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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Blessing, Gewurzmuller launch organic and Halal cultures

Frutarom-owned Gewurzmuller is introducing new organic starter cultures for raw sausage and raw cured meats, and has announced that all the food cultures made by its Blessing Biotech arm are now certified Halal.

Meat flavour and seasoning producer Gewurzmuller was one of seven companies acquired by Israeli firm Frutarom in 2007, and the deal included Blessing Biotech which produces starter cultures used in fermentation of micro organisms and enzymes, mainly for the dairy and bakery industry.

Gewurzemuller says that, with Blessing it has an advantage in being able to make its own starter cultures, as it can offer optimally matched seasonings and starter cultures from a single source.

The new organic cultures, called Bitec Organic GM-1 and Bitec Organic SM-96 use organic sucrose as the medium and do not use any genetically modified or genetically engineered raw materials throughout the process.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Tang gets halal certification (Phillipines)

MANILA, Philippines - During the recent conference held at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao, Kraft Foods, the second largest global food company, unveiled a present for our Muslim brothers and sisters in Mindanao. The company revealed that Tang has gained the halal certification of the Philippine IDCP Islamic Da’wah Council of the Philippines (IDCP).
“Even before this event, Kraft Foods has been very supportive of our organization here in the Philippines,” says lawyer Abdul Rahman Linzag, IDCP president and secretary-general of the World Halal Council. “And with Tang’s halal certification, our brethren will now enjoy a delicious and refreshing drink that has passed the strict IDCP guidelines for halal certification.”
Tang is already halal-certified by the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand — the only Islamic organization in Thailand duly authorized to conduct halal certification and accreditation. However, with IDCP’s accreditation, Tang can now pride itself on a seal that is globally-recognized by halal certification bodies and Muslims alike.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Halal shop to replace kosher Pita Plus

When Naumaan Hamid decided to expand his chain of halal restaurants, the diverse and bustling business of downtown College Park was too appealing to pass up.But the diverse population that initially attracted him to the location isn’t reacting the way he expected.

“Krazi Kebob,” a halal fusion of Eastern and Mexican cuisine, is scheduled to open in two weeks at the former location of Pita Plus, which unexpectedly closed two days ago. Although the replacement of the Mediterranean restaurant, students’ only source of off-campus kosher meals, takes away what many students considered a home away from home, it fills a void for another oft-ignored community.

The university’s Jewish community has expressed frustration at the closing of Pita Plus, which many relied on as a local spot to take families and visitors who keep kosher. Others argue that the lack of an off-campus kosher restaurant presents a challenge for getting meals that adhere to their religious dietary restrictions.

“It’s really upsetting,” said junior Stephanie Cantor, a member of the university’s Jewish Leadership Council. “I know there’s a really large population that definitely loved to have this as an alternative to Hillel, especially for freshmen living in dorms who don’t have the option to cook meals.”

Sophomore chemical engineering major Mohammed Shaikh, who is Muslim, said he sympathizes with Jewish concerns of having limited dining options.“I agree with them,” he said. “ We should be fair even with non-Muslims. They have the right to have their own restaurant.”

Mahir Maruf, a recent alumni and former member of the Muslim Students’ Association, said that when he was a student, he and his friends frequently had to travel to Greenbelt to eat at Pizza Roma — the closest halal restaurant to campus.

Friday, September 24, 2010

No Lard In Product Says QBB Pure Ghee (MALAYSIA)

Bandar Seri Begawan - QBB Pure Ghee yesterday said that in light of recent media reports regarding QBB Pure Ghee, it irrevocably stated its stand on the matter that its product did not and has never contained lard or any substance of porcine origin. In a statement released yesterday, it said, "We have no doubt whatsoever, that the product concerned is Halal and is fit for consumption by Muslims.


"Our product has been certified Halal by the Islamic Coordinating Council of Victoria, which is also recognised by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). Samples of our product have regularly been analysed by independent laboratories to prove its nature and content.

"These analyses, have confirmed that the content of our product is 99.7 per cent butteroil while the remaining amount is made up (of) moisture, peroxide values and class 1 trace amount. In fact, the results of Malaysian Chemistry Department (JKM) analysis also found no traces of lard or any substances of porcine origin.
"It is unfortunate that JAKIM had decided to revoke our Halal certification (SPH), based on the fact that the JKM has not been able to determine a certain substance found in the product, which they labeled as 'foreign substance'.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

UAE president advisor set for UK halal meeting

An advisor to the president of the United Arab Emirates will be visiting Birmingham tomorrow (Friday) to discuss halal meat export opportunities.

Sheikh Syed Ali Hashmi, a personal advisor to President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will be meeting Janan Meat MD Naved Syed and Mohammad Nazir, West Midlands Minority Ethnic Business Forum chairman, to discuss business opportunities between the two countries.

