WASHINGTON, 1 March 2006 — Halal meat is a specific method of slaughtering, blessing and preparing food to purify it. Muslims are willing to pay a premium for halal, and nationwide states and localities are targeting unscrupulous dealers who prey on their dietary devotion.

Unfortunately, halal scams have become common. Some vendors, for instance, will blend regular meat with a little halal meat to justify Muslim-friendly labels and higher prices. Others simply lie, preying on Muslims’ trust and devotion.

Reasons for the cheating is obvious: A whole halal chicken sometimes can cost 10 or 20 cents more per pound than one that isn’t halal, according to local butchers and supermarkets here.

But halal also applies to anything from lunchmeat to potato chips, depending on things like additives and even what some foodstuffs are cooked in. McDonald’s in the US was recently sued for using pork fat to fry its potato chips, which it did not disclose to its customers. After losing the lawsuit, McDonalds switched from fat to oil for its frying needs.

Virginia is home to 350,000 Muslims, and is currently weighing three proposals, and the bills are pending in legislative committees. Growing Muslim communities are bringing their Islamic needs to the forefront, where there are now about 50 mosques between Richmond and northern Virginia.

In Virginia, following a bevy of complaints about fraudulent butchers who deceived unwary Muslim customers by selling them meat they advertised as halal, Virginia lawmakers are considering a law to prohibit unscrupulous venders from their illegal profiteering.

One would make selling halal knockoffs a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 in fines.“In my research, I realized that Virginia does not have a program to certify kosher or other religious foods,” Del. Kenneth Alexander, D-Norfolk, who sponsored the bill at his constituents’ request, told local media.

Other legislation would force vendors to offer certification information and a toll-free number or website for confirmation of halal and kosher foods. Violators could face up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines. Last summer, New York passed a law that required halal food distributors to register with the state.

Vendors caught possessing mislabeled halal items are now fined.Similar laws are in effect in several states, including California, Illinois and Michigan, despite the misgivings of some who maintain state governments shouldn’t be policing religious laws.

Dearborn, Michigan has a large Muslim population, and following a list of complaints by some of the 100,000 Muslims living there, the County Commission made it a misdemeanor last year for food sellers to falsely claim their meat is halal or kosher. Violations are punishable by $500 fines or 90 days in jail.

Although it applies to both kosher and halal food, the law was passed there because of the popularity of halal food. Once hard to find, the blessed meat now is available at Metro Detroit chain supermarkets, Asian restaurants and even two McDonald’s restaurants in Dearborn. The law there now requires stores making the halal or kosher claim to post conspicuous signs identifying the slaughterhouse and wholesaler.