When it comes to serving halal, some retailers may be doing it, but don't trumpet that fact - at least in the United States. Additionally, the plant is required to prevent any contamination by non-halal foods, such as pork, alcohol or the use of antibiotics, since they tend to contain pork byproducts.Ĭode Switch The Rise Of Halal Cuisine In An Age Of Islamophobia 'Įvery step in the company's process is approved by the federal Safe and Humane Slaughter Act, which every slaughterhouse must follow, as well as a certifying board, Halal Transactions of Omaha. Shane MacKenzie, who oversees Superior's operations and has worked with the company for 21 years, said halal slaughter doesn't slow anything down: 'It's exactly the same except for the practicing Muslim.

'It really got to be too cumbersome as time went by to maintain inventory segregation on the product that was halal versus the product that wasn't halal,' he said. As demand rose, Superior Farms, which mostly handles lamb with some goat, became all-halal, all the time. The Salt Sheep Ranchers Count On American Muslims To Keep Lamb On Menuįive years ago, the Denver plant and one in California slaughtered lamb according to halal standards just one day a week, Ahart said. consumers may not be aware of it, because some large grocery chains choose not to label products halal. Some of the largest meat producers in the country - American Foods Group - are providing more that's halal (in part to satisfy global, not domestic, demand).

sales increased 15 percent from 2012 to 2015. With the Muslim population on pace to possibly become the second-largest religious group in the United States by 2040, the demand for halal meat and other foods is on the rise to the point that Nielsen reports U.S. He faces east, toward Mecca, gently lifts the animal's head in the same direction and under his breath he quickly says a prayer - bismillahi allahu akbar, or 'in God's name' - before swiftly cutting the lamb's throat.Įganwa, a practicing Muslim, performs this slaughter almost 900 times during each shift at Superior Farms slaughterhouse in Denver so that the meat is halal, meaning it's prepared according to Islamic law. Wearing a heavy smock and rubber boots, Amadedin Eganwa stands over a large conveyor belt that's carrying unconscious lambs. Cuts of halal lamb shoulder sit on a shelf at the Superior Farms plant in Denver, waiting to be sold to small specialty stores that cater to Muslim consumers.

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