Halal is an Arabic term which refers to anything “permissible” in the Islamic faith. When it is applied to food, it denotes specific regulations as to which types of food/ drink Muslims can consume as well as how those items are prepared. Halal also involves a ritual process of animal slaughter and specific health standards as well as an absence of pork and blood byproducts.

Halal meat includes beef, chicken, lamb, goat, and fish, among others. Pigs as well as carnivores and omnivores are not halal. In order for meat to be considered Halal, the animals must be raised in a humane fashion. They must then be slaughtered humanely which means, for example, the animals must not witness other animals being slaughtered. The slaughter man must be a Muslim. Before each animal is slaughtered with a sharp knife the slaughter man recites “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” which means “With God’s blessings, God is Great”. The carcass then thoroughly bleeds out before it undergoes further processing.