FIANZ Red Meat Slaughter Process

Overview
With over 45 years of experience certifying Halal meat in New Zealand, FIANZ ensures that the hand slaughter process for all red meat, including cattle and sheep, strictly adheres to Shariah and international Halal standards. This comprehensive process guarantees humane treatment of animals, rigorous compliance with Islamic principles, and full transparency for Muslim consumers.

1. Pre-Slaughter Requirements

Animal Health and Eligibility:

• Animals must be of Halal-permissible species, including cattle, sheep, and goats.
• All animals must be alive, healthy, and free from diseases at the time of slaughter, confirmed by a veterinarian or qualified inspector. Animals that are sick, injured, or visibly stressed will not be accepted for halal consumption.

Environment and Equipment:

• Animals must be of Halal-permissible species, including cattle, sheep, and goats. • All animals must be alive, healthy, and free from diseases at the time of slaughter, confirmed by a veterinarian or qualified inspector. Animals that are sick, injured, or visibly stressed will not be accepted for halal consumption.

Animal Handling and Welfare:

• Animals are restrained gently to reduce stress and discomfort, adhering to Shariah And New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act. • Clean drinking water is provided for the animals in the yards prior to slaughter. • Animals are positioned to face Qibla (Makkah) during slaughter, fulfilling Islamic Requirements.

Stunning Procedure:

• Stunning is used to temporarily immobilize the animal

Permissible Stunning Methods:

• Electric stunning: This is an accepted practice where the animal is stunned using electrical currents, ensuring they remain alive and recoverable before slaughter.
• Head only stunning is permissible in New Zealand meat plants to stun animals for Halal slaughter.
• Stunner calibration is reviewed at every shift to ensure compliance with Shariah principles and New Zealand regulatory requirements.

2. The Slaughter Process

Slaughterman Requirements:

• The slaughterman must be a practicing Muslim of sound mind and good character, approved by FIANZ.
• They must possess knowledge of Shariah in Halal Slaughter and meet New Zealand qualifications, including NZQA standards for Halal Slaughtering.

Invocation (Tasmiyah):

• The slaughterman must recite "Bismillah, Allahu Akbar" (In the name of Allah, Allah is Great) at the exact point of slaughter.
• The invocation is recited individually for each animal. Pre-recorded or batch recitations are not permitted.

The Cut:

A single, decisive cut is made across the throat, severing:
• The esophagus
• The trachea (windpipe)
• The carotid arteries
• The jugular veins

This hand slaughter process ensures rapid and complete bleeding while minimizing pain. All red meat is exclusively hand slaughtered to comply with strict Halal requirements. Decapitation is not allowed; the head must remain intact to the body until the bleeding process is complete.

3. Bleeding and Post-Slaughter Procedures

Bleeding:

• The animal must bleed out spontaneously and completely. Blood, which is considered impure in Islam, must be thoroughly removed to ensure the meat is Halal.

Inspection and Compliance:

• A trained Muslim Halal Slaughterman ensures compliance with FIANZ Halal standards and confirms that the bleeding and cutting process meets Shariah requirements.
Segregation: • Non-Halal-certified carcasses are segregated from Halal products throughout processing and storage to prevent cross-contamination.

FIANZ Inspection and Certification

• FIANZ undergoes regular audits by JASANZ and overseas accreditation bodies to ensure compliance with global Halal standards.
• Compliance: FIANZ certification follows the New Zealand Halal Notice, which sets out the mandatory standards for Halal certification and industry compliance.

How the Halal Assurance System works:

FIANZ ensures that the Meat Plant operators have an approved Halal assurance system ensuring Halal meat & meat products are produced using a consistent Halal Assurance programme, which serves as an audit criterion along with applicable Halal standards, MPI Halal Meat Notice, New Zealand Export Halal Scheme & OMAR.
FIANZ Halal Assessment & approval Persons who have competency in NZQA standards 21623, 25924, 25926 & 26025 carry out Periodic assessment of Halal premises along with Halal Islamic affairs expert covering slaughtering process as per Islamic rules including cleaning regime, recovery verification, assessment of competent halal slaughter person etc.

4. Regular Audits and Monitoring

• Each processing plant is inspected monthly by FIANZ personnel to ensure ongoing compliance with Halal and regulatory standards.
• Stunning procedures are regularly reviewed, with recovery tests conducted periodically for large animals (e.g., sheep and beef), and daily for poultry, to ensure animals can recover after stunning.
• Detailed records of inspections, stunning calibration, and other compliance checks are maintained for traceability.

Key Features Ensuring Halal Compliance

1. Human Oversight:

a. Trained halal slaughterman/supervisors ensure strict adherence to Shariah requirements and FIANZ Halal standards.

2. Stringent Standards:

a. All equipment and tools meet FIANZ specifications for cleanliness, sharpness, and efficiency.

3. Corrective Measures:

a. Halal Supervisors are present to address procedural errors and maintain Compliance.

Animal Welfare Considerations

1. Humane Handling:

a. Animals are handled gently to minimize stress, in compliance with Shariah and the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

2. Stunning Conditions:

a. Stunning temporarily immobilizes the animal without causing harm or death. The process ensures the animal can recover fully if slaughter does not occur immediately.

3. Transparency and Accountability:

a. Regular inspections and audits provide full transparency for Muslim consumers, ensuring ethical and humane practices are maintained throughout the process.

Buying Halal Meat and Meat Products from Non-Muslim Retailers

Retailers to ensure the following:

Halal Certification and Logos:

• Display recognized Halal certification logos or labels from Approved Halal Organizations namely FIANZ for that premises and products

Clear Product Information:

• Provide detailed product information, including ingredients, manufacturing processes, and any relevant Halal-related details.

Customer Service and Support:

• To answer Halal-related questions and address any concerns customers might have.

Separation of Halal and Non-Halal Products:

• If a retailer offers both Halal and non-Halal products, they should ensure clear separation and handling to avoid cross-contamination.
• Boxes for Meat Plants are marked with “H” for Halal and “NH” for Non-Halal to ensure clear identification and handling during dispatch.