halal meat - do we have a choice?

[kitla]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... tered.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I found this deeply disturbing. Its always a struggle trying to find ethically produced
meat for my family (barely eat any myself)and I always take time checking labels.
I do my best not to buy anything that was intensively or cruelly reared and I would
never knowingly buy halal slaughtered meat. Now I find that I probably have been
doing so without my knowledge. How dare they trick us again! I hope this issue gets
lots of publicity so the supermarkets are forced to change their labelling.
This may not bother some people but we have the right to choose.
...as for A.da, they seem to refuse to be involved in any animal welfare issue/survey,
speaks for itself really

[tortzblue]

Thanks for posting this. I could not believe what I was reading! I think the last sentence sums it up very well. "This is not only commercially wrong, morally it is a disgrace."
We have drastically cut down our meat consumption recently anyway but this article has shocked me so much, I will discuss cutting out meat altogether with my family.

[p.penn]

I am amazed that food labelling wouldn't legally have to say that.

[kitla]

well hooray, the British Veterinary Assoc are on the case
http://www.bva.co.uk/news/3736.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I shall be following this closely

[silverback]

A very concerning article Kitla , as you say, where is OUR choice!. We are still fortunate to have a local family run slaughterhouse who sell to the public, but is a bit pricey compared to supermarkets!, will have to see about buying from them....or eat pork!.

Just a thought!, why would you slaughter an animal under religious beliefs and NOT advertise it! ...

[lancashire lass]

I was not entirely sure what halal meat was although I do recall something about draining blood but wasn't aware the animal had to still be alive. It might explain why a lot of meat from supermarkets seem anaemic and tasteless if it has been sold without labelling.

As for my opinion - like the horse meat scandal, I'd like to decide what meat to buy for whatever reasons and not have it slipped in as though Joe Public are stupid. As regards animal welfare, I still consider quick and humanely is still the most important thing and no animal should suffer.

[Mo]

It seems that there are two views on this

[kitla]

interesting article & a lot of conflicting comments after it.
It's good this is being discussed openly, maybe this will prompt the standards of all slaughterhouses to be looked into. But however anyone feels about Halal meat one way or the other, and whatever experts/evidence etc are provided...we should have the right to make the choice if we WANT to buy it! which we cant do if it's not labelled.

[Richard]

It's not only the point of slaughter, it's the stress of an animal or bird leading up to it which is also important.
For instance, we may buy free range Chickens to eat, but they go through the factory line the same as any other and looking at that, it's hard to point any fingers.

Most Halal is nowadays is done under very strict guidelines.

Not agreeing or disagreeing with anything, just making a point.
I think the religion angle isn't so much to the fore, religion becomes culture.
Our Laws are based on the Biblical Ten Commandments, but the vast majority don't see law and justice as religious.

Richard

[kitla]

I don't see this as a religious issue, its about enforcing our law - all animals must be
stunned before slaughter, an exception has been made by the EU for halal but as only
4% of the population require this it should be labelled as such or the exception is
being abused. We all have the right to choose.
I did contact one supplier and was advised to buy organic, on the Soil Assoc
website I found this -

Do you certify Halal or Kosher meat?

We can only certify halal or kosher meat if it has fully met our organic standards, including those relating to effective stunning prior to slaughter. The relevant standards that our licensees must meet and that we verify at annual and spot inspections are Standard 42.8.2. In these, the stunning process must:

◾ cause instantaneous unconsciousness and insensibility, or
◾ induce unconsciousness without distress, and
◾ maintain unconsciousness until the animal dies.
In addition Standard 42.8.3 states:

◾You must not slaughter animals without pre-stunning

[albertajune]

I would imagine that a large percentage of the population of meat eaters, never even consider that the roast on their plate or the burger just bought, was once a living creature, killed for our consumption. They know course, but don't think about it.

I do eat meat and even though cutting back, still eat animals that gave their life. When being slaughtered, I do want to know that it has been done so as humanely as it can be possibly done. I hate the thought of something having it's throat cut and bleeding to death after being terrified. I am convinced that animals know what is going to happen to them. Some years ago, my son took a job in an abattoirs, not slaughtering, and stayed for just a few days. It upset him so much seeing how animals tried to get free as well as the attitude of some of the men working around him. He is now vegetarian. This wasn't in the UK, but in Australia.

Might I say that halal meat is to satisfy certain people who have certain beliefs. They have their own abattoirs for ritual slaying, so why is it getting into our traditional meat outlets.
I wish I could become vegetarian but wouldn't know where to start.

[kitla]

how I understand it June, the big s'houses (I just hate that word) have certain days
or times when the halal men come in & do this. They presumably produce more
than they need. I agree with you, I cant bear to think about the kind of people who
might choose to work in s/houses & I find it hard to eat meat now. these days I eat
a lot of roast vegetables, eggs and nuts & try to buy organic meat for the family

[Meanqueen]

I wish I could become vegetarian but wouldn't know where to start.

Hi June, repeat after me.....I don't eat meat.
Not being flippant but it's that easy. If I am eating out I say, I'll have what you are having, but without the meat. People go into a panic, OMG, she doesn't eat meat, so what can I give her instead. You don't need to replace the meat with something else, just stop eating it. I sometimes get veggie sausages because I like the taste of them, but they could be any shape, they just happen to be sausage shape.

Make yourself some happy meals with loads of veg and salad. I eat dairy so I eat eggs and cheese. I eat pasta, rice, noodles, anything that isn't meat. Give it a try.

Sorry if this is off topic, June's comment jumped out at me.
Ilona

[fabindia]

The topic has come up again this week.

It seems to me that a lot of people are very upset by this, based simply on what they read in the media. At the same time do they really think about where their non-halal meat comes from. "If slaughterhouses had glass walls".