From Halal to Hell

Halal’ bacon a big porkie

By Marnie O’NeillAugust

19, 2007 - Daily Telegraph AU

A CATERING company has apologised to Muslim university students after trying to sell them “halal bacon and egg rolls”.

University of Western Sydney students had been suspicious for months about the authenticity of food labelled “halal” at campus canteens.

Their concerns were unexpectedly proved correct when in-house catering company UWSConnect offered “halal bacon and egg rolls” at the Bankstown campus.

Muslims are forbidden to eat any pig products.

“It’s just the most awful mistake,” UWSConnect general manager Tony Geange told The Sunday Telegraph.

“We are deeply embarrassed and ashamed, and we’ve apologised profusely for causing offence, both verbally and in writing.

“I mean, of all products, it had to be the bacon and egg roll.

“At the end of the day, it’s our fault and it’s an appalling mistake both verbally and in writing. It’s unforgivable.”

Mr Geange attributed the gaffe to to a “human labelling error” at UWSConnect’s Bankstown premises.

He insisted all products marked halal came from suppliers who claimed to be halal-friendly.
But according to the university’s Muslim Students Association (MSA), students had long suspected the products were being falsely labelled halal.

“UWSConnect seems tobelieve it can label food halal, without first obtaining halal certification from an accredited Muslim halal certifier,” it said in an online statement.

“UWS MSA presidents have patiently insisted that Muslims can accept halal labelling only after accreditation from a recognised Muslim halal certifier. The recent halal egg and bacon rolls fiasco is proof of this.”

On August 9, the company held talks with UWS executives and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC).

AFIC supplied UWSConnect with an “application form for halal accreditation”.

AFIC halal services general manager Mohammed Rahman said the false labelling of food as halal was “much more widespread than people might think”.

The MSA has warned its members to be cautious about eating any UWSConnect products.