Halal simply means permitted or lawful. So when we are talking about halal foods it means any foods that are allowed to be eaten according to Islamic Sharia law.This means that for any food to be considered halal it must comply with the religious ritual and observance of Sharia law. This means that food has been subjected to approved certification systems which guarantee to consumers that nothing in the food has any forbidden components. Halal certificates are issued, for a fee, by a certifying body.

The opposite of halal is haram (forbidden). Food can be forbidden in Islam if it includes blood; alcohol; meat or any products from a forbidden animal, including pigs and any carnivorous animals or birds of prey; meat or any products of an animal which has not been slaughtered in the correct manner in the name of Allah. Under Islamic law (sharia) it is permissible (halal) to consume items that would otherwise be termed haram so long as it is a matter of survival and not just an act of disobedience.

More Info: www.halalchoices.com.au