Tehran– The Atlantic Beef Products plant in Albany now provides halal-certified Island beef and ground beef products, the company announced officially according to media reports.

IFIF Public Relations- The plant has received halal certification from the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of Canada (IFANCC), an internationally accepted means to assure the halal status of foods.

'There has been a steadily growing interest from Muslim consumers, food retailers and food service operators looking for halal beef in Atlantic Canada,' Russ Mallard, president of Atlantic Beef Products, said in a news release Friday.

A halal certificate provides Muslims with a reliable and independent testimony that a third party has examined the plant for quality assurance, said a press release from the plant. The council web site says meat must not be, with absolute certainty, contaminated by pork or certain other animals must be hung to properly drain of blood and must be killed in the name of God, to name a few criteria.

'Canada has a Muslim population of over one million and those customers can now confidently choose Atlantic Beef Products and be assured that this beef will meet the needs of Muslims for halal food products,' said Mallard.

Halal-certified food is prepared according to instructions laid out in the Qur'an, including the way the animal is slaughtered./s