Islamic Slaughtering and Meat Quality Dr Javaid Aziz

Islamic Slaughtering and Meat Quality Dr. Javaid Aziz Awan National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 12/7/2020 1

INTRODUCTION l Meat indispensable for sound human health l Provides several essential nutrients: ¡Amino acids ¡Mineral elements ¡Vitamins 12/7/2020 2

INTRODUCTION l Meat subject to spoilage by: ¡Chemical reactions ¡Biochemical reactions ¡Biological agents, including bacteria l Responsible for food-borne diseases l Hence meat be produced so as to: ¡Minimize chemical and biochemical changes ¡Prevent chances of bacterial contamination and growth to preserve quality 12/7/2020 3

INTRODUCTION l Slaughtering of lawful animals and birds essential to prepare for food purposes l Pre-slaughter management and bleeding methods regulated by religious practices and legislations l Earliest recorded laws on handling, care and slaughter of animals - Ahadith by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) l These often in response to queries or result of his (pbuh) personal observations l These guidelines laid down over 1430 years l Modern scientific discoveries just testified implications 12/7/2020 4

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING l Islamic method of slaughtering - based on two important principles: ¡Tasmiya ¡Tazkiyah l Tasmiya refers to invoking name of Allah ¡means slaughter being done with His permission l This in accordance with several commands given in the Holy Quran 12/7/2020 5

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING “Forbidden to you (for food, ) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than God; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a head long fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been partly eaten by a wild animal, unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form) …. …………. (V: 4) 12/7/2020 6

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING l Tazkiyah means purification - cleaning meat of blood by slaughter l Consumption of blood prohibited in Holy Scriptures: ¡Holy Bible - Leviticus 3: 17 and 7: 26 ¡Holy Quran - VI: 146 l All lawful animals and birds contain blood l Blood must be drained as per these commands 12/7/2020 7

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING l The Holy Prophet (pbuh) gave comprehensive guidelines on slaughtering of animals in following Hadith: l “Verily Allah, has prescribed proficiency in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters”. 12/7/2020 8

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING l Process of slaughtering in Islam - consolidated l Slaughterer: ¡Must be adult Muslim or ¡One who believes in Holy Scriptures ¡Should be in possession of his mental faculties 12/7/2020 9

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING l Lay animal (except camel) on its left flank, preferably facing Kibla l Recite name of Allah (Subhan Allah, or La illaha illila ho, or Allah-o-Akbar or Bismillah Allah-o. Akbar) 12/7/2020 10

ESSENTIALS OF ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING l Give quick incision using very sharp knife on front of the neck to severe: ¡Wind pipe ¡Oesophagus ¡Carotid arteries ¡Jugular veins l Prohibited - practice of cutting off part of an animal or removing its skin while still alive 12/7/2020 11

PRE-SLAUGHTER HANDLING OF ANIMALS - 1. Selection of animals l Islam permits consumption of few animals and birds only l Strictly prohibited: ¡Pork ¡Blood ¡Carrion ¡Dead animals ………. 12/7/2020 12

PRE-SLAUGHTER HANDLING OF ANIMALS - 1. Selection of animals l Animals died natural death l Animals died as result of: ¡Beating ¡Strangling ¡Falling from a height ¡Goring of horns ¡Devoured of wild beasts l Animals dedicated to others than Allah l Animals immolated to idols 12/7/2020 13

1. Selection of animals l Also prohibited: ¡All carnivorous animals ¡All birds of prey 12/7/2020 14

1. Selection of animals l Permitted animals: ¡All herbivorous, even-toed, ruminants l Animal meant for slaughtering be: ¡Healthy ¡Free from any apparent or hidden impurities/diseases ¡Must be legally owned. 12/7/2020 15

2. Rest prior to slaughtering l Islam promotes calm and rested animals prior to slaughtering: ¡ Not fatigued ¡ Not excited ¡ Not nervous Slaughtering Instrument l The Holy Prophet (pbuh) advised companions to sharpen knives to their best l Further instructed not to perform this operation in front of slaying animal 12/7/2020 16

2. Rest prior to slaughtering l Not Permitted - Any act that causes neurosis or excitement or other abnormal behavioural changes in animal l Prohibited in Islam - Practice of collective slaughtering - other animals do not view their companion being killed l Research reveals practices inhumane 12/7/2020 17

2. Rest prior to slaughtering l Rough handling of animals in pre-slaughter period adversely affects meat quality l Result - dark, firm and dry meat (dark cutting meat) l Fatigued or starved animals - Organisms from gut may invade blood stream and eventually muscles 12/7/2020 18

2. Rest prior to slaughtering l Modern methods require animal prior to slaughtering not be subjected to: ¡Stress ¡Fatigue ¡Neurotic ¡Otherwise excited 12/7/2020 19