Sheikh Syed will be visiting the Birmingham Law Courts on Friday, followed by a  seminar at Birmingham law firm Artis Legal.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Catching Fake Halal Sign in Malaysia

He said that he would be tabling the motion on the matter at the next sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

He said this in commenting on the raid by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) at a shopping complex here Wednesday where it was found a number of stalls at its food centre were using fake halal logos.

Earlier, he had presented Aidilfitri aid to 380 needy people at City Hall's Tow Depot here Thursday.

Jamil Khir also said a halal hub laboratory had been earmarked in Nilai which would be managed by Jakim and the funding for it would come under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

-- BERNAMA

Source

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

France's halal meat - is it the real thing?

France's halal meat - is it the real thing?

Quick burger  
 
Quick is expanding the number of all-halal outlets. There is no suggestion Quick halal is not genuine
The French market for halal food is expanding rapidly, giving rise to a number of issues - not least, how do we know it's halal?
This week the fast food chain Quick - the number two burger chain in France after McDonald's - announced that 22 of its outlets would serve halal meat only.

It has been trying out the idea at eight restaurants for the past nine months, prompting criticism from some politicians and intellectuals concerned that the secular values of the French Republic are being betrayed.
Halal food is big business in France, and is growing fast. With the largest Muslim population in Europe at about six million, France's halal market it is already reckoned to be worth 5.5bn euros (£4.5bn) - twice the size of that for organic food.

While the burgers served at Quick are genuinely halal, experts have doubts about much of what is sold elsewhere.
Rachid Bakhalq, the owner of a halal supermarket in Nanterre, a suburb to the north of Paris, says the market is swamped with bogus products.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Panda Licorice 100-calorie snack bars HALAL????

As claimed by Foodnews
FINNISH confectioner, OY Panda, has introduced individually wrapped Panda Licorice 100-calorie snack bars to the US market in three flavours; original black, cherry and raspberry. The company claims the Panda Licorice 100-calorie bars contain no added colours, salt, artificial flavours or preservatives, and are also vegan, Kosher and Halal-diet friendly. In addition to Panda Licorice, OY Panda's brand portfolio includes Panda Pepe, JuhlapAydAn konvehdit (Assorted Chocolates) and Ahaa. The company's key market areas are Finland, other Nordic countries, US, UK, Germany, Poland and Spain. Source
As with any company claiming anything, the claims have to be verified. We

MARYLAND: Ranches find market serving ritual slaughter needs

MOUNT AIRY, Md. — Before Easter in 2003, when Brian Schiner's family ranch was still a hobby, he received a call from a 72-year-old Greek Orthodox man.

Schiner doesn't recall his name, but remembered thinking it was a little strange when the man asked if he could buy a lamb and, if so, could he slaughter the animal himself at the ranch.
"But I said sure, I didn't see why not," he said.
After selecting and weighing a lamb, the man put the animal to the ground, laying it on its side. In one movement, he pulled the head back and slit its throat, killing it as humanely as possible.
Then the Greek man cut open one of the lamb's ankles and placed a wooden dowel in the hole. Soon he removed the dowel and proceeded to blow into the hole until the skin inflated like a balloon.
"He blew up the entire animal, a 70-year-old man," Schiner recounted, shaking head. He learned the process made it much easier to skin the lamb.
Not long after, Schiner's organic Wagon Wheel Ranch, where animals are grass-fed and hormone- and antibiotic-free, began receiving calls from area Muslims near the time of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha. They, too, asked if they could buy and slaughter their own lambs and goats.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Meat firms slam halal group (UK)

Following a front page article in Asian Image Halal meat wholesalers have hit back at the actions of the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC).


In our October Issue we reported how the HMC was increasing awareness of the its services to the wider public. It followed claims that some businesess were putting up HMC authentication certificates without the group's permission.

But this month in the run up to one of the busiest periods for Halal meat suppliers, wholesalers say the comments of the HMC have put unnecessary doubts in the minds of customers.
The HMC however, say they stand by their comments and denied they were causing doubts in consumers' heads, saying they were already there.

Abdul Jabbar of Chaudrhy Halal Meats supplies over 45 shops across Lancashire and has been in the meat trade since 1989.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Poultry sold as halal 'falsely labelled' (UK)

Up to three-quarters of poultry sold as halal in the UK is falsely labelled, an industry group has warned. The majority of halal-labelled poultry and a small amount of beef and lamb were slaughtered by machine rather than an individual, Naved Syed, of the English Beef and Lamb Executive Halal Steering Group, told The Grocer magazine.
The meat was being passed off as halal because the slaughter method was not usually printed on labels.
Mr Syed said: “If you told Muslims it was done by a machine they wouldn’t buy it. Practically all imams in this country have said that machine killing is not halal. Otherwise there’s no difference between halal and non-halal.”
The UK does not have a single standard for halal slaughter. Many Muslim countries have outlawed the practice after the internationally-recognised Malaysian Halal Standard MS 1500 removed machine slaughtering as an acceptable practice last year.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Dairy launches halal range (UK)

A North West dairy has launched a complete range of halal cheese for the first time in its 50-year history. Bosses at Dew-Lay Products Ltd of Garstang, Lancashire, established in 1957, already supply a full range of cheese for major retailers across the country.

