportedly said.

Remembering these instructions, New York farmer Zaid Kurdieh says much of the meat that brands itself as halal, or religiously permissible, is nothing but a sham.

For Kurdieh, if it’s not organic, it’s not halal.

“Most people associate halal with slaughter. But that’s just the end of the process,“ the 50-year-old Norwich farmer told the Huffington Post. “All animals have a right to live to a certain age, to eat good food, get good treatment. All of those things constitute halal.”

The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, a halal certification organization, estimates that the U.S. halal market is worth at least $20 billion. And the industry is expected to grow, the AP reports.

Muslims like Kurdieh are now thinking deeply about how the recommendations the Prophet gave his followers centuries ago fit in with today’s fast-paced, global food markets.

For meat to be halal, animals are required to be killed by hand using a sharp knife, with a single slash to the throat. The person doing the killing should ideally be a Muslim who utters God’s name as the animal exhales its last breath. The practice is intended to make sure the creatures die swiftly and without much pain.

Death matters, of course. But quality of life matters, too.

“I don’t want to eat animals that were systematically abused their whole lives," Nuri Friedlander, a Muslim chaplain at Harvard University, told the Daily Beast. "From a spiritual practice, I didn’t want to get that into my body."

That's why some Muslims are beginning to look past the halal label and examine where exactly their meat is coming from.

Kurdieh is the managing owner of Norwich Meadows Farm, a small, certified organic company that raises chicken and turkey, while sourcing their lamb and beef from trusted local family farms. None of their animals are given growth hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified foods crammed with animal byproducts. The creatures are raised outdoors and grass-fed, given the space to roam and grow at their own pace.

“When you take an animal out of the wild, you’re responsible for its eating, its drinking, whatever it needs,” Kurdieh said. “It’s a tenet of our religion.”

This philosophy is maintained by Honest Chops, a halal butcher shop in New York City that cuts up hand-slaughtered, ethically-raised beef and chicken.

Along with the word halal, Chops co-founder Imam Khalid Latif says the Koran uses the word “tayyib” when it talks about what kinds of foods Muslims should eat. Tayyib means something that is pure or clean.

“There’s a lot of unhygienic, unethical practices taking place,” Latif told the Huffington Post. “Animals are being fed excrements and processed carcasses of their own species. They’re lodged on top of each other with no room to walk. It’s disgusting and inhumane.”

Honest Chops has pledged an “Honest to God Guarantee” that its meats are grass-fed and raised in a way that conforms to Islam’s guidelines. They’ve also promised to pay workers “dignified” wages and give back to the community.

During this year’s Eid Al Adha holiday, which falls on Oct. 4, Honest Chops launched an Udhiya/Qurbani campaign. For Eid, Muslims are encouraged to offer an animal as a sacrifice in remembrance of God’s mercy towards Abraham, then offer portions of the meat to charity.

Latif said that the 2014 campaign will help feed 200 local families in need.

But conscious eating comes with a price. Kurdieh said his customers often experience “sticker shock” when they see the prices of his meats.

“A pound of chicken at the green markets is $7, while they’re buying industrial chicken at $1.50,” the farmer said. “A lot of education has to happen before this becomes a widespread movement.”

For Latif, change starts with understanding that worship happens in a “framework of selflessness.”

“People have to understand that being Muslim isn’t something that just benefits them, but also brings benefit to the society around them,” Latif said. “It’s understanding that you have something to give back.”

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/04/organic-halal-meat_n_5924144.html

‘Pakistan can tap global Halal food market’

FAISALABAD: Pakistan can become a leading Halal food market and tap two billion consumers worldwide if it meets international standards.

This was the key remark made by the speakers on the second day of an international conference titled “Emerging Issues in Food Safety” at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad on Tuesday.
Dr Nadeem Riaz, Research Scientist & Director of the A&M University, Texas called for standardisation of hazard analysis and critical control points in the country to make food purely Halal.
Hazard analysis and critical control points is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection.
He also shed light on other factors including poor sanitation situation and use of washing soaps which contain non-Halal contents.
He said a transparent system of Halal auditing, not just mere inspection, is a welcome approach to remove any suspicion about a manufactured product.
Former justice Khalilur Rehman, who was the chief guest, stressed the need for developing a comprehensive mechanism to remove contamination in Halal goods.
He pinned hope on the Punjab Agriculture Meat Company, established by the provincial government, for addressing the issue of adulteration in Halal food.
Dr Tipayanate Ariyaptipan of Halal Science Centre, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok briefed about the combined laboratory techniques for screening adulterated food products available in the Thai Muslim market.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th,  2011.

