Written by Aise Yigit
In the mind of a shopper, what is the notion of "Halal"? What items do you, as a halal-conscious consumer, add to your shopping cart and what items do you ignore? Since the introduction of genetically manipulated agricultural and animal products, consumers have become more concerned about food purity. Processes used in American slaughterhouses and meat-processing plants are also subject to discussion in this respect. There are different terminologies, which should not lead to any confusion among us. The term "organic" refers to growing and food processing methods that rely on the earth's natural resources.
Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls (California Certified Organic Farmers, 2001). In addition, organic products are regulated and must be certified. The term "all-natural" means food that has undergone minimal processing and contains no preservatives or artificial additives (www.webster.com). And conventional or traditional food processing employs processes that occur in nature, like natural breeding systems of poultry(www.consumersunion.org/food/food.htm).
In this respect, organic food may be fitting in some cases within the standards of the Islamic dietary concept as pure and healthy food. But beware, a certified organic product does not exclude any questionable ingredients for Muslims that might render a food item as non-halal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require food producers and processors to list any ingredient of the product, which comprises less than two percent of the total composition. And in that miniscule two percent, there just might be pork, other organic non-halal meat, or alcohol. So, we advise you to contact the company of the product and ask whether they use any ingredient considered by Muslims as questionable.
One of the most misleading shop items are dairy products, because dairy is supposed to have no other ingredient than milk. Kosher certification might also be misleading, since it does not exclude alcohol as an ingredient. Another important warning concerns vitamins A and D in dairy products. Milk producers claim that "by FDA regulations" these vitamins must be added to (skimmed) milk, producers use various sources like derivatives from pork! Read the contents label and look for safe additives, such as lanolin-based vitamin D and sources of vitamin A derived from palmitic acid from palm oil.
Another drawback for Muslims is that the FDA considers alcohol "Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)". As the alcohol content is often less than two percent of the total composition, it is often not listed in the ingredients, creating a challenge for Muslims residing in the U.S.
As consumers become aware of the current harmful practices in the meat processing and food processing industries, this trend is gaining momentum across the U.S. Many associations, non-profit organizations and food co-ops established among smaller farm owners are struggling to develop niche markets as strong alternatives to the fast-food industry and genetically modified food producers.
What is certified organic?
"Certified organic" means that agricultural products have been grown and processed according to the specific standards of various State and private certification organizations.
Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to establish national standards for organically produced commodities. This legislation requires that all except the smallest organic growers will have to be certified by a State or private agencyaccredited under national standards developed by USDA's National Organic Program (NOP). An important product of this program is the following notice on the USDA Organic Seal Use issued on April 2001 (Code of Federal Regulations: 2001 7CFR205). We advise you to visit such sites on a regular base and be an active community member.
As fastidious consumers, certified organic food suppliers and serious zabiha farms run by Muslims are the only rescue brigades for halal conscious Muslim consumers. Adherence to purity of what we eat takes more than just reading the ingredients list! We have urged our readers several times that the ingredients list of any product can be very misleading, as it is far from a complete listing of the exact ingredients used to make that product. Another serious drawback of these lists is that the common consumer does not know many terms used. Glycerin, gluteus, natural flavors, acids, emulsifiers and many other terms may be merely a mask for impure microbiotic ingredients in our food.
There are other serious considerations when reviewing the content of foods. For example, does the manufacturer process pork or pork-by products in the same plant? Is the chicken, beef, lamb or veal really 100% chicken, beef, lamb or veal?
According to the Recycler's World the following grades are included in the rendering and protein wastes category: restaurant food wastes, vegetable wastes, fruit wastes, brewer's wastes, bakery wastes, dairy wastes, meat & bone cuttings, cooking fats & greases and other rendering & protein wastes . With regard to meat, blood, bones, intestinal and other residuals from the meat processing cycle are reprocessed and reused as cattle fed or other secondary industry purposes. Briefly, all the residuals may find their way back into our food chain.
