1. QUALITY OF HALAL MEAT Dr. Javaid Aziz Awan Country Director,
Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America,
Faisalabad
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2. About IFANCA? Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America
Not for Profit Technical Islamic Organization
Supervising production of Halal foods
Certifying halal products
Finding solutions for new challenges
Publishing relevant information
Consulting Islamic scholars on issues facing Muslims in selecting food products.
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3. IFANCA Strategy IFANCA strives to satisfy: Client Companies
Halal Recognition Authorities
Halal Consumers
IFANCA - most knowledgeable organization in the field
IFANCA - provides services second to none
IFANCA - builds relationships with the client companies, halal recognition authorities and halal consumers.
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4. IFANCA Crescent M Certification
IFANCA certificates and certified products accepted world over
IFANCA - recognized by organizations like:
MUIS Singapore
JAKIM Malaysia
MWL Saudi Arabia
MUI Indonesia
United Arab Emirates
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5. IFANCA Crescent M Certification
Global Affiliations:
IFANCA provides Halal certification in over 55 countries directly or through affiliates like:
IFCE, Europe
AFIC, Australia
NZIMM, New Zealand
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6. Some Ifanca Certified Companies in Pakistan
AB Mauri Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., Lahore
English Biscuit Manufacturers (Pvt.) Ltd. Karachi
Coronet Foods, Hattar
Capital Food Industries, Hattar
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7. Some Ifanca Certified Companies in Pakistan
Gaziani Industries (Pvt) Ltd. Karachi
Nabeel Industries (Pvt) Ltd., Lahore
Pakistan Gum Industries (Pvt)., Ltd. Karachi
Pepsi-Cola International (Private) Ltd., Hattar
Super Gum Industries Ltd. Karachi
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8. Some Ifanca Certified Companies in Pakistan
National Foods, Karachi
Nestle Pakistan, Lahore
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9. IFANCA Halal Certification Logos
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10. Food laws among guidelines
GUIDANCE FOR MUSLIMS
Holy Quran and the Sunnah provide guidance and inspirations for life on Earth
Food laws among guidelines
Ensure foods Muslims eat have positive bearing on their health
In fact the very first law to be passed on to Mankind was a food law:
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11. VII:19 Al-Araf
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12. THE FIRST DIVINE LAW The Holy Quran
“And unto man: O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden and eat from whence ye will, but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers” VII-19 - Al-Araf
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13. The last Divine law incidentally a food law
Revealed during last pilgrimage of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (pbuh):
“They ask thee O Muhammed what is made lawful for them. Say: all good things are made lawful for you” V:4 Al-Maidah
Aim of Divine revelations:
Ensure man eats right type of food for his nourishment
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14. Meat indispensable for sound human health
Provides several essential nutrients:
Proteins
Amino acids
Mineral elements
Vitamins
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15. MEAT Meat subject to spoilage by: Chemical reactions
Biochemical reactions
Biological agents, including bacteria
Meat responsible for food-borne diseases
Hence must be produced to:
Minimize chemical and biochemical changes
Prevent chances of bacterial contamination and growth to preserve quality
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16. HALAL MEAT Slaughtering of animals and birds:
essential to prepare for food purposes
Pre-slaughter management and bleeding methods:
regulated by legislations and religious practices
Earliest recorded laws on handling, care and slaughter of animals:
Revelations in the Holy Quran and
Ahadith by the Holy Prophet (pbuh)
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17. ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING
Islamic method of slaughtering - based on two important principles:
Tasmiya
Tazkiyah
Tasmiya - invoking name of Allah
means slaughter being done with His permission
This in accordance with several commands given in the Holy Quran
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18. V:4 Al-Maidah
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19. ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING
“Forbidden to you (for food,) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than God; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a head long fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been partly eaten by a wild animal, unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form) ….…………. (V:4) Al-Maidah
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20. ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING
Tazkiyah means purification - cleaning meat of blood by slaughter
Consumption of blood prohibited in Holy Quran - VI:146
All lawful animals and birds contain blood
Blood must be drained as per these commands
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21. ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) gave comprehensive guidelines on slaughtering of animals in following Hadith:
“Verily Allah, has prescribed proficiency in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters”.