Where’s My Halal Food?

The New Jersey City University cafeteria does not cater to Muslims who have a religious obligation to eat halal food. There are many cultural foods ranging from Italian to Spanish dishes that are served, but the one important choice the cafeteria does not have is for people with religious restrictions.

"NJCU is very diverse and full of multiple religions. It is not fair to serve one group of people and force all others to adjust," Rita Rosario, 19, Psychology, Hoboken.

In particular, Islam and Judaism dictate a need for food restrictions. Specifically, for Muslims Halal food is embedded into ones culture and upbringing and for Jewish individuals kosher not only pertains to food but is considered a way of life.

What is Halal food?

In Arabic the word halal means lawful or permitted. A Muslim has a set of rules or standards to live by and one of those is that they must follow certain dietary guidelines (Halal foods). All foods are considered to be halal except particular substances specified in the Qur'an. For example, Muslim believe that pork is harmful to their health because it is unsanitary.

Muslims can only eat meat from animals that were living when slaughtered to ensure that there is no blood in the meat when it is eaten. Animals must be freshly killed in a humanitarian way in order to be considered halal.

"Halal food plays a big role in or religion. Our university is bent on educating students about all individual religions, backgrounds, and culture. I do not understand why the cafeteria finds it difficult to be open towards all different eating habits and choices," Maysa Abdelrazeq, 19, Political Science of Cliffside Park.

The fact that NJCU does not serve halal food can be construed as an insult to the Muslim student body because there is a substantial number of Muslims who attend NJCU and are proud of the diversity and acceptance it offers. Leaving students without a viable option when they want a bite to eat is not acceptable.

Halal meat is more expensive than normal meat because its specifications and demand are high. The benefits of halal food are numerous health wise because it is cleaner and less likely to have risks. By adding halal foods to the cafeteria menu more Muslim students will be able to eat in the cafeteria as opposed to packing lunch or eating at home. As a whole, it gives NJCU the satisfaction of being culturally driven and show religious acceptability.

It is sad that halal food is not included in a lot of seemingly diverse cities. When a person goes to the food court at the mall they don't see a food stand advertising halal foods. Are the 1. 8 billion Muslims in America supposed to refrain from eating in every public place they attend because the food industry does not include Muslims? The American Fast food chains don't offer anything even remotely Halal on their menu. America prides itself on the different cultures, but they don't take other cultures into consideration. I guess this melting pot doesn't allow halal ingredients.

Courtesy By:The Gothic Times

Major Halal Food Producer By 2016

BINTULU: Sarawak should be able to become a major producer of halal food once Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is fully operational in the next five years, said Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

And the state must adopt modern agriculture practices to achieve that.

Taib noted that the state had the ingredients to become a major halal food producer if it put greater emphasis on agriculture as one of 10 sectors to be implemented under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

The chief minister revealed that in 2009, the halal food market was worth an estimated US$600 billion and would reach US$1 trillion in the next three years.

"Through modern agriculture, Sarawak can become a major halal food producer once Tanjung Manis Halal hub is fully operational in the next five years," Taib said at the State Farmers', Breeders' and Fishermen's Day at Bintulu Old Airport here yesterday.

He revealed that some 70,000 hectares of land in Tanjung Manis had been set aside for the halal hub, where some 40,000 hectares were allocated to farmers under the first phase.

"The first phase will benefit farmers with contract farming to ensure their products have ready markets," he said.

Taib who is also Minister of Planning and Resource Management revealed that his deputy, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is also minister of modernisation of agriculture would be tasked to duplicate the halal hub model in other districts to increase the income of rural farmers.

"He (Jabu) is to lead the state forward to embrace modern agriculture," he said.

Taib assured non-Muslims that the government's emphasis on halal food production was not meant to Islamise them as even Nestle, a non-Muslim major global food producer based in Switzerland, has gone into halal food production.

Sarawak's livestock has been known to be free from the dreaded foot and mouth disease.

"Our farmers must expand their knowledge and adopt modern agriculture to raise their income. Modernisation of agriculture means we have to adopt biotechnology to ensure our food is safe for consumption and for export," he said.

