Halal is an Arabic term meaning lawful or “acceptable” while haram means the opposite unlawful or “forbidden” and not only encompasses food and drink, but all matters of daily life. The tenets of halal food consumption (Islamic dietary laws) are rooted in the Quran, a scripture revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam by the Almighty Allah to be followed in its entirety by Muslims.
While chicken, cow and goat are animals that are halal to consume in addition, halal meat must be slaughtered in a prescribed manner known as zabiha. Choices of modern practices of production facilities and slaughter methods have to be considered with caution and, it should be in line with Islamic dietary principles.
For example, shouldn’t chips and cookies be inherently halal since they are not made from meat or alcohol? The answer is that all units and subunits in a food product must be halal as well. Thus, for example, a cookie may be non-halal because it has raisins, which are coated with a non-halal animal-based compound. Chips can be non-halal if the vegetable oil used in the fryer has been pasteurized and deodorized on equipment used for pork production.
The distinguishing factor of halal and non-halal food products depends on two variables: the source of the ingredients and the status of the production equipment/facility.
Often times many companies tend to assume 'Kosher' is similar to 'Halal'. Although the slaughtering rituals of Jewish people resemble those of Muslims; kosher and halal are two different standards carrying a different meaning and spirit. There are different sects within Judaism and there are several hundred Jewish Kosher authorities in the US who certify Kosher based on extremely liberal to extremely conservative rules. Therefore it is difficult to come up with one uniform opinion regarding Kosher practices.
Islam prohibits all intoxicating alcohols, liquors, wines and drugs. Kashrut regards their wines kosher. Hence food items and drinks showing the kosher symbol containing alcohol are not halal.
Gelatin is considered Kosher by many Jews regardless of its source of origin. If the gelatin is prepared from non-zabiha, majority of Muslims consider it haram (prohibited). Hence foods items such as marshmallows, yogurt, etc., showing kosher symbols are not always halal.
Enzymes (irrespective of their sources even from non-kosher animals) in cheese making are considered mere secretion (pirsah b'almah) according to some kashrut organizations, hence cheeses are considered kosher by many Jews. Muslims look for the source of the enzyme in cheese making. If it is sourced from swine, it is considered haram (forbidden). Hence cheeses showing kosher symbols may not be halal.
Jews do not pronounce the name of God on each animal while slaughtering (usually only pronounce on the first animal). Muslims on the other hand pronounce the name of Allah on all animals while slaughtering.
Both organic and halal are based on values and beliefs that inform and create standards. The main function of any halal or organic agency is to ensure strict compliance with set standards. Both organic and halal agencies are staffed by individuals who are deeply committed to their respective values, beliefs, and standards.
Organic is fundamentally concerned with the contamination of foods caused by exposure to either chemicals or GMO’s, in one form or another. This concern is rooted in the belief that these exposures are harmful to human health, the planet, and its eco-systems (those of us at Scan Halal, agree by the way).
Halal , in the traditional sense of the term, is fundamentally concerned with foods conforming to the Quran and Islamic dietary laws. The reasons offered by the halal preference for the basis of these laws vary from physical to spiritual health, discipline, and ethical sensitivity.
More than ever before, consumers are concerned about the quality of the products and services they consume. 87% of halal consumers research a product's permissibility before purchase. For Muslim consumers it’s especially important that the goods and services they consume adhere strictly to halal requirements.
In North America there are eight million halal consumers and the halal food market is estimated to be worth $20 billion. Globally, the halal market is worth an estimated $2 trillion USD and continues to show steady growth, comprising nearly a quarter of the world's food market. There are over 2 billion Muslims worldwide, the vast majority of whom adhere to halal dietary and lifestyle requirements.
Halal products have become mainstream in the marketplace, evidenced by large multi-national companies like McDonald’s, Nestle, and Carrefour continually expanding their halal footprint globally. Large retailers like Walmart, Whole foods, Costco already stock their shelves with halal verified products - don’t get left behind!
Unfortunately millions of Muslim consumers around the world have very limited access to halal certified products. Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to share your amazing products with this truly under-served demographic.
To be added on our mobile application service the first step is to fill out the web application. In most cases, as soon as the complete application is received, verification can be completed within a five to seven business days.
Please complete our web application, so we can learn a little bit more about your company and your product(s). A follow up engagement will be sent within two business days.
Once the application has been received and reviewed, one of our team members will contact you for final assessment and/or to assist with obtaining additional information if required.
More questions? Let us help.
Contact us