Ocean Spray Now Halal Certified

IFANCA Halal-Certified Ocean Spray is a proud supporter of Go Red for Women®. IFANCA halal-certified Ocean Spray has teamed up with the American Heart Association to support the Go Red for Women movement. While heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., it is also largely preventable. Throughout the month of February, Go Red for Women brought people together to raise awareness about this serious threat to women’s health.

There's also a great new reason to eat halal Ocean Spray Cranberries. Findings suggest cranberries may protect against antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause UTIs for up to two years. At a time when antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern, there is every reason to strengthen ones immune systems from the get go.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, one in five women will develop a urinary tract infection (UTI) during her lifetime, and 20 percent of those will have UTIs on a recurrent basis. The good news is that cranberry research supports not only the reduction of recurrent UTIs by half, but now a new study suggests cranberry compounds may help prevent recurrent UTIs for as long as two years.

IFANCA Halal-Certified Paramount Farms Selected As A 2008 Clean Air Champion

IFANCA halal-certified Paramount Farms, the world's largest vertically integrated supplier of pistachios and almonds, was selected as a 2008 Clean Air Champion by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Paramount Farms was chosen because of its significant contributions to achieving cleaner air in the Valley through its solar installations and employee trip reduction measures such as telecommuting, and teleconference meetings between offices, onsite food service and employee vanpools.

"Paramount Farms is proud to be recognized by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for our sustainability values," said Dave Szeflin, vice president, Paramount Farms. "An environmentally-friendly approach is at the core of our company values, and we're pleased to be part of the effort to bring cleaner air to the Valley."

Paramount Farms employs a range of environmentally responsible efforts to conserve water and preserve natural resources including solar power; energy-efficient lighting programs; non-toxic pest control; material recycling; automated, underground micro irrigation system and ranch-wide weather monitoring for efficient water usage; and soil conservation.

In 2007 the company installed 1.1 mega-watts, $7.5 million solar plant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption, as well as supply electrical power to the grid. The eight-acre solar plant is one of the largest single-site, privately-owned, operating solar plants in the United States.

Paramount Farms' 30,000 acres of pistachio orchards are the largest in the Western Hemisphere; and in a state famous of its almonds, Paramount Farms is California's largest almond grower, with more than 40,000 acres of permanent almond orchards. Paramount Farm's nuts can be found in the produce department of grocery stores nationwide sold to consumers under the Sunkist®, Everybody's Nuts®, and Wonderful® brand names as well as under private label and in bulk.

Congratulations - Sunrider® Completes 15 Years As An IFANCA Client

2009 marks the 15^th anniversary of Sunrider International's foray into the world of halal. A direct marketing company, Sunrider Nutritionals offers halal products that range from cosmetics and supplements to nutritional foods. Whether a product can be deemed halal depends primarily on two variables: the source of the ingredients and the status of the production equipment. IFANCA halal certification takes both criteria into consideration when determining whether a product meets halal requirements.

Sunrider manufactures its products in state-of-the-art facilities, with stringent quality control and carefully designed formulations for all of its products. These factors contribute to achieving and maintaining halal certification and the uncompromised quality of all Sunrider products. A vast majority of its products are halal-certified by IFANCA and are distributed in the many countries that Sunrider does business in.

We spoke with Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, Chairman of the Board and Founder of Sunrider International:

IFANCA: Why did Sunrider choose to get its products halal certified?

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen: Sunrider has witnessed dramatic growth since its inception in 1982. It has always pursued ways to excel and to satisfy consumers who use its products. Obtaining third party, halal certification was another important benefit for our consumers, and we proudly display the halal certified logo on our packaging. Sunrider products are of the highest quality, and we wish to share them with anyone who is looking to lead a healthy life.

IFANCA: How did Sunrider choose IFANCA?

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen: We first learned of IFANCA when customers using our unique herbal products wanted to share them with Muslim friends and family. We wanted a reputable organization, with international recognition, to certify our products as halal. We contacted IFANCA to determine what we would have to do to spread our philosophy of health to the Muslim world, and they have been extremely helpful in ensuring that our products meet IFANCA's high standards. We have had a positive and wonderful relationship with IFANCA during the last two decades.

IFANCA: What impact has the certification had on sales and customer satisfaction?

