The Halal Food Authority (HFA) has turned down an approach from a “major brewery” to accredit its non-alcoholic beer as halal.
In an exclusive podcast for FoodManufacture.co.uk to discuss recent criticisms of his organisation’s accreditation decisions, HFA president Masood Khawaja set out his definition of the term halal.
The firm – which he declined to name ¬– was rejected because, although the drink had 0% alcohol, it refused to change the title of the product from beer to beverage.
Under fire
Khawaja also reflected on the use of stunning and machinery in the production of halal goods. His organisation came under fire from some quarters for giving accreditation to fast-food chain KFC because the company uses machine slaughtering.
In response to his critics, Khawaja tells them “to get their facts right”.
Khawaja revealed the role the HFA plays on a national and European level to promote environmental health and explained how manufacturers would be assessed for halal accreditation.