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22. ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING - Slaughterer
Must be adult Muslim or
Must believe in Holy Scriptures
Must be in possession of his mental faculties
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23. PRE-SLAUGHTER HANDLING OF ANIMALS - 1. Selection of animals
Islam strictly prohibits:
Pork
Carrion
Dead animals
Carnivorous animals
Birds of prey
Amphibians
Reptiles
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24. 1. Selection of animals Islam permits:
All herbivorous, even-toed ruminants
Animal meant for slaughtering be:
Healthy
Free from any apparent or hidden impurities/diseases
Must be legally owned.
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25. 2. Pre-slaughter handling of animals
Modern methods require animal prior to slaughtering not be subjected to
Stress
Fatigue
Neurotic
Excitement
Rough handling of animals in pre-slaughter period:
Adversely affects meat quality
Results in dark, firm and dry meat
Fatigued or starved animals
Organisms from gut may invade blood stream
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26. 2. Pre-slaughter handling of animals
Proper relaxation before slaughtering:
Helps animal to bleed well
Builds up muscle glycogen to lower meat pH
Increases storage life of meat by reducing chances of microbial growth
Improves taste due to conditioning/ tenderness
Helps delay or reduce fermentation in stomach - may otherwise give meat characteristic smell known as ‘bone taint’.
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27. 2. Pre-slaughter handling of animals
Undesirable - animal awaiting slaughter view slaughtering process – cause stress
Animals under stress - lead to undue emotional instability, fatigue, anorexia, etc.
Discharge hormones from adrenal glands:
adrenaline from adrenal medulla
17 hydroxy- and 11-deoxycorticosterones from adrenal cortex
Hormones deplete muscle glycogen and potassium
Deleterious effects on meat quality
Prevention - tranquilizers recommended to calm stocks in transit.
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28. 2. Pre-slaughter handling of animals in Islam
Islam promotes calm and rested animals prior to slaughtering:
Not fatigued
Not excited
Not nervous
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29. 2. Pre-slaughter handling of animals
Islam prohibits
Any act that causes neurosis or excitement or other abnormal behavioural changes in animal
Sharpening knife in front of slaying animals
Practice of collective slaughtering - other animals viewing their companion being killed
Research reveals
Practices inhumane
Cause stress
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30. Animal to remain hungry - Fasting Animal be well fed
3. Feeding the animals
Two schools of thoughts:
Animal to remain hungry - Fasting
Animal be well fed
Advantages of fasted animals claimed:
Bleed better
Carcass has brighter appearance
Carcass easier to dress
Reduced bulk of animal’s stomach
Reduced chances of bacterial contamination from gut
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31. Disadvantages of fasted animals: Loss in weight of carcass
3. Feeding the animals
Disadvantages of fasted animals:
Loss in weight of carcass
Loss in weight of liver
Lower glycogen reserves in muscles
Reduced gustative quality of meat
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32. Glycogen level in muscle reaches higher level
3. Feeding the animals
Well-fed animals:
Glycogen level in muscle reaches higher level
Ensures production of adequate lactic acid
Lowers pH of meat
Meat has good:
Appearance
Taste
Tenderness
Longer shelf-life
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33. Meat of soothed and well-fed animals:
3. Feeding the animals
Meat of soothed and well-fed animals:
pH attains 5.5 or even lower level
Meat of fatigued or neurotic animals:
pH varies from 6.5 to 7.0
Often recommended to feed animals prior to slaughtering - meat of good keeping and eating quality
In some cases sugar solution fed to quickly restore glycogen level in tissues
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34. 3. Feeding the animals in Islam
Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised that animals destined for slaughtering be:
well fed
provided with drinking water
Preferable - animals have free access to feed and water prior to slaughtering
Result - good quality meat.
