Reindeer Meat Goes Halal In Norway

Yes, a Norwegian slaughterhouse (Vilteksperten) has started killing reindeer the 'Halal' way to appeal to the burgeoning Muslim population in that country. 105 relatives of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer have had their throats sliced, blood drained, and then been blessed by a Muslim approved by the Islamic Council of Norway.  Apparently, Vilteksperten does slaughter the reindeer in the same manner as Halal, the only difference is the blessing.

But it won't just be Norwegian Muslims gobbling down reindeer, the meat could also end up on plates in upscale eateries in Dubai.

Source: Al Arabiya

Halal Meat Pastries With Pork DNA Served To Prisons From Northern Irish Company

A company headquartered in Northern Ireland that supplied halal meat pies to prisons is in big trouble after it was discovered that the meat they used in their beef pastries actually contained pork DNA.

Food distributor 3663 said McColgan Quality Foods Limited supplied a 'very small number of halal savoury beef pastry products' that contained pork traces to prisons.

The company said all halal products from the manufacturer had been withdrawn from supply.

[snip]

In a statement the company said: '3663 would like to clarify that the very small number of halal savoury beef pastry products that have been withdrawn from supply were only ever distributed to custodial establishments.

The Ministry of Justice said 3663 has not been suspended, but a 'sub-contractor' has been.

3663 has said it was 'shocked', and described as 'wholly unacceptable' the discovery that some of the halal products it supplied were found to contain pork DNA due to McColgan Quality Foods being accredited by the Halal Food Authority.

The rest here.

Okay, as a quasi-vegetarian (one who eats fish and seafood but no other meat products), I would be horrified to discover some tofu dish I consumed had traces of beef, pork or chicken DNA, but I'm not in jail.  Had these foods been distributed to a non-jail population, I would have some sympathy.  But if prisoners are so religious that they eat halal (not all Muslims eat halal), then what are they doing in jail?  Sorry, but people in jail do not deserve special dispensation or consideration when it comes to their meal choices, regardless of their religious affiliation, and that goes for vegetarians as well.

COSTCO Goes Halal

COSTCO is now offering an halal family-sized portion of Chicken Tikka Masala to some West Coast stores. I suppose if they have Kosher foods they are going to cater to the demands of the Muslim population. When they start demanding all meats be halal, then that's a huge problem. But interesting to note the changes in the religious demographics of the U.S. population.

Saffron Road, the packaged food brand of Stamford, Conn.-based American Halal Co., is now shipping a family-sized portion of Chicken Tikka Masala to select Costco stores on the West Coast. The deal is the first with Costco. The new Chicken Tikka Masala family portion is ideal for families who want to enjoy authentic Indian cuisine at home, that are easy to make, the company said.

“Our Muslim consumers have expressed their desire to see family sized portions of our Halal Certified meals, and we’re happy to provide this new meal option the whole family can enjoy,” said Saffron Road Chief Executive Officer Adnan Durrani.

Consumers can find the new item now at select Costco stores in the freezer aisle for the suggested retail price of $10.99 each. All Saffron Road products are Halal Certified by the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America. Halal is an Islamic tradition that has healthfully fed literally billions of people over the last 1,400 years. Halal promotes the sacred tradition of respect for the land, fair treatment for farmers, humane treatment of livestock and clean, healthy food to eat.

Saffron Road’s All Natural Certified Halal entree uses chicken that is Certified Humane by Humane Farm Animal Care. All of Saffron Road’s livestock are fed 100 percent vegetarian feed and are never given Antibiotics or Hormones.

“We are excited to now have our brand in Costco stores,” said Saffron Road Executive Vice President Jack Acree. “We know that a lot of our consumers seeking Halal options are shopping at Costco stores already, and are often looking for authentic meal options for the entire family.”

H/T Creeping Sharia

Muslim MPs Want Halal Meat Options In Westminster

Muslim politicians in the U.K. are complaining about not having halal meat options in the many restaurants and cafes in the Palace ofWestminster. Granted, they're also angered by the fact that they were told that the meat served was halal when it was not. As a health-conscious vegetarian, I too would be pissed off if I was misled into thinking a meal was vegetarian when it wasn't, but demanding that the eateries cater to their particular religious dietary requirements is going way too far. How about skipping that meat for lunch, or bringing your own halal meat sandwich from home if you must satisfy your carnivorous cravings.

I know there are those who claim that Halal meat and poultry is better for you, but the method in which the animals are slaughtered is horrifying, which is one of the many reasons people refuse to eat it, and why Westminster refuses to serve it. But another turn-off to many is the fact that Halal meat slaughter is Shariah compliant, which to some members of the Church of England is "effectively spreading Sharia law''  throughout England.  All good Muslims are required to eat meat that has been slaughtered the Islamic way. Apparently a prayer is said prior to slitting the throats and both the slaughterman and the animal should face Mecca, though that's not evident in the video below. Nor does it look cruelty free, as halal promoters claim.

According to an answer on yahoo answers about the benefits of halal meat, and whether the slaughter of the animals is cruelty free one person wrote:

You're right, the Islamic Law prohibits cruelty to animals, so even when they are slaughtered, they abide by strict rules like giving to animal water, massaging or petting it to soothe it if its nervous, saying a prayer and then proceeding to slit the throat in a manner that is painless to the animal. This is because the main vein that is cut immediately anesthesizes the pain and all the blood is drained out in a continuous flow. This ensures that no blood congeals inside the body, which is very bad for health if consumed. Its disgusting to think that the non-halal meats contain congealed blood, even though it not visible to us, but when you put some heat on it, you can see the gush of blood in the pot/pan....

I didn't see any of that pampering in the video, nor did I see anyone saying a little prayer before the poor animals were slaughtered. And all that writhing, for what seems like an eternity, didn't seem pain-free to me.

And it's not just the Muslim MPs and Peers complaining about being misled. Conversely, consumers who have been served halal meat in venues throughout Britain unbeknownst to them are also pretty darn mad.

In 2010, the Mail on Sunday revealed schools, hospitals and restaurants were serving halal meat to unwitting customers. Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Somerfield and the Co-op all said they stocked meat slaughtered according to Islamic tradition without letting customers know. Fast-food chains including Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, KFC, ­Nando’s and Subway are also using halal meat without ­telling customers, it was revealed.

I'm glad I'm a vegetarian!

GRAPHIC VIDEO- BEWARE