By Email and
Post 16th June 2005
-
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 |
|