But now, they are so convinced of the growing consumer appetite for Halal produce, they have just been awarded a licence from the Halal Food Authority (HFA) for formulating and processing Halal named varieties of cheese for the retail and catering trade with permissible ingredients and approved methods of manufacture.
The company, owned by the Kenyon family, are now allowed to use the unique HFA logo on all packaging as a seal of approval for Muslim usage.

HFA inspectors will regularly monitor the complete manufacturing process and products.
Dew-Lay combine the most modern technology available with traditional hand crafted methods of production, which gives their cheese its particular flavour.

Kraft foods United Kingdom (2010)


Note from Kraft Foods:
"This information is only applicable to Kraft Foods products that are on general sale in the United Kingdom and may not be applicable to the same produced and on sale in the world.  These products are "suitable for Halal" according to the information provided to GMWA in good faith.  The information is valid at time of publication, but recipes may change after this time, so always check ingredients lists on-pack for up-to-date information".
Calf Rennet Clarification:
Rennet per se, is not impermissible.
It is permissible to eat cheese which has rennet from calf rennet though
praiseworthy to refrain from due to a slight difference of opinion viz:

Alcoholic Flavourings Clarification:

Alcohols used as a carrier for food colourings and flavourings are permissible as long as they are not sourced from dates or grapes.

Read the full article here:
http://www.gmwa.org.uk/foodguide2/index.php?page=viewquestion&id=200


The following Kraft products are Halaal  (see notes for calf rennet and alcoholic flavourings next to product)
COFFEE (retail only)
Carte Noire Freeze Dried Instant Coffee 100g, 200g Jar
Carte Noire Freeze Dried Decaffeinated Instant Coffee 100g, 200g Jar
Carte Noire Cappuccino Sticks 136g   (calf rennet)
Carte Noire Expresso Divinement Instant Coffee 100g Jar
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified Decaffeinated Freeze Dried Coffee 100g, 200, 300g Jars
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified Smooth Roast Freeze Dried Instant Coffee 100g, 200g, 300g Jars
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified Rich Roast Freeze Dried Instant Coffee 100g, 200g, 300g Jars
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Smooth Roast ECO REFILL Instant Freeze Dried Coffee 150g bag
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Rich Roast ECO REFILL Instant Freeze Dried Coffee 150g Bag
Kenco Cappio Caffe Latte Stickpack
Kenco Cappio Cappuccino Unsweetened Sticks 148g
Kenco Cappio Cappuccino Regular Sticks 149g
Maxwell House Café Latte Regular Stickpack 153g
Maxwell House Cappuccino Unsweetened
Maxwell House Cappuccino Sweetened (no sprinkles)
Maxwell House Cappuccino Sweetened Stickpacks
Maxwell House Cappuccino unsweetened stickpacks
Maxwell House Granules 50g, 100g, 200g, 300g
Maxwell House Velvet Instant Coffee 100g Jar
Maxwell House Instant Coffee Powder 100g, 200g, 300g
Kenco Pure Brazilian Instant Coffee 100g
Kenco Pure Colombian Instant Coffee 100g
Kenco Pure Costa Rican Instant Coffee 100g
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified™ SMOOTH ROAST Instant Coffee 100g, 200g, 300g Jar
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified™ RICH ROAST Instant Coffee 100g, 200g, 300g Jar
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified™ DECAFFEINATED Instant Coffee 100g, 200g, 300g Jar
Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Decaffeinated Instant Coffee Refill Bag 300g
Kenco Rappor Coffee 100g, 200g, 300g
Kenco Sustainable Development Coffee 100g, 200g


PRODUCT
Kenco Sustainable Development Decaffeinated Instant Coffee 100g, 200g
Kenco Peruvian Instant Coffee 100g Jar
Tassimo Kenco Café Crema 128g
Tassimo Kenco Cappuccino
Tassimo kenco Classic Blend - Decaffeinated
Tassimo Kenco Espresso Coffee
Tassimo Kenco Latte Macchiato being replaced by CN Latte, but not suitable for Halal
Tassimo Kenco Medium Roast Coffee
Tassimo Twinings Chamomile, Orange & Linden Herbal Tea
Tassimo Twinings Early Grey Tea
Tassimo Twinings English Breakfast Tea
Tassimo Twinings Fruits of the Forest Infusion
Tassimo Twinings Green Tea & Mint Tea
Tassimo Creamer from Milk
Tassimo Carte Noire Crema Intenso
Tassimo Kenco Pure Columbian Rainforest Alliance Certified™
Tassimo Starbucks House Blend Coffee 68g
Mellow Bird's Coffee

