Non-halal meat on your plate? This new test can detect

As per the scientists, in halal method, a particular group of proteins were impacted which were different in the sheep slaughtered by electric stunning.
Grilled Chicken. (Representational Image)
Grilled Chicken. (Representational Image)

How do we find out the method of slaughter of the meat we consume? A recent study by scientists at the National Research Centre on Meat(NRCM), Hyderabad have deduced a laboratory test that can determine whether a piece of meat is halal or otherwise. Halal, in this context, is the term given to the method of slaughtering animals according to Islamic rites. 

According to a report published in TOI, the conclusion was arrived after conducting tests on sheep slaughtered both through Islamic method and electric stunning. The results revealed the variations in molecular levels of both sets of meat. 

As per the scientists, in halal method, a particular group of proteins were impacted which were different in the sheep slaughtered by electric stunning. Based on this difference the scientists can confirm if the meat is halal.

A method called ‘difference gel electrophoresis’ was adopted to identify the difference in muscle proteins of the two types of meat. As many as 46 proteins were affected in the two methods.

The scientists also added that pre-slaughter stress in animals can also help in identifying halal from non-halal meat. 

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The New Indian Express
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