Hot Meat – Unfit for human consumption
entering into the food chain
By Email and Post 16th June 2005 - a letter to the Food Standards Agency
-
Mr. David Statham
Director
Enforcement Group
Food Standard
Agency
Aviation House,
125 Kingsway,
London WC2B 6NH
Dear David
Re: Hot Meat – Unfit for human consumption
entering into the food chain
I am writing further as promised following at our
recent meeting of the Muslim Organizations Working Group at the Food Standard
Agency to confirm The London Central Mosque Trust and the Islamic Cultural
Centre (ICC) deep concerns regarding hundreds of old cull ewes, slaughtered
every day at the Meat Hygiene Services licensed plants for the Muslim markets
all over the country.
In most cases the meat of these ewes is often thin
, and dark in colour , emaciated, oedematous and do not have the same keeping
quality as young lambs, especially when they are not chilled immediately after
slaughter and kept to set, loaded warm for immediate despatch under the wrong
presumption that this is a Halal requirement. Often they reach the markets in a
condition unfit for human consumption.
I do find it surprising to hear that Muslims like
their meat to be hot and not chilled.
If meat is unfit for human consumption it cannot be
considered Halal even if initially it was slaughtered in the Halal
way.
It is very serious to a Muslim if meat unfit for
human consumption is sold to them as fresh Halal meat as it is a form of
deception . Emaciated oedematous meat can also cause ill health and even death
in the consumer, and this condition would render it Haram to eat.
If someone died as a result of eating this meat,
and the butcher knew that the meat was harmful, he would be guilty in Islamic
law at least of manslaughter.
Your help in preventing this illicit meat entering
into the human food chain is highly appreciated.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you
personally and colleagues at the Food Standards Agency for the hard work you are
doing for the Muslim community.
Yours sincerely
Dr Ahmed Al Dubayan
Director
General
Dr Yunes Teinaz
Advisor to the Director
General