UK: HFA takes contamination very seriously

Statement by the Halal Food Authority:

HFAHalal Food Authority wants to reassure the Muslim community that no actual contaminated halal
meals were served to Muslim inmates, and the alleged contaminated meals were never destined
for the general Muslim consumers. HFA takes mixing or contamination of halal with nonhalal products very seriously. HFA also undertakes that all the ingredients contained in the
products in question were free from any doubtful substances, porcine materials, and/or alcohol.
The only likely cause for the Pork DNA to be introduced in those products seems to be
cross contamination.
Halal Food Authority de-licensed McColgan’s Quality Foods Ltd in the interest of the Muslim
consumers as soon as we were made aware of the alleged presence of Pork DNA, through the
media, while further investigations were being carried out, as listed in our press release [13th
Feb 2013].
In the wake of the Pork DNA and horse meat scandals the HFA has brought in extra mandatory
controls and implemented more stringent checks & balances to our existing halal certification
criteria.
It has been brought to our attention, through general public, who have raised serious concerns
over the ill-informed and ill-placed press releases from some inconspicuous establishments and
certain misleading individuals who have been spreading aversive and inaccurate information with
regards to the criteria of Halal Food Authority for verification of halal foods.
We are very sad that the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has issued a statement which falls below
the professional standard expected of them. MCB is an umbrella body which should have played a
completely unbiased and binding role to bring the various halal certification standards and criteria
together that prevail in the UK today. We hope that in the future MCB will utilise its role in
promoting the halal brand and criteria rather than careering to one side. Should they have any
conclusive information about the DNA results that HFA are not aware of at the moment, they
should share this information with us and the general public immediately, to support their decision
in the statement.
We condemn any aversive and misleading propaganda against the standards of Halal Food
Authority, which is based on fallacy and inconclusive statements and media reports.