IFANCA-halal-certified Carol’s Cheesecake based in Canada was profiled in a laudatory article about the halal market in Canada, in Toronto Star, the nation’s leading newspaper. According to the report, “… Carole, after whom the company is named, admits that initially she didn’t even know the meaning of halal …But she says there is “no question” that the halal-certified cakes have increased her business.”

“We have repeat customers, and ladies who are thrilled to find a halal bakery,” she said. Carole’s Cheesecake isn’t the only one to go halal according to the report. “Many mainstream companies are exploring the same terrain. Halal is no longer restricted to Muslim-run butcher shops dotting the Greater Toronto Area,” reports Rakhshande Italia.

 

Did You Know?

Mono and di-glycerides are fatty substances that are used as emulsifiers. Emulsifiers are compounds used to keep oils or fats and water dispersed in one phase (i.e., they prevent oil and water from separating). Mono and di-glycerides can be derived from animal or vegetable sources. When derived from vegetable sources, they are halal. When derived from animal sources, they are almost always derived from fat of animals that have not been slaughtered in a halal manner. Very few products list the source of mono di-glycerides on the label. Hence they are questionable and consumers should contact the company to determine the source. Alternatively, look for products which have halal symbol. Mono- and diglycerides are used in a wide variety of products, including baked goods, peanut butter, margarine, shortening, and other products.

And ALLAH, Subhanahu wa ta’ala, knows best.

 

IFANCA Mail Bag

Q: Is Halal certification beneficial and/or necessary for a fruit packing facility?
– C. Masse, Food Safety Technician, OKTF

A: Greetings and peace. Halal certification removes any doubts about the product. Certainly if you have a request from halal consumers, halal certification would be beneficial for your sales. If you are marketing to a region of the world that requires halal certification, then it is not just beneficial but necessary. In other areas, it does remove doubts about the products and enhances its perception of being a higher quality product. There are companies like ‘Paramount Farms’ Sunkist [brand] whose almonds and pistachios are certified as halal. Some other major companies are looking into it too. People usually think nuts are just nuts, but they are processed with the use of other ingredients. IFANCA checks every major and minor ingredient and each processing aid used in the production of nuts.

Sincerely,

Roger M. Othman
IFANCA