Islamic Council of Norway claims much of the halal meat sold in the country is mislabelled or even smuggled in result in the FSA making nationwide checks to ensure consumers get what they ask.
Meat is classed as being halal after it has been blessed by a Muslim during the slaughtering process. The Council is pleased the FSA is helping them make sure the meat they are consuming is definitely halal.
The market for halal meat is growing with 950 tonnes sold in Norway so far this year, a 50-ton increase on 2012. The Council hopes that stricter controls will deter rogue sellers from operating.
“We’ll be able to assure consumers that the meat they buy is of good quality by using the FSA. Our customers will be 100 percent certain that the meat we sell is halal,” Grønland district’s Oslo Meat Centre leader Salman Sherifi Sakizi told NRK.
Incidents of illegal halal slaughtering were discovered in Norway in the 90s, with the non-use of anaesthetics contravening legislation.
Regulated halal slaughtering took off in 2000, with farmers’ meat cooperative Gilde establishing halal subsidiary Alfathi the following year.
Ritual slaughter in order to produce kosher meat is banned in Norway.