Taib urged youths to be involved in agriculture as it is a lucrative endeavour.

The cottage industry must continue to be developed as it would be a major contributor to the economy.

"We must be willing to learn modern techniques of packaging and marketing," he added.

The chief minister announced that from next year two special prizes would be awarded for food processing and entrepreneurship.

Courtesy by: Borneo Post Online

Plan for Halal food a step forward

Washington University Dining Services is currently planning to implement a Halal foods program. If implemented, Halal options will first be offered in the Village and Bear’s Den, with plans to expand the options across campus later.
The University’s introduction of Halal foods should be seen as a major step forward in providing dining options for those on a restricted diet of any kind, whether for religious, cultural or health reasons. Wash. U. currently offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and kosher offerings, among others, and in this respect it is a commendable food service provider for those with special dietary needs. Between 70 and 100 people have requested halal foods, and this population cannot go unnoticed. With so many options available for kosher dining, we believe that introducing Halal options on-campus is long overdue.
It is understandable that the University has not offered Halal foods up until now. The group of people who currently benefit from kosher foods is few in number, and there are additional costs associated with implementing Halal Foods, just as there are with kosher foods. Specifically, Dining Services would have to find a new, Halal-certified source of meat, which could be costly. Still, Dining Services does not anticipate a major increase in cost, and while the number of students that would benefit from Halal Foods is small, the University is acting properly in accommodating their needs.
On a progressive campus such as that of Wash. U., it is important that we extend our notions of tolerance and acceptance to all aspects of one’s lifestyle. For example, to be a vegetarian is not just to avoid eating meat, but to embrace a conscious lifestyle that takes into account ethical questions and demands. While we may not all agree with vegetarianism, we still support the right to be vegetarian for those who choose to do so, and the University provides them with dining options to facilitate these choices.
More often than not, however, we forget that religious restrictions on dining constitute just as much of a conscious lifestyle, and observing religious customs on dining is part of a larger way of living and thinking. As students, we should respect the decisions of others to engage in any kind of decision involving food, and part of this respect involves ensuring that such options are available for those who choose to observe Halal regulations.
Ultimately, the University and Bon Appétit should be praised for the expected new Halal options. Accommodating the needs of observant Muslim students only increases our level of awareness of differing lifestyles on campus, and while the number of people requesting Halal is comparatively small, the University ought to do so on principle alone. After all, Wash. U. prides itself on being a welcoming community.

Courtesy By: Student Life

homeNewsFeaturesOpinionWespeaksArtsSportsChew and TellBlargusTrial Halal Food Program Found Fiscally Unsustainable

At the start of the spring semester, Bon Appétit administrators discontinued the Usdan Marketplace Halal food program, which had been running on a trial basis since Oct. 25, citing the program’s financial impracticality. The announcement frustrated many Muslim students, who can no longer purchase Halal meat under the meal plan.
According to Director of Usdan University Center Michelle Myers-Brown, only five or six students picked up Halal meal tickets each week. After Thanksgiving, Bon Appétit administrators decided to switch the program from lunch to dinner in hopes of generating more interest, then cancelled it entirely for the spring semester.
Myers-Brown said that the bulk of the financial burden came from hiring an additional chef who worked 20 hours per week.

“To avoid potential contamination with other foods, the preparation had to be done in a separate kitchen which meant this individual could not also work on other kitchen needs for the general population,” Myers-Brown wrote in an e-mail to The Argus. “Meaning we had hired an individual as special cook for, what ended up being, five to six students.”
According to Ali Chaudhry ’12, who has advocated for a Halal program since his freshman year, there are only 20 to 25 students on campus who identify as Muslim. However, Chaudhry said that the relatively small number of Muslim students on campus does not mean that the program is less valuable.
“Often the school says that if the demand increases they will provide Halal food,” he said. “But that’s a really dangerous kind of argument, because then they are saying the minorities aren’t important in a way.”
Although participants were required to pick up their meal tickets every Monday morning, the food was offered to all students one hour before the end of each meal. According to Chaudhry, each meal was prepared for between 40 and 45 students. Chaudhry said that he believes the Halal station should have been open to all students for the entirety of the meal, just as the kosher station is.
“[40 to 45 students] is a little absurd, because the Muslim students on campus are 20 to 25, and you can’t expect each and every Muslim student to eat there,” he said.
Myers-Brown said that Bon Appétit has explored a number of alternatives, but has not found any to be feasible. Last year, they fulfilled the demand by purchasing frozen meat and selling it for point. However this program required students to prepare the food themselves, and was seen as a temporary solution from an administrative standpoint.
“We have had numerous conversations and looked at many ways we could financially support a program; we have discussed the issue with colleagues on other campus who have strong Halal programs; we have discussed it with [the Finance Office] and with students, we have reached out to distributors,” Myers-Brown wrote. “A big piece of any solution, however, will have to be actual student participation—that did not materialize last semester.”
Chaudhry said that many Muslim students will now have to purchase Halal meat on their own.
“Many of us who are from Muslim programs are on financial aid plans, and expecting us to spend $50 to $100 per week on Halal food is a little outrageous, especially given that we already have a meal plan, which we paid for,” he said.
Chaudhry said he hopes the cause will garner support from the greater University community.
“The idea now is to get student support from across campus,” he said. “To try and get some kind of petition started to get a movement started to get Halal food on campus.”

