The first contest of Halal foods is opened in Ufa

The first interregional contest-tasting “Ufa Halal-2011” started working in Ufa, initiated by the Halal Standard Committee under the Clerical Muslim Dept RB jointly with the state committee for trade and consumer rights protection RB, the Ministry of agriculture RB and the Trade-Industry Chamber of Bashkortostan with the assistance of the Council for state-confessional relations under the President of Bashkortostan.

“Though the contest is officially called interregional, in reality it is international because the representatives of Kazakhstan are taking part in it along with the Russian manufacturers” – the head of the Halal Standard Committee Timur Shangareev said at the opening ceremony – “The enterprises from Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, Saratov and Belgorod regions also delivered their Halal foods. But Bashkir producers dominate here.

Halal foods are becoming more and more popular in the country and it is quite understandable because 20 million Muslims live in Russia. The word “Halal” (i.e. "permitted" for Muslims from the Arab “al-halal”) has already become the synonym of what a Muslim may eat. Halal is the brand, which proves that the foods under this label are cooked in accordance with Muslims canons and traditions and don’t contain the components, prohibited for Muslims.

Nonetheless the initiators of the contest don’t position Halal foods as exclusively Muslim.

“Halal foods are meant for everyone” – Timur Shangareev said – “These foods are prepared from ecologically clean products and technological cycle of Halal production doesn’t allow the use of the gene-modified ingredients, aromatizers and other substances, harmful for people. The contest is held on several sorts of foods: poultry meat, meat and sub-products, confectionaries, butter and other foods.

The winners will be rewarded with the diplomas and with the right to use the contest’s emblem on their packaging.