CXG_024e

1CAC/GL24-1997GENERALGUIDELINESFORUSEOFTHETERM“HALAL”CAC/GL24-19971TheCodexAlimentariusCommissionacceptsthattheremaybeminordifferencesinopinionintheinterpretationoflawfulandunlawfulanimalsandintheslaughteract,accordingtothedifferentIslamicSchoolsofThought.Assuch,thesegeneralguidelinesaresubjectedtotheinterpretationoftheappropriateauthoritiesoftheimportingcountries.However,thecertificatesgrantedbythereligiousauthoritiesoftheexportingcountryshouldbeacceptedinprinciplebytheimportingcountry,exceptwhenthelatterprovidesjustificationforotherspecificrequirements.1SCOPE1.1TheseguidelinesrecommendmeasurestobetakenontheuseofHalalclaimsinfoodlabelling.1.2TheseguidelinesapplytotheuseofthetermhalalandequivalenttermsinclaimsasdefinedintheGeneralStandardfortheLabellingofPrepackagedFoodsandincludeitsuseintrademarks,brandnamesandbusinessnames.1.3TheseguidelinesareintendedtosupplementtheCodexGeneralGuidelinesonClaimsanddonotsupersedeanyprohibitioncontainedtherein.2DEFINITION2.1HalalFoodmeansfoodpermittedundertheIslamicLawandshouldfulfilthefollowingconditions:2.1.1doesnotconsistoforcontainanythingwhichisconsideredtobeunlawfulaccordingtoIslamicLaw;2.1.2hasnotbeenprepared,processed,transportedorstoredusinganyapplianceorfacilitythatwasnotfreefromanythingunlawfulaccordingtoIslamicLaw;and2.1.3hasnotinthecourseofpreparation,processing,transportationorstoragebeenindirectcontactwithanyfoodthatfailstosatisfy2.1.1and2.1.2above.2.2NotwithstandingSection2.1above:2.2.1halalfoodcanbeprepared,processedorstoredindifferentsectionsorlineswithinthesamepremiseswherenon-halalfoodsareproduced,providedthatnecessarymeasuresaretakentopreventanycontactbetweenhalalandnon-halalfoods;2.2.2halalfoodcanbeprepared,processed,transportedorstoredusingfacilitieswhichhavebeenpreviouslyusedfornon-halalfoodsprovidedthatpropercleaningprocedures,accordingtoIslamicrequirements,havebeenobserved.3CRITERIAFORUSEOFTHETERM“HALAL”3.1LawfulfoodThetermhalalmaybeusedforfoodswhichareconsideredlawful.UndertheIslamicLaw,allsourcesoffoodarelawfulexceptthefollowingsources,includingtheirproductsandderivativeswhichareconsideredunlawful:3.1.1Foodofanimalorigin(a)Pigsandboars.(b)Dogs,snakesandmonkeys.(c)Carnivorousanimalswithclawsandfangssuchaslions,tigers,bearsandothersimilaranimals.(d)Birdsofpreywithclawssuchaseagles,vultures,andothersimilarbirds.(e)Pestssuchasrats,centipedes,scorpionsandothersimilaranimals.(f)AnimalsforbiddentobekilledinIslami.e.,ants,beesandwoodpeckerbirds.1TheCodexGeneralGuidelinesfortheUseoftheTerm“Halal”wereadoptedbytheCodexAlimentariusCommissionatits22ndSession,1997.2CAC/GL24-1997(g)Animalswhichareconsideredrepulsivegenerallylikelice,flies,maggotsandothersimilaranimals.(h)Animalsthatlivebothonlandandinwatersuchasfrogs,crocodilesandothersimilaranimals.(i)Mulesanddomesticdonkeys.(j)Allpoisonousandhazardousaquaticanimals.(k)AnyotheranimalsnotslaughteredaccordingtoIslamicLaw.(l)Blood.3.1.2FoodofplantoriginIntoxicatingandhazardousplantsexceptwherethetoxinorhazardcanbeeliminatedduringprocessing.3.1.3Drink(a)Alcoholicdrinks.(b)Allformsofintoxicatingandhazardousdrinks.3.1.4FoodadditivesAllfoodadditivesderivedfromItems3.1.1,3.1.2and3.1.3.3.2SlaughteringAlllawfullandanimalsshouldbeslaughteredincompliancewiththeruleslaiddownintheCodexRecommendedCodeofHygienicPracticeforFreshMeat2andthefollowingrequirements:3.2.1ThepersonshouldbeaMuslimwhoismentallysoundandknowledgeableoftheIslamicslaughteringprocedures.3.2.2TheanimaltobeslaughteredshouldbelawfulaccordingtoIslamiclaw.3.2.3Theanimaltobeslaughteredshouldbealiveordeemedtobealiveatthetimeofslaughtering.3.2.4Thephrase“Bismillah”(IntheNameofAllah)shouldbeinvokedimmediatelybeforetheslaughterofeachanimal.3.2.5Theslaughteringdeviceshouldbesharpandshouldnotbeliftedofftheanimalduringtheslaughteract.3.2.6Theslaughteractshouldseverthetrachea,oesophagusandmainarteriesandveinsoftheneckregion.3.3Preparation,processing,packaging,transportationandstorageAllfoodshouldbeprepared,processed,packaged,transportedandstoredinsuchamannerthatitcomplieswithSection2.1and2.2aboveandtheCodexGeneralPrinciplesonFoodHygieneandotherrelevantCodexStandards.4ADDITIONALLABELLINGREQUIREMENTS4.1Whenaclaimismadethatafoodishalal,thewordhalalorequivalenttermsshouldappearonthelabel.4.2InaccordancewiththeCodexGeneralGuidelinesonClaims,claimsonhalalshouldnotbeusedinwayswhichcouldgiverisetodoubtaboutthesafetyofsimilarfoodorclaimsthathalalfoodsarenutritionallysuperiorto,orhealthierthan,otherfoods.2CAC/RCP11.