Halaal food product guidelines

Please Note: The Halaal Food Product definition specified here is for your guidance only.

Any product(s) conforming to the definition cannot automatically be classified as Halaal or Suitable for Halaal consumers.

Classification of products as Halaal is a very serious religious matter.

For any product to be classified as Halaal or as Suitable for Halaal consumers, the product has to be authenticated by a Muslim authentication board and monitored according to the Islamic laws.

Kosher and Vegetarian products cannot be accepted as Halaal without authentication.

This Halaal Food Product Guideline is based on the Islamic Law as stipulated by the 'Hanafi' school of jurisprudence.

Halaal food product guidelines: 

Food product must be free from all of the following.

1. Any product or by-product derived from pig or dog
2. Blood
3. Carnivorous animals (except fish)
4. Birds with talons or birds that feed by snatching and tearing e.g. eagles and other similar birds
5. Reptiles and insects
6. Any marine animals except fish
7. Animals that live on land and in water (amphibians) like frogs, crocodiles and other similar animals.
8. Animals which have died, by any means other than slaughtering according to the Islamic Law.
9. Animals which are generally considered as repulsive such as lice, maggots, mice, rats, spiders and other similar animals.
10. The bodies of animals permitted under the Islamic Law (that is cow, sheep, lamb, goat, deer, poultry and such like) which are not slaughtered according to the Islamic Law. 
    Note: Most animals in the U.K. are not slaughtered according to the Islamic Law
11. Wine, Ethyl Alcohol or Spirits, where these remain in their original chemical form
12. Any product or by-product (including any product used temporarily as a substitute) which contains or is derived from any one or more of the above products (as defined in sections 1. to 11.) in however minute quantity, whether as an ingredient or sub-ingredient or as a processing aid or as a releasing agent or as a glazing agent or as an additive or as a colour or in any other form, is Haraam (unlawful) for Muslims
13. The preparation, processing and the manufacturing equipment must be free from all of the above 1. to 12.
14. The packaging material, which comes in contact with the food product must be free from all of the above 1. to 12.

For further information contact The Muslim Food Board (UK).