Islamic law requires strict food preparation standards.
Equipment and packaging, for example, must not touch pork products. Food animals must be slaughtered by methods considered humane by Muslims. Current halal certification standards are based on sporadic inspections, said Ahmad Ibrahim Shukri, a senior official from the Supreme Islamic Consultative Council based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Under the HT programme, products and businesses that pass stringent criteria will be certified and bear a stamp assuring halal status. In his speech, Shukri told food industry executives that reliable halal status holds huge marketing potential.