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen: People who see the IFANCA certification know that Sunrider is dedicated to not only providing the highest degree of quality in our products but also customer satisfaction. Some of our consumers feel that the halal certification gives them more confidence in our products and our company, and it lets them know that we care about them because we care about what goes into our products.

IFANCA: Sunrider has a gamut of products from nutritionals to personal care products and cosmetics that are certified as halal? How easy is it to manufacture a halal certifiable product? How expensive or inexpensive is it compared to a product that can't be certified as halal?

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen: Because halal-certified products must follow strict regulations in regards to sourcing, manufacturing, and purifying, there can be added costs associated with having a product certified. However, we feel that this is a small price to pay to be able to share our products with all those interested in them.

IFANCA: The nutritionals/supplements industry is booming. Are there products out there that promise more than they deliver?

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen: Sunrider products are based on the Philosophy of Regeneration^TM. While some other companies may claim that one ingredient, one product, or one juice can be the miracle cure for everything, at Sunrider, we don't just create formulas that focus on a single ingredient, ailment, or area of the body. Instead, our philosophy (the Philosophy of Regeneration) is to provide nutrition to the entire body and to bring it into balance. Nature has created a wide variety of foods to nourish our body. It requires skill to combine the foods together to create a harmonious, beneficial product for people’s health and well being. It's knowledge of this that makes Sunrider products special.

We research, formulate, and self-manufacture nearly 415 products, which is very unusual in the nutritional supplement industry. We decided to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in our R&D and manufacturing to guarantee products that are unique, effective, and high quality. Our formulas and manufacturing process are trade-secrets, so no one else has our products.

Sunrider sells products to nearly every region of the world, and conducts business in over 42 countries, with China being its largest market. Asia alone has 7,000 retail stores. One of Sunrider's hallmarks is its state-of-the-art manufacturing. The company recently doubled its capacity with a 1 million square foot manufacturing plant in Los Angeles, with an eye on advancing its manufacturing processes and accommodating future demand. With nutritionals being such an integral part in the quest for a healthier life, and given the ever increasing demand for halal supplements, Sunrider promises to be a leading manufacturer in the industry for decades to come.

Halal is becoming a commonplace reports Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: It is not just Muslims who are asking for halal. In the old days in North America, store owners didn't know what halal meat was let alone stock it. Today, in sharp contrast, there are growing numbers of non-Muslim consumers purchasing halal food products due to the perception that halal foods are wholesome, healthier, and produced in a more socially responsible manner. Whether it is due to humane treatment of animals, controlled use of pesticides, independently supervised good manufacturing practices or green movement, halal is appealing to a growing number of consumers outside of the Muslim community.

It is a movement that North American food manufacturers are taking notice of. After all, according to the same source, 1.2 million Muslims are expected to call Canada home by 2010, a 50% increase from the current 800,000. "The Canadian market for halal meat products is valued at more than $214 million, with Muslim households spending an average $31 per week on such goods; almost double that of non-Muslim households' weekly expenditure of 17 dollars." Canada's neighbor, the USA, has long since surpassed the 1.2 million American Muslim consumers mark. America's 8 to 11 million Muslims contribute to an estimated US$12 billion halal industry.

By year 2015, say experts, the global halal industry's international trade is projected to reach US$ 2.1 trillion. Furthermore, according to Middle East Food (MEF) with the Muslim population projected to account for 30% of the world’s population by 2025, halal food could easily account for 20% of world trade in food products in the future.

True or False

1. Harovin Sundown is the name of a new variety of Canadian pears.
2. Stevia extract is as sweet as sugar.
3. Annatto is a natural preservative.
4. Ascorbic acid is a food color.

1. True. Harovin Sundown was developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food scientists (AAFC), Canada. This new variety of pear has improved fruit quality and tolerance to fire blight, a major pear disease worldwide. It ripens later and can be enjoyed well into the winter.
2. False. Stevia extract is a natural sweetener that is 300 times as sweet as sugar.
3. False. Annatto is a natural coloring.
4. False. Ascorbic acid is a vitamin as well as a natural preservative.

There Is Still Time To Register For:

The 11^th International Halal Food Conference will be held in Chicago, Illinois, USA at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on April 19-20, 2009. This year's conference is organized under the theme: Using Halal Certification To Your Marketing Advantage. Click here for further information and to download a registration form or contact halalconf@gmail.com.