The compatibility of modern slaughter techniques with halal slaughter: a review of the aspects of ‘modern’ slaughter methods that divide scholarly opinion within the Muslim community

Fuseini, Awal; Wotton, S.B.; Hadley, Phillip J; Knowles, Toby G

doi:10.7120/09627286.26.3.301

Cited by 23 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…However, there appear to be differences in opinion among HCBs with regard to the acceptability of certain practices (e.g. pre-slaughter stunning and mechanical slaughter) (Fuseini et al, 2017a). These differences of opinion are brought about by variations in Islamic scholars' interpretation of the religious scriptures and this was highlighted by Fuseini et al (2017b) in a survey of Islamic scholars in the UK on the acceptability of pre-slaughter and post-slaughter stunning during Halal meat production.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Halal food marketing: an evaluation of UK halal standards

Fuseini

Hadley

Knowles

2020

JIMA

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Purpose Because of the economic significance of the Halal meat market, many food business operators have started trading in Halal meat products. Some businesses rely solely on the services of Halal certification bodies (HCBs) to assure Halal consumers as to the authenticity of Halal meat products. However, the lack of unified national or global Halal standards has resulted in confusion as to what is authentic Halal. This paper aims to survey HCBs in the UK to highlight the major differences between the various Halal standards with regard to Halal meat production. Design/methodology/approach Out of 15 HCBs that the authors contacted, 9 agreed to participate in the study. Respondents were asked to indicate what slaughter practices are acceptable according to their standard and further indicate if their respective organisations carried out speciation testing to detect the presence of foreign deoxyribonucleic acid in certified Halal products. Findings All nine certifiers indicated that they owned and operated according to a written Halal standard. The majority of certifiers indicated that they accepted pre-slaughter stunning if the stunning did not result in the death of animals prior to exsanguination, a Muslim should perform the slaughter and a short prayer must be recited and only manual (by hand) slaughter is acceptable. Research limitations/implications The findings give an insight into acceptable and prohibited procedures during Halal meat production in the UK. Abattoir operators, meat processors and retailers can use this as a guide when selecting suitable Halal certifiers for their businesses. Originality/value The study reveals that there are a number of HCBs in the UK who are all operating according to the different interpretation of the Halal dietary laws. The paper further highlights the different slaughter procedures that are acceptable and prohibited to different certifiers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Halal food marketing: an evaluation of UK halal standards

Fuseini

Hadley

Knowles

2020

JIMA

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“…However, there is confusion amongst Muslims and non-Muslims alike about the slaughter process and what halal certification means [ 13 ]. For example, there are varying opinions on whether stunning always kills the animal, whether it causes pain to the animal, and whether mechanical slaughter and the thoracic stick are permissible in halal slaughter [ 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes of the public towards halal food and associated animal welfare issues in two countries with predominantly Muslim and non-Muslim populations

et al. 2018

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Halal food is that which is permissible or lawful for Muslims to consume. Meat products must abide by a number of requirements in relation to their preparation, condition and content to be considered halal. We conducted a survey in order to assess the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, halal meat products in two contrasting countries, one with a majority non-Muslim population (Australia, respondent n = 565), where the most commonly followed religion is Christianity, and one with a majority Muslim population (Malaysia, n = 740). The most common reasons for avoiding halal food were animal welfare, religion and meat quality. Malaysians generally believed that halal processes led to improved meat quality, whereas Australians did not. The general consensus was in favour of legally controlling animal welfare during slaughter, supported by both Muslims and Christians. Malaysians were more aware of the main tenets of halal slaughter than Australians. However, some non-compulsory, incorrect practices were thought to be required practices by respondents in both countries, but especially in Australia. Muslims were more concerned about humane treatment of animals during halal slaughter. They generally believed that stunning is never allowed and that this view was acceptable, whereas people from other belief systems generally held the view that this was unacceptable. Religion and education were the most common factors associated with attitudes, beliefs and consumer habits concerning halal. Information from this study can help to improve understanding of attitudes to halal and provide insights to policy makers seeking to address animal welfare concerns.

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“…It uses the same amount of current as head-only electrical stunning but is operated at higher frequencies (1,000 to 2,000 Hz) with a square waveform rather than sinusoidal. It can be applied over the full body instead of only the head and because of high frequencies, it does not cause heart failure or death of the animal, convulsions associated with muscle activity, and consequent electrical immobilization for operator safety can be avoided ( Simmons et al, 2006 ; Fuseini et al, 2017 ). From an animal welfare point of view, this technique is most preferred as head-to-body is reliable and causes no pain to the animal ( Anil et al, 2006 ; Fuseini et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Preslaughter Stunningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pros and cons of different stunning methods from a Halal perspective: a review

Riaz

Irshad

Riaz

et al. 2021

Translational Animal Science

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There has always been a debate about the acceptability of stunning methods for preparing Halal slaughtered meat. Throughout the last few decades, stunning methods have become acceptable for Halal slaughtering due to an increasing majority of Muslim countries issuing Fatwas (religious rulings) that approve of stunning methods for the Halal slaughtering of food animals. With an increasing Muslim population worldwide, Halal meat provision is important for Muslims both economically and ethically. Moreover, there have been concerns regarding traditional Halal slaughter without the use of stunning from the standpoint of the animal’s welfare. This article reviews the different stunning methods available and the associated processing practices, addressing their pros and cons in the commercial production of Halal meat.

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The compatibility of modern slaughter techniques with halal slaughter: a review of the aspects of ‘modern’ slaughter methods that divide scholarly opinion within the Muslim community

Cited by 23 publications

References 42 publications

Halal food marketing: an evaluation of UK halal standards

Halal food marketing: an evaluation of UK halal standards

Attitudes of the public towards halal food and associated animal welfare issues in two countries with predominantly Muslim and non-Muslim populations

Pros and cons of different stunning methods from a Halal perspective: a review

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