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Over the years, there has been a controversy surrounding the use of “halal” as a designation on food products that meet Islamic dietary law. Halal symbols are certification trademarks of an organization and cannot be placed on a food label without that organization’s permission [1]. The “halal” designation makes claims about ingredients of the food and the way food is processed. Consumers are assured that the product in question meets the Muslim slaughter rituals for animals.

Muslims consume food that is halal which literally means lawful or permitted. For meat to be halal, it cannot be of certain types of animals and must be butchered in a certain manner. Halal meat must be prepared according to the proper Islamic practice [2]. The Quran specifically allows certain types of meat such as cattle, camels, sheep, goat, seafood, and “that which you have taught birds and beasts of prey to catch, training them as God has taught you.” In addition, animals that are not slaughtered in accordance with Islamic rules are forbidden. Some of the rules governing halal meat are somewhat similar to kosher practices [3].