Courtesy By: The wesleyan

Brunei Halal brand gets support in S'pore

THE Brunei Halal Brand is enjoying good reception from Singaporean shoppers, especially the Muslim population, who acknowledge the halal certification from Brunei, said a representative from NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Ltd.
Winston Ng, assistant manager of Corporate Communications in an e-mail to The Brunei Times said that the more popular items include the brand's seashell chocolates, biscuits, sparkling juice and instant noodles.
"However, it's too early to comment on any sales figures as we have only launched the range of products some three months ago," said Ng.

NTUC FairPrice, which is run by Singapore's National Trade Union Congress, started offering the Brunei halal products in the middle of October 2010, the first supermarket chain to do so outside the Sultanate.
Around 15 per cent of Singapore's five million people are Muslims.
Brunei's halal brand, which is owned by state company Wafirah Holdings, is handled by Ghanim International Food Corporation, a joint venture company formed in July 2009 by the Brunei government and Hong Kong-based Kerry FSDA.
Kerry Logistics, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based firm, distributes the products. It also handles the products' international freight forwarding and integrated logistics management to ensure compliance with strict halal standards.
Ghanim, on its part, is working with global manufacturers to make products that suit local demand that will need approval by Brunei's halal certification body.
In an earlier statement, Antony Greenstein, Kerry FSDA's director of Global Business, said that the company was confident it would see further opportunities in Asia and Europe "as we roll out the Brunei Halal range of products". Following the Singapore launch, Brunei Halal Brand's Interim Chief Executive Officer said that the brand's marketing and trading agency is looking at two more countries within the region as potential markets.
Noel Shield added: "We are still negotiating with other companies, but to get in a country is not an easy task."
"You can't just turn on the tap as there are a lot of negotiations and hard work involved," he previously said, adding that most importantly, they "needed the right products."
The brand's presence in Singapore marks a significant step for the Sultanate, as efforts to leverage on Brunei's stringent halal certification becomes a reality.
This, Shield said, reinforces what Ghanim has believed all along that the brand has a lot to offer, as product sales across the board have been good.
Further, the Singaporean foray of the brand also shows that efforts to leverage on Brunei's stringent halal certification is now coming to fruition.
"The public's response is way beyond what we expected," Shield said.
"The communities are very much behind the brand and product sales across the range have exceeded (our) expectations."
More than 20 products including cup noodles, noodle nuggets, chocolate, potato chips, prawn crackers, cookies, cheese puffs and sparkling juices, were made available at NTUC's supermarket and stores during the launch.

