The first pecorino cheese made in Tuscany to be certified Halal, made in accordance with Islamic food standards, is produced by the Caseificio Sociale Manciano.The Halal certification was issued by the Zayd Ibn Thabit Islamic Association and is supported by TUeV Italia Srl.
The new guarantee ‘is the result of a multidisciplinary task and an organic approach that included religious and legal competencies in addition to industrial and marketing skills,’ said a press release.The certification is based on the teachings of the Koran and Sharia as well as the ISO guidelines and international standards. Although the phases of production of the pecorino did not change, the process was modified to adhere to food standards according to the Islamic religion, which require such things as the use of non-alcoholic products for cleaning equipment, different labelling and more.
The Pecorino Toscano Consortium hopes that other dairies in the region will seek Halal certification and increase the multidisciplinary and holistic approach to production of dairy-based goods.