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35. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE
Conventionally, slaughtering process consists of two to three different stages
Depends on religious practices and legislations
Stunning
Jews not in favour of stunning
Muslims divided on the issue
Western countries require stunned
Bleeding method governed by religious and national legislations
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36. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning
Stunning widely practiced in Western abattoirs
Main objective
Make animal unconscious
Make death gentle and painless
No standard method for all animals under all conditions
Stunning effective in having calm animal
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37. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning
Stunning - outcome of industrial revolution
Maximum animals be slaughtered in least time
Probably no relation with mercy on animals
Industrial revolution:
Provided mankind with innumerable benefits
Inflicted damaging blows on some aspects of human nutrition
Example - refinement of wheat flour
Stunning might turn out harmful
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38. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE – Bleeding
Quick incision recommended using very sharp knife on front of the neck to severe:
Wind pipe
Oesophagus
Carotid arteries
Jugular veins
Positions for incision:
Hanging animal on its hind legs
Laying on the ground
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39. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE Bleeding
To produce good carcass – bleed animal effectively
Heart and respiratory system must function continuously as long as possible after severance
This attained when heart and respiratory functions retained by maintaining medulla oblongata/spinal cord
Animals convulse
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40. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE - Bleeding
During convulsions blood squeezed out of vessels
Hence more blood drains out - a pre-requisite for meat of superior quality
Evidence suggests more blood lost from sheep in horizontal position than those hung vertically
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41. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE Bleeding
Blood excellent medium for growth of microorganisms
Meat retaining more blood than critical level liable to bacterial spoilage
Blood retention in tissues can cause unpleasant appearance and discolouration in meat
Keeping and eating qualities of meat depends, in part, on removal of maximum blood from carcass
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42. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE Laying Animal for Bleeding
Lay animal (except camel) on its left flank, preferably facing Kibla
Laying enables animal to convulse - results from contraction of muscles due to lack of oxygen in brain cells when incision made
Ensures maximum blood drainage owing to body pressure on heart - outranks other slaughtering techniques
Ensures rapid onset of unconsciousness and painless death
Prevents retraction of carotids
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43. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE – Bleeding
While giving incisions with sharp knife:
Recite name of Allah:
Bismillah Allah-o-Akbar
Allah-o-Akbar
Subhan Allah
La illaha illila
Takbir - religious significance to believer
makes submission to Allah, that life taken out of animal with His permission
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44. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques
Slaughtering actually done in the name of Allah and not in name of any person or deity in accordance with following commands:
“So eat of (meats) on which God’s name has been pronounced if ye have faith in His Signs” Vl:118, Vl:121 – Al Anam
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45. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE Bleeding techniques
Islamic method:
Use sharp knife or any sharp object for bleeding except finger nail and bone
Incision made in neck
Throat cut transversely to severe carotid arteries, jugular veins, oesophagus and trachea without injuring spinal cord
Two essentials in slaughter of animals for meat:
animals be dispatched without unnecessary suffering
bleeding be as complete as possible
Both met in Islamic method of bleeding
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46. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE Bleeding techniques
When both carotid arteries severed unconsciousness in sheep induced between 3 to 6 seconds
Islamic method ensures maximum blood drainage from body before completion of death process
Connection between brain and body retained via spinal cord
Brain sends messages to heart and lungs
Heart pumps blood to parts of body - drained out from severed blood vessels in neck
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47. SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques
Results of a comparative study
Maximum blood lost in Kosher method
Jewish method similar to Islamic as regards physical details
Minimum when chicken simply beheaded
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48. Conclusion Islamic method ensures: Minimum suffering to animal
Maximum bleeding
Lower pH of meat
Better meat quality
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49. ANIMAL RIGHTS
Islam recognized animal rights long before recognition of human rights in Western World
Numerous Ahadith reflect Islam advocates kindness and mercy towards animals:
Nourish animals well
Save animals from hunger and thirst
Show kindness to animals
Do not hit or mark animal on its face
Do not shoot arrows at cattle or bird tied or held up
Do not fight animals for sports or recreation
Do not unjustly kill even a sparrow or smaller bird (other than for food)
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50. Thank You
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