Courtesy by: Asiaone News

Halal burgers and hotdogs now available at Union Market

Two halal meat options, a burger or hotdog, are now being offered at the Union Market as of Jan. 28.
"Our goal is to make (halal food) available as much as possible," said Zia Ahmed, senior director of Campus Dining Services at Ohio State.
Halal meat is meat that Muslims are permitted to eat according to Islamic dietary guidelines and the Quran. "Halal" means "lawful" in Arabic. The meat, which can never be pork, must be slaughtered in a certain way and in the name of Allah.
Some Muslim students at OSU opted out of eating meat on campus because of the lack of any certified halal meat through dining services.
"As a freshman with a meal plan, I could not eat meat. I had no choice but to eat a vegetarian diet. Many Muslim freshmen, limited to meal plans, do not eat meat on campus," said Maria Ahmad, president of OSU's Muslim Students' Association and a third-year in speech and hearing sciences.
Students unable to eat meat on campus were the main inspiration behind Ahmad's campaign platform in Spring 2010 to bring halal foods to OSU.
Ahmad caught wind of Food Service Express' media outreach via webinars and speeches at conferences that advised students on ways to approach campus administrators about providing halal options.
Don Tymchuck, president of HalalHealthy.com and Med-Diet, a parent company of Food Service Express, spoke at the Muslim Students' Association Conference on Jan. 30 at the Ohio Union.
"Students must create the demand. Campus Dining Services will not provide alternative dining options unless that demand is expressed," Tymchuck said. "It is my goal to prime the pump by guiding students."
After reading a packet on Tymchuck's steps for addressing campus administration, Ahmad contacted Ahmed in Autumn 2010.
"I came from the University of Akron four months ago and my goal is to refocus commitment to student feedback, to address all backgrounds: religious, cultural, and even dietetic needs," Ahmed said. "We've met with students from the USG, BSA (Black Student Association) and graduate societies."
Campus Dining Services is not just waiting for requests; it is also focusing on reaching out to students.
"We are reaching out and soliciting information. But we would never arbitrarily place a product out there … it would not make sense to introduce a product no one wants," Ahmed said.
Tymchuck said there is a niche for halal.

"Halal has a market. Nearly half of the colleges we surveyed had 100 or more Muslim students; however, only 6 percent had halal meal plans," Tymchuck said.
Ahmad said it took three meetings with the Undergraduate Student Government's Diversity Committee supporting the Muslim Students' Association and one meeting with the Muslim Students' Association representing itself to convince Dining Services that halal should be offered.
Ahmed said Campus Dining Services took its time sorting out the logistics of offering halal. Ahmad said it is difficult to provide food that meets religious guidelines. It took two weeks for dining services to get halal meat on the Union Market grill.
"It is important to do something the right way. You can imagine how terrible it would be if we called something halal or kosher and it was discovered not to be," she said.
Food supplier Restaurant Depot now provides meat that is halal-certified to Campus Dining Services. The issues of contaminating halal were also addressed. Halal meat ceases to be halal if contaminated by haram foods — "haram" means "forbidden" in Arabic.
Ahmed said measures were taken to educate chefs about halal and that one side of the grill is used specially to cook halal burgers or halal hot dogs.
"The University will probably see if students respond well to halal. They should; it's a big deal," said Ahmad. "Students want dining to be a home away from home." 

Courtesy by: The Lentern

Nestle suspends halal products due to pork traces

Nestle (NESN.VX) said on Tuesday it was suspending all production of its Herta halal products after a laboratory found traces of pork.
"We have decided to carry out DNA tests so this will delay deliveries ... As a result we are suspending production in France until we find a new production process," a spokeswoman said.

Retailer Casino (CASP.PA) decided earlier on Tuesday to pull from the shelves halal sausages with the Herta brand. (Reporting by Gerard Bon; Editing by Will Waterman)

Courtesy by: Reuter

Abu Omar: Houston's Only Halal Taco Truck

I scanned the short menu on the side of Abu Omar, a silver-sided taco truck on Hillcroft at Pagewood. It wasn't very forthcoming about the kinds of meats it served, just listing items like tacos and tortas.

"Do you have chicharron?" I asked the smiling young man, Roberto, inside. "No," he replied. "We're...um..." He trailed off as the word seemed on the tip of his tongue. Finally: "Halal! We're halal. Only beef and chicken."
Abu Omar is, as far as I know, the only halal taco truck in Houston. And even more interestingly, it switches from Mexican specialties during the day to Middle Eastern cuisine at night: After 6 p.m., the truck offers shawarma, falafel, foul, Turkish coffee and much more. When you think about it, shawarma isn't all that different from al pastor-style meat (except with regard to the meat itself) -- so an Arab taco truck isn't that much of an aberration.
Nevertheless, it's an exciting and wondrously new thing here in Houston. So when my friend John, who works with refugees in the area, emailed me to tell me about the little truck -- which just opened two weeks ago -- I was incredibly excited to check it out.

