Ritual Halal Slaughter, Animal Welfare, Meat Science - Knowledge Gaps

The presentation is about the scientific & technological aspects of Halal rituality and animal welfare as well as the discussions held with some leading religious scholars of the world on the subject. The presentation identifies scientific & technological opportunities to improve the procedures in the light of the practicing religious beliefs and the modern scientific developments. The study may also assists the international Halal trade for adopting strategies to cope with the current and the emerging future scenarios in the Halal sector. Islamic code of animal welfare provides care, mercy and kindness towards animals at all times and more so at slaughter. However, it is not being followed in letter and spirit in most Muslim countries. Important religious basics of Halal slaughter comprise of cutting neck of a healthy live animal, from the front with a long sharp knife while making the religious invocation. Irrespective of science it is a firm belief held by Muslims that only Halal slaughter causes no or less pain and leads to maximum bleed out at slaughter to give safe & healthy meat. There is said to be international trade of about US$750 billions in Halal food and another 2.5 trillion in non-food products. Intervention of pre-slaughter stunning in Halal slaughter and issues like stress and pain, concept of pre-slaughter injury to animal, comparative bleed-outs and ensured reversible stunning require pertinent & focused future research attention. It is desirable that the research aspects should emphasize concern for religious respect, objectivity and ritual credibility. It is not the Islamic code on animal welfare rather the ignoring of it by Muslim societies, the cause of some undue sufferings to animals and giving rise to the controversies in the Western world. Under the developing International Halal Food Rules, the 56 member block of OIC countries, it has been stressed to strictly follow animal welfare & implicate simple science and technology procedures in Halal slaughter. Improving restraint methods, neck cutting techniques & training etc. would positively affect meat quality, workers safety and eliminate most of the ongoing animal miseries. Important spirit of the religious code under Halal slaughter is that animal welfare should override commercial considerations.