So it is heartening, though no great surprise, that the proposals for an
assurance scheme for the Halal sector were so widely supported when they were
unveiled at EBLEX’s first Halal
Forum last week. The Warwickshire event saw more than 60 representatives of
Halal businesses and other interested parties come together to have a first discussion
around proposals EBLEX has laid on the table about how an assurance scheme
might look. They also saw a new religious slaughter education film, as well as received
information on promoting healthy eating in the sector and new consumer research.
When the delegates were
asked if they would use a Halal assurance scheme, 95 per cent (as measured at the
time with an electronic voting system) said they would. However, this is the
start of a process, not the end, and there is a lot of detail yet to sort out
to ensure it is workable and acceptable to all concerned.
The proposed scheme in its current
form actually recommends two separated sides: one for the stunned and one for
the non-stunned Halal supply chain. There will be common elements but then will
need to be specific standards and specifications for stunned slaughter,
covering stun levels, testing of equipment etc. For non-stun, there are fewer
variables.
The humane slaughter of
cattle and sheep is currently governed by EU law and enforced in every abattoir
in England by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) under The Welfare of Animals
(Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995, also referred to as WASK.
EU legislation permits
member states to allow an exemption in the case of slaughter of animals without
prior stunning for religious reasons and this includes both Shechita (for Jewish
consumers) and non-stun Halal. If an exemption is made for
slaughter by religious method, it falls outside the normal guidelines for
stunning and bleeding.
Stunned Halal using
recoverable head-only stunning is recognised both by the FSA and some, but not
all, religious groups as a Halal process/product. And this is where much of the
debate within the Muslim community resides and where the detail of any
assurance scheme may take some time to pin down. Supporters of non-stun say
stunned slaughter is not truly Halal because it cannot be proved that the
animal is alive at the point of slaughter as it is unconscious.
One point that was made and
it is interesting to note, is that in New Zealand, all Halal sheep meat is
stunned pre-slaughter. Every so often, they will remove a stunned lamb from the
line and allow it to recover to prove that the stun is recoverable – the animal
is alive and so the equipment is calibrated as it should be. In the UK, we are
not allowed to do this as it contravenes animal welfare regulations –
effectively it is considered animal experimentation.
Ultimately, an assurance
scheme for Halal red meat is something that consumers are calling for as it
will include clear labelling so they can make informed choices: do they want
stunned Halal, non-stunned Halal or not Halal at all. Labelling associated with
a scheme will give clarity and transparency on this. It is also supported by the
Halal supply chain, which can see the benefits of a scheme that demonstrates
that high standards are maintained.
A three-month consultation on the
proposals is now underway. After that, the responses will be carefully examined
and any changes made before a revised scheme is brought back before a second
forum meeting next year. While implementation of a scheme may still be some way
off, hopefully we are now on the road to something which will end up being of
true value for consumers and the supply chain alike.