Introduction

The food industry, like any other industry, responds to the needs and desires of the consumer. People all over the world are now more conscious about foods, health, and nutrition. Islam is the world’s second largest religion and also the fastest growing, both globally and in the United States (US). The global Muslim population is 1.8 billion and the halal food market is estimated to be $547 billion per year in the US Muslims are supposed to make an effort to obtain halal food of good quality. It is their religious obligation to consume only halal food. For non-Muslim consumers, halal foods are often perceived as specially selected and processed to achieve the highest standards of quality along with being healthier. In the United Kingdom there are about 2 to 3 million Muslims but the consumption of halal meat is estimated to include 6 million people. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.