Halal Certification for Abattoirs /Perishable Animal Product(UBHC-2) Including fish/seafood/poultry/eggs/dairy/meat processing (Applicable Category code C as per GSO 2055-2:2015) Standard Halal Slaughtering Norms:
- Halal Certification for Abattoirs: GSO 2055-1.2055, GSO 93:2015. The product and production process must meet the general requirements of GSO 993:2015.
- All establishments that process Halal food must adhere to the specific hygiene requirements for Category C (as per GSO/CAC/RCP 56)
- If they come in direct contact with anything that is not allowed by Islam, Halal food or drinks can be considered najis. The plant is not allowed to contain najis (Unclean), such as dogs or pigs, and their products. The plant’s perimeter must not be opened to pigs or their products.
- Halal animals should be kept separate from non-Halal ones when slaughtering. The area to be slaughtered should be clean, hygienic, and sanitized.
- Muslims must be able to eat the meat of animals being slaughtered. Pork is not allowed to be eaten. The animals must still be alive when they are slaughtered. The slaughtering of animals must be done for Allah’s sake only, and not for any other purpose, e.g. For ritual offerings.
Butcher requirements:
- It is necessary to be a Muslim.
- Must be authorized and under the direction of an accredited Islamic organisation.
- Slaughter the animal according to Islamic rite including the recitation Bismillah Allahu-Akbar before slaughtering each animal.
- Make sure your animal has enough nutrition and water.
- Make sure the knife is clean and sharp.
- For animals with normal necks, an incision should be made in the neck just before the glottis (Adam’s Apple) However, it is not necessary for animals with necks that are longer such as turkeys, chickens, ostriches and camels.
- The expression “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” is obligatory. When a slaughtered animal is killed it is imperative that the words “Bismillah Allahu-Akbar” must be incited immediately.
- The oesophagus, the trachea and the jugular vein must be cut during slaughter. The spinal cord should not be cut and the head should not be severed completely. This is to bring about immediate and massive haemorrhage and satisfactory/adequate bleeding.
- One slaughter is required to be performed. As long as animals are not taken away from the slaughtering process in the “sawing” action the animal is permitted. Any lifting of the knife is regarded as the conclusion of one killing.
- Multiple acts of slaughter on the same animal is not permitted.
- Bleeding must be spontaneous and adequate/satisfactory. Indications of death at the time ritual slaughter are the absence of pulses of blood out from the cut carotid arteries, absence of capillary refill , and bleeding out in the normal amount of time. (minimum 8 minutes)
- The dressing of carcasses must be only started after confirming that the animal is dead.
- Tools, instruments and utensils must be utilized only for the slaughter of Halal animals.
- The animal slaughtering requirements of Islamic rules GSO993:2015 have to be fulfilled by the organisation.
- If the animal isn’t feeding Halal Feed the animal should be feed Halal Feed for at minimum three days.
Manual Slaughtering of Poultry:
- Chicken birds should be live & healthy before slaughter.
- Before slaughtering any bird, the slaughterer must say “BISMILLAH ALLAHU AKBAR”
- The throat, esophagus, and major blood vessels within the neck area (jugular vein and carotid artery) of the poultry must be severed.
- The bleeding period (time between slaughtering and ending in the scalding) should not be less than 180 sec (3minutes). (as per GSO 993)
- Each bird must be checked to ensure it has been properly slaughtered and only dead birds are subsequently sent for scalding.
- The bird must be “STILL’ (cool & calm) before going into the bath. Temperature of the water bath – maximum of 64 degC. (i) Scalding time (the bird bathed in hot water) – maximum up to 100 seconds. (iii) The Scalding Temperature is proportional to Scalding Time.
- It is important to maintain cleanliness in the area of processing. (as per GSO RCP 58)
- Particularly, the production area should be kept clean and often.
- All the machinery coming in contact with stuff should be regularly cleaned with appropriate disinfectant.
- Employees must be made aware of hygiene work. Boots, gloves (shoes) and hand disinfectants are required.
- Knife and other utensils must be cleaned with hot water (approximate 85degC).
- Hot water should be changed regularly
- Final chickens should be free of pathogenic microbes such as Salmonella, E.Coli and staphylococci and others.
- If the birds aren’t feeding Halal Feed it is recommended that they be kept alive and feed with Halal Feed for at minimum three days.
Assurance of Observance of Halal Slaughtering Norms:
- Every establishment that is involved in Halal slaughter and processing has to be registered with a valid certificate from the Halal supervisory authority/UBIAC.
- All the slaughterhouses/processing meat plants have to employ at their cost qualified and trained full time Halal supervisor(s) in consultation and with approval of Halal supervising authority / UBIAC.
- Supervisors are issued with identification cards issued by UBIAC and are responsible for ensuring that Halal procedures are followed. Only a Halal certificate is issued when they have been authenticated. The volume will decide the amount of supervisors as well as working hours.
- The Halal Supervisors will evaluate the health of slaughterers who participate in Halal slaughter. They are also issued ID cards by UBIAC and they must display/wear it in slaughtering house.
September 3, 2022
