WHAT IS HALAL FOOD?

BY: OSAMA BANAH

Halal food is:

Any food that complies with Islamic law and may therefore be

eaten

Haram food is:

All types of food that are forbidden to Muslims, which they are

not allowed to eat other than in a life-saving or survival situation.

What is included under the definition of Halal food,

and what is excluded?

Most types of food are considered Halal

The main exceptions are as follows:

1.Pork products

2.Alcohol.

3.Any food that may cause harm to the body

4.A few miscellaneous others.

Are all Muslims in agreement about what is considered

Halal and what is not?

The differing interpretations of the Halal concept can be broadly

divided into two groups:

Less strict

Strict

The main areas of disagreement between these two groups

are as follows:

1.Halal Meat

2.Using alcohol in food premises

Halal meat

Strict group Less strict group

only eat meat which is prepared in the

Islamic way and following Islamic

procedure for slaughtering animals.

favour Halal meat if it is available

accept that Halal meat includes

animals slaughtered by Christian

or Jewish people

Using alcohol in food premises

Strict group Less strict group

will not eat food cooked with wine some believe that they can eat

Halal food mixed with alcohol

refuse to eat in a food premises if

they know that food preparation

areas are cleaned and sanitised

with alcohol-based products

see no problem in using alcohol-

based products to clean and

sanitize food preparation areas

Important aspects of food preparation that concern even

less strict Muslims:

1. Not using cookware that contains traces of pork products

2. Not changing gloves after touching foods containing pork products.

3. Labelling

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and Food Act 2006

VS.

Halal food

“The main purposes of this Act are as follows—(a) to ensure food

for sale is safe and suitable for human consumption; (b) to

prevent misleading conduct relating to the sale of food; (c) to

apply the food standards code”.

(Food Act 2006)

“The objective of the food safety standards is to ensure that only

safe and suitable food is sold in Australia”.

(The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code)

Australian standards and legislation related to food meet Islamic

criteria by:

1. ensuring the food is safe and suitable;

2. encouraging honesty by preventing misleading sale of food;

3. ensuring that supervisors and those who are handling food have the

required knowledge and skills in relation to food safety and food hygiene;

4. ensuring food safety by preventing staff who are ill or thought to be ill from

handling or preparing food.

Thank you

Questions?