The Rules Governing The Preparation Of Halal Meals Ready To Eat

By Anthony Cole


Muslims live their lives according to the dictates of the Islamic Laws. These laws cover every conceivable aspect of the day to day lives of all Muslims. The laws governing the manufacturing of foodstuffs, the preparation of food and the ingredients used in these processes are particularly strict. This is because Muslims believe that food not only has an effect upon the body of an individual, but also on his spirituality and even his morals. This is why all halal meals ready to eat are subject to strict rules.

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.

Certain types of food and drink are forbidden, even if it is used in conjunction with other types of food. Alcohol is taboo, even medication that contains alcohol. Pork in any for is also forbidden. Extracts and derivatives that are used in the preparation of a meal must originate from a halaal certified abattoir. The Halaal Council monitors these abattoirs very carefully and the monitoring process is extremely strict.

It is not just the ingredients used and their origins that are scrutinized before halaal certification can be obtained. The process whereby the food is prepared is also subject to many rules. Only utensils, cookware and containers that have never been used for the preparation of non halaal food can be used and these must be cleaned and stored separately from any other utensils and tools.

One would think that halaal certification requires the applicant to be a Muslim. This is not the case. Anyone that can comply with all the rules of the Islamic Law is allowed to apply. Applicants do not have to cater for the halaal market exclusively either. Because the application process is so strict, many applicants nevertheless employ one or two Muslims to oversee their processes. This can ease the application process.

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 popularity of halaal foods has prompted some unscrupulous businesses to circumvent official halaal certification by marking their products as halaal compliant or as halaal friendly. Consumers should make sure that the products that they buy are truly certified. One can check the credentials of any restaurant, manufacturer and supplier on the internet but one should also look out for the official halaal council logo.

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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