Unfortunately, the Muslim business owners are not yet active in all the branches of the Americanized dietary needs of Muslims; lean meals, pizza's, hamburgers, marshmallows and other products. We urge you to be sensitive and eat only what you can identify as pure Islam-sanctioned food.
Or just type one of these words -- organic, natural, conventional, rendering -- or other affiliated words in one of the search engines on the Internet!
URGENT Notice from the National Organic Program (NOP):
On April 23, 2001.
In order to display the USDA seal, an organically grown product must have been certified by an accredited USDA organic certifying agent and be determined to meet the NOP requirements. Consumers should be aware that any organic product packaging currently displaying the USDA seal is in violation of the NOP final rule and should in no way be construed to comply with the production and handling requirements set forth by the NOP. Any alleged use of the USDA seal on an organic product prior to October 21, 2002 will be vigorously investigated by the NOP, and, when violations are found, appropriate sanctions levied.
Source: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/nop2000/nop2/sealuse_notice.htm
In June 2000, the State of New Jersey passed an act called Halal Food Consumer Protection Act.
The State of Illinois has signed into law the Halal Food Act on August 16, 2001.
The State of Minnesota has also passed an act on Halal food.
FDA does not oblige the producer to mention ingredients less than 2% on the ingredients list.
The sale of organic products will likely break $9 billion this year
Alternative Food Habits
There may be many alternatives other than massively offered products by your local supermarket if there is no zabiha store nearby. You can consider organic food companies, Muslim-owned farms and organic farms. Many organic products are available in food stores and try to reach them through their toll-free numbers or via their web sites. Also take the time and drive up to a Muslim-owned farm, see with your own eyes what you are buying and ask the farmer from where he gets his livestock. Visit web sites, which we have listed in the following table or the list with the major popular companies further in this magazine and ask them about their ingredients. At least call and ask the representative whether he or she is familiar with the concept Halal. You will be surprised of the low awareness levels of major companies, which you as a consumer can change!
In the mind of a shopper, what is the notion of "Halal"? What items do you, as a halal-conscious consumer, add to your shopping cart and what items do you ignore? Since the introduction of genetically manipulated agricultural and animal products, consumers have become more concerned about food purity. Processes used in American slaughterhouses and meat-processing plants are also subject to discussion in this respect. There are different terminologies, which should not lead to any confusion among us. The term "organic" refers to growing and food processing methods that rely on the earth's natural resources.
Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls (California Certified Organic Farmers, 2001). In addition, organic products are regulated and must be certified. The term "all-natural" means food that has undergone minimal processing and contains no preservatives or artificial additives (www.webster.com). And conventional or traditional food processing employs processes that occur in nature, like natural breeding systems of poultry(www.consumersunion.org/food/food.htm).
In this respect, organic food may be fitting in some cases within the standards of the Islamic dietary concept as pure and healthy food. But beware, a certified organic product does not exclude any questionable ingredients for Muslims that might render a food item as non-halal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require food producers and processors to list any ingredient of the product, which comprises less than two percent of the total composition. And in that miniscule two percent, there just might be pork, other organic non-halal meat, or alcohol. So, we advise you to contact the company of the product and ask whether they use any ingredient considered by Muslims as questionable.
One of the most misleading shop items are dairy products, because dairy is supposed to have no other ingredient than milk. Kosher certification might also be misleading, since it does not exclude alcohol as an ingredient. Another important warning concerns vitamins A and D in dairy products. Milk producers claim that "by FDA regulations" these vitamins must be added to (skimmed) milk, producers use various sources like derivatives from pork! Read the contents label and look for safe additives, such as lanolin-based vitamin D and sources of vitamin A derived from palmitic acid from palm oil.
Another drawback for Muslims is that the FDA considers alcohol "Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)". As the alcohol content is often less than two percent of the total composition, it is often not listed in the ingredients, creating a challenge for Muslims residing in the U.S.