 
CONFECTIONERY (retail only)
Cote d'Or 86% Dark cocoa 100g  alcoholic flavourings
Cote d'Or Dark 70% cocoa 100g  alcoholic flavourings
Cote d'Or Dark Raspberry 100g  alcoholic flavourings
Milka Alpine Milk Chocolate Santa Claus 85g  (calf rennet)
Milka & Daim 100g    (calf rennet)
Oreo Choco Cream 154g, 176g (calf rennet)
Creamy White chocolate covered oreo 352g (calf rennet)
Oreo Mini 115g  (calf rennet)
Oreo Chocolate flavoured sandwich biscuit with vanilla filling (calf rennet)  
Toblerone Dark Chocolate - all sizes
Toblerone Honeycomb Crisp 100g
Toblerone Milk Chocolate - all sizes
Toblerone Milk Fruit & Nut 35g, 100g, 400g
Toblerone White - all sizes
Toblerone Tobelle 160g
Toblerone Tiny's Assorted Box 198g, 330g   (calf rennet)
Terry's Chocolate Orange Dark Ball 175g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Dark Mint Dazzler 175g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Milk Ball 175g
Terry's Cosmic Toffee Crunch Ball 170g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Mint Bar 40g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Bar 40g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Segsations 700g Tin
Terry's Chocolate Orange Toffee Crunch Bar 40g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Cracking Hazelnut 170g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Cracking Hazelnut 40g
Terry's Chocolate Orange Popping Candy 170g
Double Daim 56g (calf rennet)
Daim Mini 140g (calf rennet)

CHEESE (retail only)
Dairylea Bites
Dairylea Dunkers - Ritz Crackers
Dairylea Dunkers - Breadstick
Dairylea Dunkers - Jumbo Tubes
Dairylea Dunkers - Salt & Vinegar Twists
Dairylea Dunkpots 126g (calf rennet)
Dairylea Dunkers - Nacho
Dairylea Cheddar Cheese Slices
Dairylea Triangles Regular
Dairylea Triangles Light
Dairylea Cheese Spread Tubs - Regular
Dairylea Cheese Spread Tubs - Light
Philadelphia Extra Low Fat Soft Cheese 125g, 200g, 300g
Philadelphia Extra Light Mini Tub 140g
Philadelphia Full Fat Soft Cheese 125g, 200g, 300g
Philadelphia Light Garlic & Herbs 200g, 300g
Philadelphia Light Medium Fat Soft Cheese
Philadelphia Light Mini-tub 140g
Philadelphia Light with Basil
Philadelphia Light with Chives
Philadelphia Snack & Italian Breadsticks
Philadelphia Splendips, Chives
Poppadom & Mango Chutney
Philadelphia Splendips - Mediterranean Flatbreads and chutney   (calf rennet)
Cracker Barrel Cheddar Cheese
Singles Cheddar Cheese Food Slices

Kraft BISCUITS

Belvita Breakfast - Milk & Cereals 50g, 300g  (calf rennet)
Belvita Breakfast - Fruit & Fibre 50g, 300g  (calf rennet)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Drunk Canadian Cattle.

Canadian cattle enjoy red wine with their feed

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Western Canadian beef producers have found a novel way of putting the "bar" in barbecue.

Angus cattle in British Columbia's Okanagan wine and cattle region are being fed red wine with their grain. Chefs in this Canadian Pacific Coast province said it makes for a unique beef taste, but Canadian food inspectors appear to have doubts.

Source

Halal meat in Iceland

Iceland is a small country located North of Europe. A small country with an estimated population of 300,000 + its surprising that Iceland will be slaughtering its cattle the Halal way..

The source of this news is an article from www.ruv.is/ .  Now how much exactly do the icelanders know about HALAL itself is unclear. Specially due to the official statistics of NO MUSLIMS

Here is an excerpt from the article originally in Icelandic; translation (not so flattering) courtesy of Google Translate:
All sheep, which will be slaughtered in southern Sláturfélag in Selfoss in the fall, will be slaughtered with-Halal slaughter. . Muslim stands where the sheep is killed, is the prayer in your mind or out loud during harvest time. All carcasses from the house, get there with a specific certification, but it is hoped that large markets for the sale of lama meat in the Muslim world open partnership with them.

It would be interesting to find out the details of how many muslims there are in iceland and are these cattle possibly certified Halal by any agency..

It is interesting to not that their is support for Halal method increasing in the world (due to the economic impact) err the Humane standards of Halal.. Makes you wonder, wasn't it humane all the time?? Why the realization now... Here is an excerpt to show this:
According to the slaughterhouse manager at Hvammstangi, it is a common misconception that the Halal method is inhumane. Quite on the contrary, it fulfills every standard regarding the humane treatment of animals as well as the handling of alimentary products.
Via IceLandView

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Halal meals on British airways??

