Tuesday, 01 May 2012 11:21

UK favours global Halal scheme

Written by 

THE HALAL Authority Board (HAB) in the UK has created for the food industry a new Shariah-compliant halal certification scheme it wants adopted as a worldwide standard.

The HAB includes 13 of the UK’s most respected Islamic scholars. The UK certification business Cert ID Europe has joined as the auditing body for the scheme.

The backers say the scheme is realistic and practical, and designed to combine the requirements of the 1500-year-old Halal belief with modern food processing requirements.

   Various standards are available worldwide, confusing the world’s 1.6 billion Muslim consumers. The aim is for a uniform standard to streamline the process for food businesses and clarify it for consumers.

HAB’s product certification is backed by 950 of the UK’s 1400 mosques, making it the most representative and influential halal certification body with Muslim consumers in the UK and overseas.

Cert ID Europe business development director Jerry Houseago says he believes the new HAB standard will make it much easier for the global food industry to reach halal certification.

“HAB’s connection with Muslim consumers adds value to the certification scheme too and provides the element missing from other certification programmes.”

HAB regulates the production of Halal products in accordance with Islamic law, from the rearing of livestock and the production of drinks, to serving retail customers. It says the halal sector has failed to fulfill its maximum potential due to the lack of a uniform standard applicable to Halal production worldwide.

The HAB standard sets out guidelines including food health and safety regulations, storage, delivery and cleaning and cleansing. It takes into account scientific developments to prevent contamination from pork and other unacceptable derivatives.

Five modules cover primary production of livestock; primary processing of livestock, including guidelines on cleaning and cleansing; slaughter and packaging and labeling; further processing; logistics; and food service.

The standard takes account of other halal standards and so applies to to meat production worldwide.

More like this

New halal and ag agreements with China

Two formal arrangements signed in China mark a significant step forward in the supply of New Zealand halal meat to China and ongoing agricultural cooperation.

Halal deal opens Muslim markets

THE BEEF industry is hoping to make new inroads into the tricky but potentially huge halal market this year including regaining some of its former $31 million trade to Malaysia.

Featured

$52,500 fine for effluent mismanagement

A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.

Ospri brings Bovine TB testing in-house

The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Arable advocacy?

OPINION: Spare a thought for the arable farmer, squeezed on one side by soft global prices and on the other…

Gaslight much?

OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter