Muslim community cracking down on fake Halal foods

TORONTO – 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.

Sources: http://globalnews.ca/news/1376913/muslim-community-cracking-down-on-fake-halal-foods/

Pork replaced by Halal Meat at 185 Subways across the UK and Ireland

       Ham and bacon has been taken off the menu 185 Subways across the UK and Ireland

None of the 185 branches of Subway across the UK and Ireland that now sell halal-only meat are in Lincolnshire.

Ham and bacon has been taken off the menu at these outlets as the sandwich chain said this was 'following strong demand from our Muslim customers'.

Muslims are forbidden from eating meat from pigs and any non-halal food and participating outlets will show a special 'All meats are Halal' sign.

In the halal-only branches ham and bacon has been substituted for turkey ham and rashers.

Currently none of the Subway stores in Lincolnshire are halal and it is the choice of individual outlets whether or not to be. One of the nearest halal only Subways is in Nottingham.

Traditionally halal butchers cut the throats of animals while they are fully conscious. Some halal butchers now practice pre-stunning but this is not permitted by some Islamic scholars.

In Britain, killing an animal while they are fully conscious is illegal, but the law gives special exemption, on religious grounds, to Muslim and Jewish meat producers.

Source: http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Pork-replaced-halal-185-Subways-UK-Ireland/story-21035395-detail/story.html#ixzz30ui5jG1y

Government Of Canada Improves Labeling Of Halal Food Products

OTTAWA - After extensive industry consultation the Government of Canada has amended the Food and Drug Regulations to provide consumers with more information about how food labelled as halal are made.
Halal claims on food labels, packaging or advertising material must now include the name of the certifying body. This will provide consumers with assurances that the food meets a certifying body's standard and allow them to obtain specific information about the standards the food has met.
This change will also provide consistency for industry and help prevent mislabelling practices and claims regarding halal food products.
This change does not affect food safety. Halal products sold in Canada are still required to meet Canada's stringent food safety standards. These requirements will apply to both domestic and imported products.

Source: http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0036153