2. Rest prior to slaughtering l Proper relaxation before slaughtering: ¡Helps animal to bleed well ¡Builds up muscle glycogen essential to lower p. H of meat ¡Increases storage life by reducing chances of microbial growth ¡Improves taste due to conditioning/ tenderness ¡Helps delay or reduce fermentation in stomach - may otherwise give meat characteristic smell known as ‘bone taint’. 12/7/2020 20

2. Rest prior to slaughtering l Generally regarded undesirable that animal awaiting slaughter view slaughtering process – cause stress l Animals under stress - lead to undue emotional instability, fatigue, anorexia, etc. , l Discharge hormones from adrenal glands: ¡adrenaline from adrenal medulla ¡ 17 hydroxy- and 11 -deoxycorticosterones from adrenal cortex l Hormones deplete muscle glycogen and potassium l Deleterious effects on meat quality l To prevent these adverse effects, tranquilizers recommended to calm stocks in transit. 12/7/2020 21

3. Feeding the animals l Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised that animals destined for slaughtering be: ¡well fed ¡provided with drinking water l Preferable that animals have free access to feed and water prior to slaughtering. 12/7/2020 22

3. Feeding the animals l Two schools of thoughts: ¡Animal to remain hungry - Fasting ¡Animal be well fed l Fasting animals - Fasting animals before slaughter recommended in modern abattoirs 12/7/2020 23

3. Feeding the animals Fasting Animals Advantages claimed: l Bleed better l Carcass easier to dress l Carcass has brighter appearance l Reduced bulk of animal’s stomach l Reduced chances of bacterial contamination from gut 12/7/2020 24

3. Feeding the animals l Fasting Animals l Disadvantages of fasted animals: ¡Loss in weight of carcass and liver ¡Lower glycogen reserves in muscles ¡Reduced gustative quality of meat 12/7/2020 25

3. Feeding the animals Well-fed animals: l Glycogen level in muscle reaches higher level l Ensures production of adequate lactic acid l Lowers p. H of meat l Such meat has good: ¡Appearance ¡Taste ¡Tenderness ¡Longer shelf-life 12/7/2020 26

3. Feeding the animals l Well-fed animals l Meat spoilage bacteria prefer growth at high p. H levels - around p. H 7. 0 l Most bacteria, especially food poisoning ones do not grow at p. H below 3. 5 l Any decrease from normal value of about 6. 8 reduces chances of bacterial multiplication, especially food poisoning ones 12/7/2020 27

3. Feeding the animals l Meat of soothed and well-fed animals: ¡p. H attains 5. 5 or even lower level l Meat of fatigued or neurotic animals: ¡p. H varies from 6. 5 to 7. 0 l To produce meat of good keeping and eating quality, often recommended to feed animals prior to slaughtering l In some cases sugar solution fed to quickly restore glycogen level in tissues 12/7/2020 28

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE l Slaughtering rules apply to animals and birds in complete physical control of man - all domesticated birds and animals (except camel) l Camel slaughtered by method known as ‘nahr’ l Involves piercing throat with sharp, spear-like instrument while standing l Blood streams out, bleeding makes animal fall lifeless to ground l Any animal or bird gone wild and cannot be reached or caught, falls under category of ‘game animal’ - different rituals apply 12/7/2020 29

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE l Conventionally, slaughtering process consists of two to three different stages l Depends on religious practices and legislations l Muslims and Jews not in favour of stunning l Western countries require animals be stunned before slaughtering l Posture of animal and bleeding method governed by religious and national legislations 12/7/2020 30

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning l Stunning widely practiced in Western abattoirs l Main objective - make animal unconscious for gentle and painless death l No standard method for all animals under all conditions l Stunning effective in having calm animal 12/7/2020 31

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning l Stunning may adversely affect quality of carcass - cause injury to medulla oblongata in brain - controls blood circulation and respiration l Desirable these systems continue to function help pump blood out of carcass when blood vessels cut 12/7/2020 32

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning Methods l Older method involved hitting animal on its head with a hammer l Stunning methods in vogue: ¡Pole-axe ¡Free bullet ¡Captive bolt pistol ¡Concussion stunner ¡Electrical stunning ¡Carbon dioxide anesthesia 12/7/2020 33

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning l Method of shooting by free bullet - too dangerous to use in abattoirs l Captive bolt - discarded l Carbon dioxide anesthesia - exact dose of gas important for specific length of time ¡does not seem possible with all animals under all conditions. 12/7/2020 34

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning l Electrical stunning widely used now-a-days ¡increases frequency of ‘blood splash” appearance of small dark red areas in meat ¡also lowers glycogen reserves of muscle ¡estimated approximately in 5 % electrically stunned animals heart failure - animal dead before incision made ¡consumers eat carrion and not meat ¡Objectionable in West, also prohibited by Holy Scriptures 12/7/2020 35

