KFC aiming to meet with council of mosques (From Asian Image)

KFC aiming to meet with council of mosques

12:23pm Friday 12th March 2010 in

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A high street fast food chain says it is meeting with a council of Mosques to reassure the organisation of its halal status.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) says it is certified by the Halal Food Authority (HFA).

The food authority’s logo is displayed on the doors of the stores. According to the company website the chain has gone halal in the following Northwest stores: Accrington, Blackburn, Colne, Burnley, Dewsbury, Manchester Fort Store, Rochdale Kingsway, Preston Deepdale and Elk Mill, Manchester (Drive Thru).

And to ensure there is no cross-contamination no pork products are being served in the halal stores.

The HFA is the largest food certification body in the UK and certifies thousands of shops, butchers and stores across the UK. However, this month the Lancashire Council of Mosques sent a letter out to mosques.

In it it stated that its Halal Sub Group, was ‘inundated’ with calls regarding the Halal trial being conducted by KFC. The LCM says it is now using the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) criteria as it’s benchmark.

Just over 300 businesses in the UK are certified by the HMC which claims to take a more proactive approach in ensuring food is halal.

However, it has come in for criticism from some companies concerning the extra charges they want for the HMC certificate and their criteria.

The LCM statement read, "Upon researching KFC`S website, it is apparent that the chickens are stunned before slaughter.

“This issue is of great concern to us because the Halal Criterion, adopted by LCM after wide consultation, does not allow stunning and this conforms to British law.

“The Sub Group is concerned whether there is a thorough certification process in place throughout the supply chain of KFC and whether the independent monitoring mechanism is effective.

“With the above in mind, the LCM Halal sub group has requested an urgent meeting with the representatives of the Lancashire branches of KFC together with the Halal manager from KFC Headquarters.

“Meanwhile, LCM recommends the Muslim community to exercise caution and remain vigilant.”

The LCM said it would allow people to make their own minds up and would NOT say any non HMC food was therefore haram.

A spokesperson for KFC said, “We have replied to the many requests for halal restaurants by introducing a halal trial at a number of stores across the country, which includes some of our restaurants in Lancashire.

“The trial is accredited by the Halal Food Authority which is recognised both in the UK and by the World Halal Council.

“We buy our chicken from reputable suppliers who have been audited and accredited by the HFA to ensure that their systems and processes fully comply with halal requirements, including the recital of a verse from the Qu’ran by an appropriate person.”

We contacted the HFA who refused to comment.