GateGourmet Announces it will Only Serve Halal Dishes

According to recent reports, the world’s largest independent airline caterer has just recently announced plans to make most of its dishes halal compliant. This company, GateGourmet, says that it wants to standardize production to ensure most meals meet with the strict Islamic rules. This decision would be based on the drive to lower costs rather than on any kind of religious grounds.

List of Gate Gourmet Clients:
  • British Airways
  • LAN Airlines
  • Air Algérie
  • American Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • Qantas Airways
  • Aerolíneas Argentinas
  • Avianca
  • Iberia Airlines
  • Airblue
  • Air France
  • Delta Air Lines
  • Continental Airlines
  • Emirates Airline
  • Thai Airways International
  • Swiss International Air Lines
  • Airblue
  • Amtrak
  • EasyJet

Halal KFC is not halal enough claims council of mosque (UK)

A council of mosques has stated KFC chicken cannot be termed 'halal’ even though it is claimed it is.
Members of Lancashire Council of Mosques met with representatives of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) this week after concerns were raised about the restaurant’s halal status.

It follows an expansion of KFC halal restaurants in the northwest of England.

As exclusively reported in Asian Image last month, the KFC has chosen the Halal Food Authority (HFA) as it’s certification authority.

The HFA claims it is the largest food certification body in the UK and certifies thousands of shops, butchers and stores across the UK. The HMC certifies just over 300 food businesses. They claim to take a more proactive approach in ensuring food is halal. The LCM claim to have its own halal criteria and state the HMC criteria fulfils that.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Halal only options available for schools (UK)

A local authority is offering its primary schools the chance to serve halal-only meat on its school menus Nine secondary schools in Harrow, north-west London, already provide pupils with meat prepared according to Islamic law in a scheme that has been running for two years.

Harrow Council said the decision to give halal-only meat, with vegetarian and fish alternatives, had been successful and the 52 primary schools in the area were due to discuss taking part in the same programme.
A council spokeswoman said the move had been advised by an independent dietician.

Councillor Brian Gate, portfolio holder for schools and colleges, said the “level of interest” from parents, and the costs involved meant that the council was not introducing the scheme into all primary schools.
Instead, it would be the choice of individual schools as to whether or not they chose to use catering firm Harrison Catering Services, which serves halal-only meat through a hub kitchen.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Halal Cert For Fratini's (Brunei)

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Ministry of Religious Affairs yesterday handed a halal certificate to Fratini's Restaurant in Centrepoint.

"Fratinis is the pilot project. People always had doubts. Now we are certified. No more doubts. We can do the other four restaurants in Seria, Kuala Belait, Muara and Zaika's," said Adam Kalevic, Fratini's/RMS Group of Restaurants Managing Director.

He said he engaged the services of a private company, Ha Management Services, since February to help Fratini's attain the halal certificate "before the fasting month".
"Our kitchen has 100 per cent Muslim staff," Kalevic said.

"Going for a halal certificate is a business strategy. It can push sales up to 30 per cent or more," said Dato Abdul Rahman Mohiddin, chairman of HA Management Services.
He said his company, made up of retired professionals from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, is helping the business community to get halal certificates from the government.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Kosher Vitamins in Canada by Enfamil

This if from their official website regarding the kosher status of the following vitamins made by enfamil:

  • Enfamil® D-Vi-Sol®,
  • Enfamil® Poly-Vi-Sol®
  • Enfamil® Tri-Vi-Sol® 
  • Enfamil® Fer-In-Sol®

 Are Enfamil® vitamins kosher?

Yes, Enfamil® D-Vi-Sol®, Enfamil® Poly-Vi-Sol®, Enfamil® Tri-Vi-Sol® and Enfamil® Fer-In-Sol® are all Kosher products Circle U Kosher Symbol.

Source

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Tesco offers halal range for barbeques

UK: Now supermarket giant Tesco offers halal range for barbeques

It already offers more than 100 fresh halal products to cater for its Muslim customers.
Now with the market worth an estimated £2.8billion a year, Tesco believes it has spotted another gap in the market.
The supermarket giant is today launching a halal barbeque food range.
It will sell seven frozen chicken and lamb barbeque dishes with plans to add more to the range next year.
Only last month Tesco opened its fourth halal meat counter at its Hodge Hill store in Birmingham.
Tesco ethnic food buying manager Steve Ewels said: ‘It’s estimated there are two million Muslims living in the UK but until now there’s never been a dedicated Halal barbeque range. Now we’ve put that right.
‘We know there is a growing demand for halal food so for us it is a natural move to offer a barbeque range.’
The launch is in line with a general move by restaurant chains such as McDonald’s, KFC, and Nando’s plus sandwich specialists Subway to offer halal food.
Halal is an Arabic word which means permissible or lawful in Islam.
In order to be considered halal, animals bred for meat must not have consumed any meat or meat by-products and have been handled in a way to minimise suffering.
Tesco is also launching its own brand of kosher beans in response to demand from the Jewish community in the UK.

