July 16, 2007, South Africa – The conference, organized by the decade old South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA) brought together food industry insiders from countries as diverse as South Africa, USA, Netherlands, Malawi, Malaysia and New Zealand to share experiences related to halal, from their respective nations.

It was generally agreed upon that both Muslims and non-Muslims had to be educated that halal did not pertain exclusively to meat or food. Concerns were raised about cost-cutting measures, undertaken by producers of goods that are halal certified, that could compromise quality.

What came as a surprise to many was that Malawi in Southern Africa had registered the word halal as a trademark, and regulatory authorities there had full government support, while Indonesia, with the world's largest Muslim population, had yet to do so.

With halal becoming a global phenomenon, the need for conferences speaking to the subject has also grown. Khaaz International Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, I-Everything Ltd of UK and the Global Halal Academy of UK will be organizing the first European Halal Industry Forum from 4 to 5 September 2007 at the New Connaught Room in Coventry Garden, London. This event is being supported by the Muslim Council of Britain. Dr. Sadek, Chairman of the Islamic Food Council of Europe based in Brussels (IFCE) will be speaking at the event. IFCE is an IFANCA affiliate.

The theme of the conference is "Fostering Linkages in the European Halal Industry", and the principle objectives of this forum are to address current issues, challenges and updates in the European halal industry. Goals include fostering networking among global and European halal players and discussing the various opportunities in the halal industry in Europe.

More than 20 local and international speakers will cover a plethora of topics including the principles of halal, overview of the European halal industry, market potential for halal products and services, retailing & franchising, European standards and certification, Islamic financing, science, research, training, logistics and other topics of relevance. Participants will comprise of businessmen, policy makers, financiers, researchers and academics.

More details on this event are available in www.eurohalalforum.org.

Chicago, June 9, 2007 - H.E. Mr. Obaid Bin Essa, Assistant Secretary General GSM/UAE based in Dubai, led a delegation for a six day visit to IFANCA offices in the USA and Canada. The team included Mr. Mohamed Omar Mohamed Albannai and Dr. Yousry Abd Ahmed Hamed, members of technical at the Secretary of Municipalities office. Dr. Muhammad Chaudry, IFANCA President, led the UAE representatives on a tour of IFANCA certified meat and food production companies in the Chicago area. The delegates visited the IFANCA Canada offices and plants on June 13^th and 14^th.

During the meetings, H.E. Mr. Obaid Bin Essa expressed his desire for further talks between halal certifiers and Muslim nations on halal regulations, so that increased trading could be accomplished. The meeting was part of the continuing dialogue between IFANCA and the UAE on halal guidelines.

Halal Baked Goodies from The Baking Company of Ukiah

Yumm.. delicious! The aroma of baked goodies hits you the minute you walk into the manufacturing plant of The Baking Company of Ukiah, located in Ukiah, California. Now you can find their IFANCA certified products; Challenge brand, Complete Nutrition Energy Bars, in Apple Cinnamon, Mixed Berry and Chocolate Crisp, in stores. Need a recipe for your own food service and industry needs? Well, The Baking Company of Ukiah, a co-packaging company, also offers recipe development services to their customers. No ordinary bakery, they specialize in vegan, organic, and other specialty varieties. A company committed to the environment, all their products are GMO-free or made without Genetically Modified Organisms, and most packaging for their products is recyclable.

Certified Halal Supplements at a GNC Store Near You

Selecting halal nutritional supplements can be nearly impossible for Muslim consumers in the U.S. Nutra Manufacturing, the leader in nutraceuticals for the past 25 years, has decided to stake its claim in the halal market. Nutra Manufacturing now offers halal supplements at GNC retail stores, nation-wide.

To see current certified products, visit www.ifanca.org and select 'search halal products'. The IFANCA website is updated as more products are certified.

The mail bag will return next month.