Arriving on a sunny afternoon last week, John and I took in the hand-painted, bright yellow sign next to the truck, displaying its name in both English and Arabic. As I snapped a couple of pictures after ordering, a handsome young man got out of a car parked near the truck and walked over to me and John, curious about our intentions.
The owner introduced himself as Alex, a young man originally from Amman, Jordan. Upon hearing this, John eagerly launched into a discussion about restaurants and food in Amman and the foods that Alex carries in his little truck.

"Do you have lebne?" he asked. Alex nodded yes. "What about hummus?" Another nod, as John continued listing off items.
"We also have hot tea everyday," Alex said. "For free."
"With mint?!" John seemed to be barely containing himself.
"Of course!" Alex responded.
And just then, our orders were called up. My lengua taco came on two fresh, hot corn tortillas with plenty of cilantro, which I quickly doctored up with some creamy salsa verde that sat on the truck's ledge. It tasted like the wonderful ají amarillo sauce at Pollo Bravo, all spicy jalapeno and olive oil and a pinch of salt.

The sauteed tongue nearly melted in my mouth, a wonderful sensation that tasted almost like someone had made lengua butter and spread it on the hot tortillas. And although I'd been wary of ordering a chicken quesadilla (I'm pretty much a tacos and tortas kind of girl), it was equally good. But I noticed it had a distinct Middle Eastern quality about it.
The chicken tasted like shawarma-style chicken, seasoned with plenty of garlic and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg playing at the edges. It made me even more excited to come back here on one of these cool Spring evenings and try Alex and Roberto's real specialties.

And as much as I enjoy the chef-driven, gourmet taco trucks that have sprung up around town, there's a lot to be said for this kind of adventurous, cuisine-spanning spirit in a simple little taco truck off Hillcroft.

Nashville Red Cross to cater to religious dietary needs

The American Red Cross learned a few lessons from last year's catastrophic flood, including the growing religious diversity of Middle Tennessee and the food needed to honor those different ways of worship.

The result is a push by the charity to find vendors that can supply kosher meals for the area's Jewish population and halal meat for Middle Tennessee's Muslims.

It is part of an ongoing effort by the Red Cross to take more note of what different populations eat in order to better prepare for disasters.

"In a disaster, there are very limited resources, but we try to plan menus to accommodate as best as we can," said Joel Sullivan, CEO of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, which serves 17 counties surrounding Nashville. "We learned during the flood that there are dietary needs out there that there wasn't a demand for in this area before."

In the months after the flood, staff at the Red Cross have been calling community leaders to get advice on how they could have better responded.

Food was a popular topic.
The local Red Cross' primary meal suppliers are Second Harvest Food Bank and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. They are looking for more vendors, especially those that can in a pinch supply meat-free and ethnic foods.

Kosher meals are prepared by Jewish standards, including the way an animal is slaughtered. Of the 8,000 Jewish people in greater Nashville, about 500 have strict kosher diets, said Rabbi Saul Strosberg of Congregation Sherith Israel on West End Avenue.

Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel of Chabad Nashville said he applauds the effort. The day the flood hit, Tiechtel and volunteers from Chabad Nashville delivered to shelters more than 300 kosher meals that had been prepared for an event that day.

"The Red Cross raises money from the general public, so the food it serves should be available to the general public," Tiechtel said.

Shelter is concern
Amir Arain, public relations director for the Islamic Center of Nashville, regularly buys meats from area restaurants that supply the center with halal meats, which are also slaughtered in a specific way. Most Muslims, per their religion, will eat anything in a disaster situation, he said.

Arain said there are 25,000 Muslims living in Middle Tennessee.

Arain's primary concern is for emergency shelter. Women must stay in a separate area, he said.

Santosh Kortian is the manager of Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine on West End Avenue.

During the flood, he sent money and vegetarian foods to shelters. The India Association of Nashville called him to send meals.

He said he hopes to never have to be in a situation in which he has to decide whether to compromise his vegetarianism in an emergency. Like Strosberg, Arain and Tiechtel, he appreciates the preparedness.

"It's impressive," Strosberg said. "They did such a good job that people are complaining about the food. That means they covered all the necessary ground."

Courtesy by: WBIR.com

Maple Leaf Farms Halal Duck Now Available to Purchase Online

Milford, IN, January 21, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Maple Leaf Farms Halal Whole Duck is now available for purchase online on the company’s website. Once available only to the foodservice industry, Halal Duck is now offered to consumers online and in limited retail stores.