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning l Stunning - outcome of industrial revolution in West l Maximum animals be slaughtered in least time l Reality - no relation with mercy on animals l Industrial revolution - provided mankind with innumerable benefits l inflicted damaging blows on some aspects of human nutrition l Example - refinement of wheat flour l Stunning might turn out harmful 12/7/2020 36

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 1. Stunning l Debates - Muslims could eat meat of animals bled after stunning, even if all other requirements fulfilled l Views expressed in favour and against l Some Muslim countries accept, some do not 12/7/2020 37

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 2. Animal positioning l Islamic method - lay animal on left flank preferably facing Kibla l When laid on left flank, likelihood of more blood to drain owing to body pressure on heart l Laying animal enables it to convulse - results from contraction of muscles due to lack of oxygen in brain cells when incision made in neck 12/7/2020 38

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 2. Animal positioning l During convulsions blood squeezed out of vessels l Hence more blood drains out - a pre-requisite for meat of superior quality l Evidence suggests more blood lost from sheep in horizontal position than those hung vertically 12/7/2020 39

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l Islam permits use of knife or any sharp object for bleeding except finger nail and bone l In an emergency use of sharp stone, white stone, bamboo and sharp arrow permitted l Incision made in neck with simultaneous recitation of the name of Allah - Takbir l Takbir has religious significance to believer who makes submission to Allah, since assumed that life taken out of animal with His permission 12/7/2020 40

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l Slaughtering actually done in the name of Allah l Slaughtering not in name of any person or deity in accordance with following commands: l “So eat of (meats) on which God’s name has been pronounced if ye have faith in His Signs” (Vl: 118). l “Eat not of meats on which God’s name has not been pronounced: that would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to commit end with you if ye were to obey them, ye would indeed be Pagans” (Vl: 121). 12/7/2020 41

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l Modern methods - domestic fowls and turkeys may be slaughtered instantaneously by means of decapitation or dislocation of neck l Present-day slaughterhouses ¡anterior vena cava severed on one side in cattle ¡carotid arteries in goats and sheep 12/7/2020 42

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l Islamic method: l Cut throat transversely to severe carotid arteries, jugular veins, oesophagus and trachea without injuring spinal cord l Two essentials in slaughter of animals for meat: ¡ animals be dispatched without unnecessary suffering ¡bleeding be as complete as possible l 12/7/2020 43

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l When both carotid arteries severed unconsciousness in sheep induced between 3 to 6 seconds l Islamic method ensures maximum blood drainage from body before completion of death process l Connection between brain and body retained via spinal cord l Brain sends messages to heart and lungs l Heart pumps blood to parts of body - drained out from severed blood vessels in neck 12/7/2020 44

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques Results of a comparative study l Three different methods of slaughtering employed: l Maximum blood lost in Kosher method ¡Jewish method similar to Islamic as regards physical details l Minimum when chicken simply beheaded 12/7/2020 45

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l Blood excellent medium for growth of microorganisms l Meat retaining more blood than critical level liable to bacterial spoilage l Blood retention in tissues can cause unpleasant appearance and discolouration in meat l Keeping and eating qualities of meat depend, in part, on removal of maximum blood from carcass 12/7/2020 46

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques l To produce good carcass animal be bled effectively l Heart and respiratory system must function continuously as long as possible after severance l This attained most thoroughly when heart and respiratory functions retained by maintaining medulla oblongata/spinal cord 12/7/2020 47

SLAUGHTERING PROCEDURE 3. Bleeding techniques Positioning of animal in Islamic method: l clearly prevents retraction of carotids l ensures rapid onset of unconsciousness and painless death l In Islamic method of slaughtering maximum blood drained - outranks other slaughtering techniques 12/7/2020 48

EXTRODUCTION l Islam recognized animal rights long before human rights recognized in Western World l Numerous Ahadiths reflect Islam advocates kindness and mercy towards animals l Holy Prophet (pbuh) advised: ¡ Nourish animals wel ¡ Save animals from hunger and thirst ¡ Show kindness to animals ¡ Do not hit or mark animal on its face ¡ Do not shoot arrows at cattle or bird tied or held up ¡ Do not fight animals for sports or recreation ¡ Do not unjustly killing even a sparrow or smaller bird (other than for food) 12/7/2020 49

EXTRODUCTION l Current scientific data reveals Islamic recommendations for slaughtering animals highly rational l Good physique and health considered basic requirement for selection of food animals l Pre-slaughter management of animals requires they should not be fatigued, excited or neurotic l Proper rest, absence of hunger and thirst and use of sharp knife alleviate pains of death 12/7/2020 50

Thank You l. Open for Discussion 12/7/2020 51