Source

Friday, September 10, 2010

Enfamil Baby Products Halal or Haram??

Excerpt from Meadjohnson website, makers of Enfamil group of baby products..

Are Nutramigen® A+® and Pregestimil® A+® kosher and halal?

Nutramigen® A+® and Pregestimil® A+® are not kosher or halal.

The casein protein is hydrolyzed or broken down by an enzyme process using pork pancreatic enzyme. Very little of the enzyme remains in the final product in fact, pork contributes an insignificant percentage of the prepared formula. If Nutramigen® A+® and Pregestimil® A+® are medically necessary for your baby, some rabbis provide exceptions for use of the product.

Source

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Marhaba Halal Food to launch in Harrods and Waitrose

A new range of delicious Halal Belgium chocolates, cake bars and sweets
will shortly be available in Harrods and 35 Waitrose stores around the
country. In keeping with the religion and culture, Cambridge based
Marhaba Halal Food has worked to fuse Islamic values with modern
tastes, to produce a range of stylish and high quality products that
are modern in look but authentic in taste and will appeal to modern
Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Marhaba Food’s slogan is ‘by sharing we
create harmony.’



This superb range includes mouth-watering 100g Belgian dark
chocolate and milk chocolate bars, and dark chocolate bars with tangy
orange. There is also an attractively packaged box of 20 heart shaped
milk chocolates with hazel nuts. Also in the collection are 8 pack and
individual Twinz cake bars consisting of four delicious flavours,
including Chocolate and Strawberry, Chocolate and Orange, Cherry and
Yoghurt, and Strawberry and Yoghurt. Added to the range are mint and
fruit chews and spearmint and peppermint gum, both sugar free.
Until recently, Muslim chocolate and sweet lovers often had to buy
vegetarian products, but not all of these are suitable for a Muslim
diet as many contain alcohol or emulsifiers and preservatives, derived
from animals that have not been prepared according to the Shari’ah,
Islamic Law.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Malaysia to help set up Halal park in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Penang International Halal Hub (PIHH) of Malaysia will visit Karachi this month to assist the Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) in identifying a suitable developer of a Halal park in Karachi.

It will also look into the possibility of relocation and expansion of the Malaysian Halal industry in Pakistan, said a press release received here on Friday.
PIHH and SBI have agreed to jointly hold an international Halal Conference at Karachi in December and mutually work out sources of finance for the conference.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Malaysia, Masood Khalid, said that SBI and PIHH had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to widen the Halal industry in Pakistan recently and steps were being taken in accordance with the MoU.
Speaking in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, Khalid termed the signing of the MoU a step in the right direction and hoped that complementary competencies of Pakistan and Malaysia in the Halal sector would certainly be a win-win situation for both and would help them jointly capture the multi-trillion-dollar market.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2010.
Source

Halal baby formula in USA & Canada

This is a list of Baby Formula products labelled halal according to brother Syed Rasheeduddin Ahmed of Muslim Consumer Group. As mentioned in this Forum post here..
LINK


Halal Baby Formulas in United States of America:

New Next Step Lipil Enfamil 08-14-2008
A.R. Lipil Enfamil 08-14-2008
Gentlease Enfamil 08-14-2008
Isomil Advance Soy formula Similac 08-14-2008
Go & Grow Milk Based Formula Similac 08-14-2008
Pro Sabee Lipil Soy Infant Formula Enfamil 08-14-2008

In Canada the following baby formulas are Halal because they are free of nucleotides:

Advance Infant Formula Similac
Go & Grow Infant Formula Similac
Infant Formula with Iron Enfamil
Isomil Enfamil
A Plus + Infant Formula Enfamil
Enfa Pro Infant Formula Enfamil
Follow Up Transition Infant Formula Nestle

Above formulas are made without nucleotide are kosher certified by Orthodox Union of New York city with OUD kosher symbol. Many mothers in USA do not want to feed their children those baby formulas in which ingredients are grown on alcohol.

Syed Rasheeduddin Ahmed
Muslim Consumer Group For Food Products USA
www.muslimconsumergroup.com
www.canadianhalalfoods.com

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

“Simply Halal” launch of Halal Barbeque Range

“Simply Halal” launch of Halal Barbeque Range could create more employment on the New European Halal Food Park based in Norfolk .

