Abstract
Religions lay down certain rules for their followers on a variety of subjects, as well as food and beverages. In Islamic literature, rules that regulate food consumption and foods that can be consumed are defined as "halal". Specifically, Judaism and Islam require conformance to halal regulations in order for meat products to be consumed. The rules set out in these two beliefs do not always coincide with other religions’ animal slaughter rituals. Therefore, the slaughtering rules that believers of Judaism or Islam must abide by stir up a great deal of hardships in countries where they constitute a minority. Although Islam has deemed it acceptable to consume the meat of animals slaughtered by the Jewish or Christians, who are acknowledged as ‘People of the Book’, many problems arise within the abattoirs of Christian countries. Furthermore, these problems also cause disturbances in meat export chains between countries. This situation canalizes governments and companies to impose a set of precautions. Australia, which exports meat to Islamic countries, has subjected the state of being “halal” to a certification system, thus identifying the institutions that can administer certifications for exportation. The Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia (SICHMA), which has a majority of Turkish founders and is based in New South Wales, becomes prominent among these institutions by both its wide and established network and its thoroughness.