Will plant-based pork meat substitutes receive halal certification?

Abstract

The use of plant-based meat substitutes is growing globally for nutritional and environmental reasons. The production of meat-free food in some cases meets the needs of vegans. It may also help and/or simplify meeting religious requirements e.g., halal products for Muslim consumers. It is interesting to extend the understanding of this meat substitute from the Islamic religious perspective as Muslim believers are more concerned about the permissible food/meat which is labelled as halal. This article will report the analysis of how Islam is expected to address a plant substitute for pork, normally a prohibited (haram, unlawful) meat. The arguments presented by different scholars and several existing guidelines related to halal certification from selected Muslim countries such as Malaysia. If all the materials used in plant-based pork are considered permissible, concern over halal certification procedures remains a debatable issue. Another concern is the effect of halal certification on Shariah compliance companies that serve pork plantbased meat. All these concerns are suggested to be addressed by International Fatwa Bodies, as well as JAKIM as one of the key players in the halal industry.