Recognising the growing popularity of Halal food, Simply Halal has launched a full range of marinated products to complement its retail pack range of Beef, lamb & Mutton Cuts. The introduction of the Halal BBQ range coincides with Ramadan and the month of fasting.
Roger Carr owner of Simply Halal in Banham, which is the first of 4 companies which have committed to operate from the new European Halal Food Park in Norfolk , said working closely with HMC and NPD services to develop the new value added range of products said “It’s estimated there are two million Muslims living in the UK . Now we are able to offer the consumer the opportunity to purchase BBQ meat products that have been produced here in the UK .
The Halal Barbeque range has been prepared in accordance with Islamic law and Simply Halal’s recent success in gaining ‘A Grade’ BRC Status ensures its customers can have confidence in full traceability from farm to fork,
“We know there is a growing demand for’ truly’  halal food so for us it is a natural move to add a BBQ range to our existing range of products.”
Muslim’s are definitely becoming more adventurous & experimental in their eating habits so it’s important that both manufacturers & retailers, service the increasing demand of the new generation and their eating habits.
The launch follows recent moves by fast food chains McDonald’s, KFC and Subway, as well as restaurant chain Nandos, to offer halal food at more UK outlets.

Source

Halal baby formula in South Africa (SANHA)

Here is a list of Baby Formula Products Certified Halal by SANHA
These are halal in SOUTH AFRICA only
for other countries please confirm!!!

HALAL BABY FORMULA

NESTLE
Nestle Lactogen 2
Nestle Lactogen 1
Nestle Pelargon
Nestle Nan 1
Nestle Nan 2
Nestle Nido 3+
Nestle Nido
Nestle Nido 1+
Nestle Nido Everyday

Nestle Baby Sites (Worldwide): 


Monday, September 6, 2010

The ministry may be sued over vaccine

Novartis Vaccine Halal??

A consumer rights group may sue the government for failure to inform the public about pig enzymes used to make a meningitis vaccine intended for Muslim pilgrims, an official said Friday.

Indonesian Health Consumers Empowerment Foundation chairman Marius Widjajarta said Friday that the group would gather support from the public and the media
and file a class action lawsuit against the Health Ministry and the Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM).

“They have violated the 1999 Consumer Protection law and the 2008 Public Information Law, which guarantee the public and consumers the right to be informed about safety and the details of a product’s ingredients — in this case, the Novartis meningitis vaccine,” Marius said.

The government wants to procure the Italian-made vaccine to replace the vaccine made by Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline that Indonesian hajj pilgrims have been using for the last 10 years.

The Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) previously issued an edict declaring that the vaccines made by Novartis and the Tian Yuan in China were halal, or acceptable for Muslims, and that Glaxo’s vaccine was forbidden, or haram.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Samina Akhter - Samina Pure makeup - Halal makeup

As a Muslim, Samina Akhter was disturbed to find some of her make-up contained pig by-products so she came up with a solution -- a range of halal make-up, free from alcohol and animal products.
Under Islamic law, alcohol and certain meats are forbidden with pork especially taboo so Akhter was shocked to learn some of the products she used contained alcohol and even pig placenta.
So she devised her own make-up line, Samina Pure Make-up, launched from her home in Birmingham in June this year after two years of testing which now boasts to be Britain's first company to sell halal-certified cosmetics.
"This has been on my conscience," Akhter, 41, a mother of five, told Reuters Television.
"I realized many (make-up product) do contain ingredients that are not permissible to Muslims to eat and I just started thinking, well if it's not permissible to eat, then why should I put it on my face?"
The range, which is mainly sold online, includes items like foundation, blusher, eyeshadows and lipsticks, priced from about 8 pounds ($12.50) and is initially targeted at the almost one million Muslim woman living in Britain.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

More scientists question halal vaccines

More scientists are challenging an edict from the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) declaring a brand of meningitis vaccine forbidden, or haram, for pre-haj vaccinations.

Two years ago the Council banned Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline vaccine, which Indonesian hajj pilgrims had been using for 10 years, saying that it contained traces of swine products.

The ban on Glaxo vaccine has stirred controversy among medical experts, who believe that no meningitis vaccine is swine-free, including those manufactured by the Switzerland-based Novartis and China’s Tian Yuan, which the Council declared halal, or acceptable, in July.

Yarsi University professor of medicine, Jurnalis Udin, told The Jakarta Post recently that meningitis vaccine producers obtained their seed stocks from the C11 strain of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, which was produced and developed only by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in Maryland, the US, in the 1960s.

“The institute produced the seed stocks, which were grown using the Mueller-Hinton medium, which includes using swine enzymes,” he said, adding that international academic journals confirmed the fact.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Manitoba beef producers should consider halal, kosher markets: minister

WINNIPEG - Manitoba beef producers should be taking advantage of the growing specialized kosher and halal markets, says Manitoba Agriculture Minister Stan Struthers.
"A recent study by Interpoc Inc. clearly demonstrates there is a growing market for specialized beef products in Manitoba, Canada and internationally, driven by people who follow Jewish and Muslim religious food practices," Struthers said Monday in a release.
Halal meat is slaughtered or prepared in the manner prescribed by Islamic law; its market in Canada is estimated at $214 million, according to the study. The nationwide market for kosher beef --  beef that adheres to the dietary laws of Judaism -- is calculated to be about $130 million.
The study indicates that only a limited number of companies are currently servicing the specialized halal and kosher demands in Canada. These specialized products are expensive and are often only available frozen instead of fresh because of limited production and availability.
While the study focuses on the opportunity for beef, similar substantial opportunities exist for lamb, goats and poultry, Struthers noted.
The halal and kosher market study is available from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives' Livestock Knowledge Centre by contacting Mamoon Rashid at 204-945-7557 or at mamoon.rashid@gov.mb.ca.

