FAQs: Kenya Bureau of Halal Certification (KBHC)

Halal is an Arabic word meaning “lawful” or “permitted”. When it comes to food and consumables, Halal is the dietary standard of Muslims.

The opposite of Halal is haram, which means “unlawful” or “prohibited”. When it comes to food and consumables following foods are Haram : Swine/pork and its by-products, Animals improperly slaughtered or dead before slaughtering, Animals killed in the name of anyone other than ALLAH (God), Alcohol and intoxicants, Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and land animals without external ears, Blood and blood by-products, and Foods contaminated with any of these products.

The surest and easiest way to know a product is acceptable is to see the Halal symbol on the product label. If the product has a halal symbol, make efforts to contact the certifying body whose symbol appears on the product for clarification.

Mushbooh is an Arabic term which means doubtful. If one does not know the Halal or Haram status of a particular product, such a product is considered doubtful.

Dhabiha is an Arabic word, which means an animal has been slaughtered according to the teachings of Islam. According to the Dhabiha principles, animals are hand slaughtered by slitting the throat. The blood is thoroughly drained from the animal. This assures the consumer of getting completely healthy meat processed with the highest standards of cleanliness, purity, and healthiness.

Gelatine is a protein product obtained from the collagen of vertebrates, including pigs, cattle, and fish. It is recovered by hydrolysis. The main raw materials used today are pigskins, cattle bones and cattle hide. Of these, the most common source is pigskins.

Gelatine is used in the preparation of baked goods, ice cream, yoghurt, jellies and many other dairy and confectionary products. It is also used in the medical and pharmaceutical industry.

It is possible to produce Halal gelatine by using the bones and hides of Halal slaughtered cattle. In such a case, the gelatine should be certified Halal and labelled as Halal gelatine.

Mono and diglycerides are types of fat that are used to prevent water and oil from separating. They are found in a wide variety of products including baked foods, peanut butter, margarine, and shortening. Mono and diglycerides come from animal or vegetable sources. When they come from vegetable sources, they are Halal. When they come from animal sources, they may be Haram. More information is needed to find out if they are Halal.

Shortening is a type of fat that is solid at room temperature, and is used for making many baked foods. Animal shortening, such as lard, must be avoided. Pure vegetable shortening is Halal.

Lecithin is used to prevent oil and water from separating. It is found in plants such as soybeans, as well as egg yolks and other animal sources. If lecithin is derived from plants, egg yolks or Halal animals slaughtered according to Islamic Law, it is Halal. Most lecithin is made from soybeans, however, it is possible that some may come from animal sources. Unless the ingredient label specifically lists "soy lecithin" or "vegetable lecithin", make an inquiry to determine the source of the lecithin.

Halal and Kosher foods are not similar. Kosher is from the Hebrew word kasher , which means, "fit" and "proper". The term is usually used for food that Jews are permitted to eat under their dietary laws. Some elements of Jewish and Islamic dietary laws are common, while some are not. Therefore, not all Kosher foods are Halal for Muslim