Shoppers should know if meat

is halal, say faith leaders

THURSDAY 08 MAY 2014
Food in supermarkets and restaurants should e !learl" laelled# sa" $e%ish and
Muslim &aith leaders# as 'i((a )*press and other !hains admit the %idespread use o&
halal meat+
Faith leaders said that consumers should be given the details about how
animals had been killed on meat packaging.
The Jewish and Muslim faith leaders said in a letter to the Telegraph that
"comprehensive labelling" should be supported by animal welfare groups
and faith groups alike so that consumers can make an informed choice.
Their intervention follows the news reported by The Sun that halal chicken
was widespread in Pia !"press restaurants and other chains.
#ampaigners said that the restaurant was "duping" customers by not
putting information about the slaughter on the menu $ even though the
information is available on the website.
The Muslim practice of "%abiha" and the Jewish practice of "Shechita"
slaughter re&uire an animal to killed by a sharp tool through the throat and
neck. 'nder %abiha( the blood is then drained from the body after the
slaughter.
,omprehensi-e laellin. should e supported " &aith !ommunities and
animal %el&are .roups alikeFaith leaders
There is some controversy surrounding the kosher and halal slaughter of
animals when it comes to whether animals are stunned before they are
killed $ as re&uired by the )efra guidelines. The most recent Food Standards
*gency report found that the vast ma+ority of animals $ but not all $ are
stunned before religious slaughter.
The ,ritish -eterinary *ssociation has also disputed claims that animals are
killed instantly and )enmark has banned kosher and halal means of
slaughter.
1. Channel 4 News @Channel4News
Should shoppers know if meat is halal? http://bit.ly/1o!"u# $%4news
Bren @&ren'1()
*ollow
@Channel4News Of course they should. I 'd NEVER buy halal meat and
now feel physically sic that I may ha!e done in the past without nowin"
:+, -. / ) .ay +014
Hobson @1hobson",
*ollow
@Channel4News #oanin" about halal is simply a co!er for anti$#uslim pre%udice.
&ou ne!er hear anyone ban"in" on about osher meat do you'
(:(1 -. / ) .ay +014
N London Housewife @N2ondon3ousewif
*ollow
@fi((y"al)* @Channel4News #ost halal meat in +, is first stunned $ discussion
should be about transparency not reli"ious food prep
(:(" -. / ) .ay +014
-hoto. /alal slau"hterhouse in -oland
.owever .enry /runwald(
Shechita '0 chairman and Shu+a Shafi( Muslim #ouncil of ,ritain1s deputy
secretary general in their letter to the Telegaph( re+ected claims that
animals are treated worse if killed through religious slaughter2
"3f two chickens are reared in e"actly the same conditions( are both
electrocuted until they are unconscious( and then one goes into an
enormous machine which scalds( feathers and decapitates it( while the
other goes to a Muslim who happens to be reciting a prayer( which are
critics &uite content with the former but up in arms about the latter4"
The letter added2 "#omprehensive labelling should be supported by faith
communities and animal welfare groups alike. 3t would offer all consumers
genuine choice( whether they are motivated by animal welfare( religious
observance( or even intolerance of anyone who looks or worships differently
to them."
/hat makes meat 0halal0 or 0kosher01
".alal" is the *rabic word for "lawful"( and in the conte"t of meat( refers to
the way the animal is slaughtered before it is prepared to be eaten. .alal
slaughter involves the animal being blessed by a Muslim with a
slaughterman1s licence( for the animal to killed by a single cut( and for the
blood to be drained from the body after the slaughter.
"Shechita" slaughter covers Jewish religious practices( which produces
"kosher" meat that is allowed by Jewish law. 'nder this law( any stunning is
forbidden and "it is forbidden to slaughter an animal in front of other
animals or to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day(" the
)efra guidelines say2
"5here an animal is slaughtered without prior stunning for consumption by
a Jew( the slaughter must take place in a licensed abattoir( licensed poultry
slaughterhouse under official veterinary supervision( or in another officially
regulated poultry slaughterhouse."
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