What is halal (Halal) food?

The Arabic word 'halal' means permitted or lawful, and is translated into Chinese as 'Qingzhen.' It is used to refer to any act or object permitted by Halal regulations. Therefore, halal (Halal) food is food permitted for consumption according to halal (Halal) dietary guidelines. Food that is not permitted is called haram, which means 'forbidden' in Arabic.

The word kosher is Hebrew, meaning 'proper' or 'fit,' similar to the Arabic halal. But the two also differ.

Non-halal (Haram) food

According to these collected guidelines, Halal consumers do not eat several different types of food. These include pork or pork by-products, animals that died before slaughter, and animals not properly slaughtered or not slaughtered in the name of Allah. Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and land animals without external ears are prohibited. Other taboos are blood and blood by-products, and alcohol.

Humane methods of animal slaughter

Through teaching, all animals should be respected and carefully cared for. Therefore, the goal of halal (Halal) slaughter is to slaughter animals in a way that limits the degree of suffering the animal endures.

When slaughtering an animal, the jugular vein is cut to drain the blood from the animal. This is done because Muslims are prohibited from consuming animal blood. Before slaughtering an animal, it must also be provided with food and water, must not be subjected to any disease, and it must be ensured that no other animal can witness the process. The tool used must be very sharp and four times the size of the neck of the animal to be cut. In addition, since pork is prohibited, slaughter must not be carried out where pigs have been slaughtered.

Where to find Halal Certification food

Halal food can be found in many grocery stores. In larger cities, you may also be able to find halal (Halal) meat. As demand for halal (Halal) food grows in some areas, some national supermarket chains are shipping halal (Halal) meat, and even using halal (Halal) turkey for the holidays. There are now also many online stores offering halal (Halal) food.

The widespread use of the word halal (Halal)

In metropolitan areas, halal (Halal) food has also casually become a kind of flavorful cuisine. In New York and other cities with a food-truck culture, halal (Halal) food trucks are seen as a source of dishes such as gyro sandwiches, shawarma and delicious kebabs. Some of these food trucks have developed a following, which in turn has led some halal (Halal) food truck owners to open restaurants offering the same flavorful cuisine.

Some popular street-casual halal (Halal) dishes are chicken or gyro sandwiches, which can be served with a rice platter or wrapped in pita, with lettuce and tomato and a tahini-based white sauce or a red-curry-powder-based seasoning sauce. Side dishes may include hummus or tahini, and baklava is often offered as a dessert.

How to identify raw and auxiliary materials in food as halal (Halal)?

There are three methods to identify halal (Halal) raw and auxiliary materials:

The word 'vegetable' is mentioned before or in parentheses in the description of a fat-based ingredient of the food; for example, vegetable mono- and diglycerides.

If a halal (Halal) food symbol (such as 'H' in a triangle) or a Kosher food symbol (such as U, U-D, cRc, KA, COR, K or KLBD) appears on the packaging (free of wine, alcohol, all types of gelatin, and human-hair L-cysteine), this means the fat-based raw and auxiliary materials are obtained from vegetable fats.

Inquiring with the food manufacturer is another way to identify them. The purpose is to verify whether the ingredients have passed halal certification or Kosher Certification, and also to inquire about any halal processing aid ingredients not mentioned in the ingredient list. Sometimes manufacturers use halal- or kosher-certified ingredients, while the final product is not halal (Halal)- or Kosher-certified; bread and buns are the best examples. Some manufacturers have halal (Halal)- or kosher-certified products, but the products do not bear the halal Halal or Kosher mark.

FAQ

What is halal (Halal) food, and how does it compare with kosher?
The Arabic word halal means permitted or lawful (translated into Chinese as Qingzhen), referring to food permitted for consumption by Halal regulations; food not permitted is called haram (forbidden). Kosher is Hebrew, meaning proper or fit, similar to halal, but the two are not entirely the same.
What specific animal-welfare requirements does halal slaughter have?
The goal of halal slaughter is to limit the animal's suffering as much as possible: the jugular vein is cut to drain blood during slaughter (Muslims are forbidden to consume animal blood); before slaughter, the animal must be provided with food and water, must not be made ill, and it must be ensured that no other animal witnesses the process; the tool used must be very sharp and about four times the size of the neck of the animal to be cut; and since pork is prohibited, slaughter must not be carried out where pigs have been slaughtered.
How can halal (Halal) raw and auxiliary materials be identified in food ingredients?
Three methods: first, the word 'vegetable' appears before or in parentheses in a fat-based ingredient description (e.g. vegetable mono/diglycerides); second, a halal symbol (such as H in a triangle) or kosher symbol (such as U, U-D, cRc, KA, COR, K, KLBD) appears on the packaging, indicating the fat-based raw materials come from vegetable fats; third, inquire directly with the food manufacturer to verify whether ingredients are halal- or kosher-certified and ask about unlisted processing aids—note that some products have certified ingredients but the final product is uncertified, or are certified but unmarked on the packaging.