Maple Leaf Farms Halal Whole Duck is a high quality USDA Grade A all-natural, farm-raised whole bird that has been certified by Islamic Services to comply with the principles and values of the Muslim community. The Halal Duck comes with giblets and a neck stuffed inside.

For more product information or to order Halal Duck online, visit the Maple Leaf Farms duck product page at http://www.mapleleaffarms.com/49?prod=276.

About Maple Leaf Farms:
Maple Leaf Farms, Inc. is America's leading producer of quality duck products, supplying retail and foodservice markets throughout the world with innovative, value-added foods. Founded in 1958, Maple Leaf Farms is a third generation family-owned company. For more information and delicious duck recipes.

Courtesy By: PR.com

Row brewing over halal meat regulation

An organisation which licenses companies dealing in halal meat has been accused of bullying the firms it regulates.

The Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) was set up in 2003 in Leicester, with the aim of carrying out inspections in abattoirs and meat wholesalers and to monitor butchers. In return the businesses would be given a HMC licence - and pay a monthly fee.
Some retailers have complained the HMC is too heavy-handed, uses bullying tactics to get them to join the scheme and are just in it to make money.
But the HMC said it existed to give people peace of mind over quality of food, that it wanted to protect high standards and was not bullying anyone.

Mehboob Ayub, who has a butcher's shop in Huddersfield, alleged that HMC inspectors threatened him, tried to damage his property and told people in the local mosque not buy his meat.
"They tried to push me in my shop and argue with me, they tried to take my posters down and have been telling people in the local mosque not to buy meat from my shop," Mr Ayub said.
"I buy my meat from a HMC-registered slaughterhouse, my wholesaler has a HMC licence, so why should I pay them £30 a week to sell the meat? They just want money."
The HMC denies his claims, saying it does not go into mosques and "shame" retailers.

 

Halal meat: are you eating it without choosing it?

British public has no idea that they are eating halal meat, a senior member of the Church of England’s governing body said yesterday.

In comments likely to spark controversy, Alison Ruoff said, ‘this is just another back door way to the Islamification of our country.”

Livestock destined for halal meat is dispatched in a process that involves the animal being prayed over by a Muslim butcher as its throat is cut. Some religious abattoirs do no stun the animal, as Sharia law stipulate that the animal must hear the prayer. It’s estimated that it can take around 30 seconds to die.

Alison Ruoff continued: “We are still a Christian country in that 71% of people in the UK believe in a Christian God, not a Muslim God.”*

The interview on Premier Christian Radio’s Woman to Woman show yesterday tackled the issue of unlabelled halal meat being sold to unsuspecting customers in supermarkets; an issue that affect people of all faiths, and not just Christians.
Ruoff revealed that most stores stock halal lamb only, with Morrisons being the only store to label their products.

She believes that most meat imported from New Zealand is halal, enabling them to sell on to Muslim markets. She alleged that economically it’s cheaper to butcher the animals in the same way, rather than halal and non-halal.

Joy Barrow, Interfaith Relations Officer said: ”No person should be made to eat halal meat. Clearly it’s an issue of labelling.”

However, a Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “The specifications we give to our lamb suppliers relate to the safety, legality, quality, hygiene, animal welfare standards and product packaging for our lamb. We do not ask or check for compliance with any specific halal requirements, so couldn’t robustly support any halal claim on our packaging.”
Although when asked to explain a previous Sainsbury’s Head Office claim that all meat is halal, a later statement said, “In the case of lamb, Sainsbury’s purchases it from suppliers that use halal licensed abattoirs, which adhere to our strict quality and animal welfare standards.”
 
A Morrisons spokesperson said, “We only sell 100% British fresh beef, lamb and poultry. None of it is halal. The vast majority of our fresh beef and lamb is processed at our own abattoirs in Britain.  We adhere to high standards of animal welfare.  All of the cattle, lamb and poultry are stunned prior to slaughter.
 
However they went on to say: “Our own label frozen lamb is currently sourced from New Zealand and is halal, the animal is humanely stunned before slaughter and a prayer is read. We sell a limited range of halal and Kosher-branded frozen food products which are all clearly labelled as such.”

Peter Kerridge, CEO of Premier Christian Media Group said, “This is clearly a matter for concern. If meat were labelled properly people would have an educated choice on whether to eat halal meat or not. The British public, whatever religion they are, have a right to decide for themselves.”

Courtesy by: Inspire Magazine