Coachella’s Best Organic Dates are officially halal certified! So, what does this mean for your favorite dates?
Halal, meaning “allowed” or “lawful” is the primary consumption guideline that halal consumers adhere to. The halal laws come from Islamic teachings and are meant to protect the spiritual and physical wellness of those who practice Islam.
In order for a food or product to be certified halal, certain guidelines must be followed so it is important that they go through a specific process to get a formal certification. A product is considered halal if it is free of any substance or ingredient taken from a haram source. Haram means “prohibited” or “unlawful.” The halal philosophy can be understood in simple terms with the following acronym; “Everything is halal except ABCD IS haram.”
ABCD IS stands for:
A- Alcohol (ethyl) and all types of intoxicants/drugs
B- Blood – flowing or congealed
C- Carnivorous animals
D- Dead meat – meat that is not slaughtered according to Islamic slaughtering rites
I- Food immolate unto idols
S- Swine and all swine derivatives
Halal certified food or product must also be manufactured or stored by utensils, equipment, and machinery that have not been contaminated with haram. It must never have been contaminated or cross-contaminated with a haram substance during its product life cycle (from production to storage).
To become halal certified there is a 3 step certification process that is facilitated by an internationally accredited organization like the American Halal Foundation (AHF). The first step is the application that determines the halal status of your facility and its products. The second step is the audit where an account executive will come and audit the facility and provide a training session for the employees who will be responsible for overseeing the halal production. The third and final step is the certification. After a successful halal audit, the products and facility are now officially certified as halal and can be recognized as such internationally!
Along with being halal certified, Coachella’s Best Organic Dates are certified non-GMO and organic!
To learn more about halal, please visit the American Halal Foundation: https://halalfoundation.org/
