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Halal poultry must be raised, slaughtered and prepared according to Islamic dietary laws, which include restrictions on how birds are raised and fed, as well as specific practices for slaughtering and handling carcasses. The preparation of poultry after slaughter is also regulated, and the consumption of blood is strictly prohibited. Certification standards for halal poultry vary widely.
Halal poultry is poultry meat that has been raised, slaughtered and prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary laws. These laws restrict how birds that are to be eaten can be raised and fed. They also govern the specific practices employed when slaughtering birds. The handling of halal poultry carcasses is also regulated by Islamic law and customs.
Modern Islamic dietary law is descended from and shares many standards with Jewish dietary law. A key element of all Islamic law, including dietary law, is the categorization of certain activities as haram, meaning prohibition, or halal, meaning permissible. Islam requires that meat come only from certain birds and animals and also dictates how animals are to be cared for and slaughtered.
Islamic law dictates that any animal intended for human consumption must be raised under humane conditions. Specific interpretations of this dictation vary, but most exclude factory-raised birds. Birds intended to be eaten cannot be fed anything manufactured or the meat of other birds if they are to be considered halal.
When birds are to be slaughtered for halal poultry, they need to be killed quickly, with just one slit in the throat. This cut should leave the spine intact but should cut through the jugular vein, carotid artery, and trachea. The intent of this practice is to minimize the amount of pain caused by culling the bird.
Some argue that a religious invocation should be made at the time of slaughter and that the slaughter should only be conducted by a Muslim. This is not, however, a universally held belief among Muslims. Poultry that has been slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law and that is kosher is considered halal poultry by those who advocate a looser interpretation of the law.
The preparation of poultry after slaughter is also regulated by Islamic dietary law. All birds intended for halal poultry must be completely drained of blood. Consumption of blood is strictly haram.
Many organizations certify poultry as halal, but the specific standards used vary widely. Some insist on a rigorous interpretation of the texts that regulate eating habits. Others interpret the Qur’an more broadly and adhere to the letter of the law but not the strictest possible interpretation of the spirit of the law. An interested consumer can usually find information about each group that certifies halal poultry to ensure that the standards used by that group align with their views.
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