Halal hampers unveiled for Eid

A halal hampers company has unveiled their special Eid designs for the coming celebration. Hiba Hampers which specialise in exclusive bespoke hampers say their newest designs are sure to be popular with the Muslim community.

A spokesperson for the company said, “I think we always want to give presents to our family and friends they will remember and treasure.

“At Hiba we always try to be a little different and ensure each Hamper has that personal touch to it.
“We are confident the latest range of hampers from Hiba are sure to be popular with new and regular customers.”

The hamper is made from the finest products sourced from around the world. All the drinks are non-alcoholic

The hand made baskets are imported from abroad, with products such as the jam hailing from France and the chocolates from Belgium.

Prices for the hampers range from £25 to £250 for the most expensive.
For further information see: www.hibahampers.co.uk

Quick restaurant halal? somewhat.. (France)

With close to five million Muslims roaming the streets of France, fast-food giant Quick made a faith-conscious business move: serve meats that are safe for Europe's largest Islamic population to purchase.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that France's No. 2 burger chain announced its plans to expand its eight halal-only trial branches to 22 full-service outlets. As the patties rolled in, some Muslims were far from satisfied.

The AP found one local Islamic group contending that Quick was too quick in overlooking ingredients outside of the meat -- the buns, the fries, the condiments.

"The rest must be validated too, or else there's no point," Cheikh Al Sid Cheikh, assistant to the rector of the Paris Mosque, told the wire service.

Quick Restaurants spokeswoman Valerie Raynal noted in the same report that her company's aim is not to abide to an all-Halal menu. Despite alcohol being outlined as Haram (forbidden) in the Koran, beer is still served by the chain.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

"alcohol free" or "Non-alcoholic" does not mean No alochol

Alcohol labeling in Food
It is true after all; the US food laws allow upto 0.5% of alochol in an alcohol free / non alcoholic drink or food product.  Burst a lot of bubbles??

Check out this article that describes this policy:

Food Labeling Law Regarding Alcohol

Ethanol or ethyl alcohol is listed in GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list. That means this alcohol has been shown to be safe based on a long history of common usage in food. There is not much labeling information available regarding a food that contains alcohol. According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA following are the basic principles that should be followed regarding a food that contains alcohol. USDA supervises all the meat items (chicken, beef, mutton, turkey, etc.). If the meat is cooked with wine, the label must say, "this meat cooked with wine." There is no need to give the composition of wine.
FDA supervises all other food items. (If a food contains more than 7 percent alcohol by volume, that food comes under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Novartis claims meningitis vaccine ‘halal’

Pharmaceutical manufacturer PT Novartis Indonesia has said that its meningitis vaccine for the hajj pilgrimage is halal (allowed by Islam teachings) after receiving a certificate from the Islamic Service of America.

“We received the certificate in January,” company spokeswoman Wanda Harahap said Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

Last Wednesday, several academicians questioned the status of meningitis vaccines produced by Novartis Indonesia and China-based Zheiyiang Tianjuan. Based on several pieces of literature, the two vaccines are haram (prohibited by Islam teachings) because they used substances made from swine, Yarsi Foundation chief Jurnalis Uddin said.

Nevertheless, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) has declared the two vaccines halal.

Therefore, she did not want to fall into an endless controversy on meningitis vaccine, Wanda said.

“We have gone through a long process to make sure that our vaccines have met halal requirements,” she added.

Source

QBB Ghee: Halal Or Not? (Brunei)

QBB Ghee: Halal Or Not? Jury Still Out In Brunei


QBB-Pure-Ghee
Bandar Seri Begawan - Consumers and bakers of Raya mini-cakes are concerned over the reported suspension of QBB Pure Ghee's halal certificate in Malaysia.
Muslim consumers in Brunei Darussalam are awaiting an official announcement from authorities in the Sultanate on their own assessment of reports that the product, widely used in the Malay cuisine, contains pig fat.
The Brunei Times contacted the Ministry of Religious Affairs yesterday and was informed that its Halal Food Control Division was fully aware of the situation.
"We are carrying further investigation on this matter," said Hjh Rabiatul Adawiyah Hj Ahmad, Education Officer at the Halal Food Control Division under the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Syariah Affairs Department. "So far our labs have tested the previous batches of the product, though we have not identified any trace of the `foreign substance'.
"As we await the new batches to arrive in our labs for testing, we are also awaiting further clarification from the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) for the final verdict, then we will make an official public announcement," she added.