Halal Integrity in the Food Supply Chain

Abstract

Purpose: This paper argues that there is an absence of halal integrity within the conventional stages of a food chain. This paper adapts the understanding of the different stages and argues the need to develop a critical consciousness for halal integrity within the food chain to address the needs of the ever-growing Muslim consumers’ market. The aim of this paper is to propose a definition of halal integrity using farm to fork and global food supply chain models.

Design: The study includes a review of priori literature and media reports regarding cross contamination of food products with haram (forbidden) components. This background will be used to conceptualise halal integrity using farm to fork and a global supply chain models.

Findings: Different interpretations of halal – what is permitted and what is prohibited – exist for the different schools of Islamic legal thought and within the customs of different countries. In order to ensure that food production is embracive of the religious needs of the global Muslim customer market, this paper utilises the farm to fork and global supply chain models to foster a critical awareness of halal needs. Halal integrity should be clearly presenting the details of the halal status of the product and assuring that the requirements for halal as stated are met. Halal integrity not only deals with permitted and prohibited foods, but that the halal status of the food products (i.e. from raw materials until it reaches the consumers) should not be breached (i.e. no cross contamination with haram products / methods and no ill intents). A formal definition of halal integrity has been proposed.