It is easy to assume that everything you see from your local Halal grocery store is Halal to the tee: Islamically slaughtered, free of germs, pretty fresh, and the like.
The truth is that some of the meat available in smaller Muslim grocery stores might have been purchased from non-Muslim wholesale markets with little connection to standards in Muslim food. It has been discovered that many people marketing Halal products to mainstream supermarkets don’t really sell Halal products.
Some Muslim store owners would purchase carcasses and often buy products from traditional slaughter plants known for their cheaper prices. They present the receipt to customers that they are getting certified meat when the truth is that only 10% to 15% of the meat is slaughtered under Islamic laws.
Of course, while this is not the case with all owners of Halal grocery stores, it only shows the need for better scrutiny on the part of Muslim consumers to make sure they are getting Halal quality food and meat products.
It is never recommended for Muslim consumers to be complacent. It is, after all, their right to ask their retailers, manufacturers, and the certifying bodies when it comes to meeting and adhering to Halal standards.
If you are a Muslim, it is important to ask several questions if you suspect wrongdoing or malpractice when it comes to Halal food or meat products:
- Always ask at the retail store or Halal grocery store if a given product or products are really Halal.
- How does the store get in touch with the certifying agency? This pertinent information should always be made public. Muslim store owners, meat manufacturers, and grocers should be accountable to the public since the certifying agencies are meant to be protecting the rights of the consumers.
They will earn a profit to run the organization, yet they can be held responsible by the public since they are the ones who have the responsibility to determine if the product or meat is Halal or doesn’t meet the satisfaction of consumers.
- As far as meat is concerned, if it is Halal, be sure to ask for the certifying agency. This certification should be by a third party, and not the retailer and not the manufacturer.
- Once you get in touch with the certifying agency, inquire about the one in charge of slaughtering the meat as well as the procedures involved.
It should be verified since the Muslim consumer should never shrug away their responsibility, stating that the certifying agency or the retailer is claiming it is Halal, and thus, they don’t have any responsibility at all. It is a kind of attitude that should go away soon.
- It must be an ongoing inquiry since every so often, there will be a certifying agency that may be good today, only to become lax for one reason or another. Muslim consumers should always ask, for example, after every 6 months.
If you need to get anything from a Muslim supermarket Los Angeles – Bakkal app can help simplify the process for you and make the shopping experience more convenient.
