GUIDELINES TO PREPARATION & HANDLING OF HALAL FOOD

1. Sources Of Halal Food

1.1 Animals

Animals can be divided into two categories namely:

i) Land Animals

ii) Aquatic Animals

1.1.1 Land Animals

All land animals are lawful as food, except the following:

• animals that are not slaughtered according to Shariah law;
• pigs;
• dogs;
• animals with long pointed teeth (canines or tusks), which are used to kill prey, such as tigers, bears, elephants, cats and monkeys;
• birds with talons or predator birds;
• animals that are enjoined by Islam to be killed including mice, scorpions, snakes, crows, centipedes, etc;
• animals that are forbidden to be killed including ants, bees and woodpeckers;
• creatures that are considered filthy by the public such as lice and flies; and
• animals that live both on land and in water (amphibians) such as frogs and salamanders.

1.1.2 Aquatic Animals

Aquatic animals are those, which live in water and cannot survive outside it, such as fish. All aquatic animals are “Halal” except those that are poisonous, intoxicating or hazardous to health.

1.2 Plants

All types of plants products are Halal” except those that are poisonous, intoxicating or are hazardous to health.

1.3 Drinks

All kinds of water and beverages are “Halal” as drinks, except those that are poisonous, intoxicating or are hazardous to health and that are mixed with “najis” e.g. alcoholic beverages, flavouring wines, etc

2. Product Storage, Display And Servings

All “Halal” products that are stored, displayed, sold or served should be categorised and should be labeled as “Halal” or lawful at every stage of the process so as to prevent it from being mixed or contaminated with things that are impure or non-halal.

3. Product Processing And Handling

A processed food is “Halal” if it meets the following conditions:

• the product or its ingredients does not contain any components or products of animals that are non-Halal by Shariah Law or animals that are not slaughtered according to Shariah Law;
• the product does not contain anything in large or small quantities that is considered as najis according to Shariah Law;
• the product is prepared, processed or manufactured using equipment and facilities that are free from contamination with najis; and
• during its preparation, processing, storage or transportation, it should be fully separated from any other food that does not meet the requirements specified in items (a), (b) or/and (c) or any other things that are considered as najisby Shariah Law.

4. Hygiene And Sanitation

• Hygiene has been given much emphasis in Islam and it includes the various aspects of personal hygiene, clothing, equipment and the working premises for processing or manufacture of food. The objective is to ascertain that the food produced is hygienic and is not hazardous to health.
• Hygienic can be defined as free from najis, contamination and harmful germs.
• All foods shall be prepared, processed, packaged, transported and stored in such a manner that they are in compliance to hygiene and sanitary requirements of the relevant authorities.