As consumers become aware of the current harmful practices in the meat processing and food processing industries, this trend is gaining momentum across the U.S. Many associations, non-profit organizations and food co-ops established among smaller farm owners are struggling to develop niche markets as strong alternatives to the fast-food industry and genetically modified food producers.
What is certified organic?
"Certified organic" means that agricultural products have been grown and processed according to the specific standards of various State and private certification organizations.
Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to establish national standards for organically produced commodities. This legislation requires that all except the smallest organic growers will have to be certified by a State or private agencyaccredited under national standards developed by USDA's National Organic Program (NOP). An important product of this program is the following notice on the USDA Organic Seal Use issued on April 2001 (Code of Federal Regulations: 2001 7CFR205). We advise you to visit such sites on a regular base and be an active community member.
As fastidious consumers, certified organic food suppliers and serious zabiha farms run by Muslims are the only rescue brigades for halal conscious Muslim consumers. Adherence to purity of what we eat takes more than just reading the ingredients list! We have urged our readers several times that the ingredients list of any product can be very misleading, as it is far from a complete listing of the exact ingredients used to make that product. Another serious drawback of these lists is that the common consumer does not know many terms used. Glycerin, gluteus, natural flavors, acids, emulsifiers and many other terms may be merely a mask for impure microbiotic ingredients in our food.
There are other serious considerations when reviewing the content of foods. For example, does the manufacturer process pork or pork-by products in the same plant? Is the chicken, beef, lamb or veal really 100% chicken, beef, lamb or veal?
According to the Recycler's World the following grades are included in the rendering and protein wastes category: restaurant food wastes, vegetable wastes, fruit wastes, brewer's wastes, bakery wastes, dairy wastes, meat & bone cuttings, cooking fats & greases and other rendering & protein wastes . With regard to meat, blood, bones, intestinal and other residuals from the meat processing cycle are reprocessed and reused as cattle fed or other secondary industry purposes. Briefly, all the residuals may find their way back into our food chain.
Unfortunately, the Muslim business owners are not yet active in all the branches of the Americanized dietary needs of Muslims; lean meals, pizza's, hamburgers, marshmallows and other products. We urge you to be sensitive and eat only what you can identify as pure Islam-sanctioned food.
Or just type one of these words -- organic, natural, conventional, rendering -- or other affiliated words in one of the search engines on the Internet!
URGENT Notice from the National Organic Program (NOP):
On April 23, 2001.
In order to display the USDA seal, an organically grown product must have been certified by an accredited USDA organic certifying agent and be determined to meet the NOP requirements. Consumers should be aware that any organic product packaging currently displaying the USDA seal is in violation of the NOP final rule and should in no way be construed to comply with the production and handling requirements set forth by the NOP. Any alleged use of the USDA seal on an organic product prior to October 21, 2002 will be vigorously investigated by the NOP, and, when violations are found, appropriate sanctions levied.
Source: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/nop2000/nop2/sealuse_notice.htm
In June 2000, the State of New Jersey passed an act called Halal Food Consumer Protection Act.
The State of Illinois has signed into law the Halal Food Act on August 16, 2001.
The State of Minnesota has also passed an act on Halal food.
FDA does not oblige the producer to mention ingredients less than 2% on the ingredients list.
The sale of organic products will likely break $9 billion this year
Alternative Food Habits
There may be many alternatives other than massively offered products by your local supermarket if there is no zabiha store nearby. You can consider organic food companies, Muslim-owned farms and organic farms. Many organic products are available in food stores and try to reach them through their toll-free numbers or via their web sites. Also take the time and drive up to a Muslim-owned farm, see with your own eyes what you are buying and ask the farmer from where he gets his livestock. Visit web sites, which we have listed in the following table or the list with the major popular companies further in this magazine and ask them about their ingredients. At least call and ask the representative whether he or she is familiar with the concept Halal. You will be surprised of the low awareness levels of major companies, which you as a consumer can change!
No comments:
Post a Comment