I think by now many of us have heard about the link between brain diseases, like Alzheimer, and our digestive system, brain-gut connection. The food we eat by no doubt affects our day to day activities. “Eating well is part of the strategy that can reduce our risk of any chronic disease and even improve the condition of our very genes.” [1].
Food is a source of energy which has an impact on five main aspects of personal health; if not more: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual. It also contributes to around 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Since meat is considered a main part of nowadays diet, let’s discover together the current issues and impacts of each stage of the livestock’s life cycle, from the farm to the plate, in order to increase our awareness about what exactly gets into our bodies. The intention is to help myself and you increase our consciousness about the journey livestock takes, realize our impact and appreciate the blessings we have. And then see what Islam teachings say in the topic and what current tools we can use to implement “Ihsan” “beautification” “ excellence” in our diet.
{ وَأَحْسِنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ}
“Do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.” (2:195)
Food Life Cycle
Any product goes through a life cycle. Starting from the source/raw materials, and ending with the waste stage. The current sustainability efforts seek to improve each stage and minimize the negative impacts to the environment and societies. This article will focus on livestock only, leaving other food groups to another post.
Islam describes the food that we should eat as Halal and Tayyb. Which is translated as “good”, “wholesome”, or “pure”, and that in my opinion, should be the description of all the stages that our food go through and not merely the last stage. One of the new tools in sustainability is the life cycle analysis, which Muslims should give it good attention.
Food production stage
Food production is the first stage in the life cycle of livestock. There has been an increase in meat consumption globally. Meat consumed per person globally grew by roughly 25 percent !!. Livestock requires a lot of crops, land, water and energy.
What is the issue ? Since the old way of raising animals won’t suffice the huge demand of meat, factory farms have become popular ( 99% of US farmed animals live in factory farms!!) [2]).
Factory farms, however, are one of the main issues in the livestock lifecycle ( without neglecting the burden also caused by the inefficiency of resources usage ). A factory farm is an industrial facility that is dedicated to keeping and feeding a large number of animals in constrained areas ( cages or crates, or crowded together in pens.). In such farms, animals suffer from overcrowdedness, poor air quality and unnatural light patterns. Animals also have to live in or on top of their own excrement, breathing in the toxic fumes, and in perpetual stress from the crowded conditions.
With the difficulty of properly maintaining these farms, a reliance on antibiotics has grown to control the growth of pathogens that can be passed to humans. Animals are also treated with hormones to maximize their growth and food output. SO, the price to get cheap meat for the customer and big profit for the producer is the cruelty to the animal.
Why an issue ? Why are the above conditions an issue to us ? Well, health wise, whatever these animals eat remains in them and is passed to us. The hormones, antibiotics and even the emotional state of these animals will be passed on to us.
“We are what we eat” we believe that the good content in the vegetables and fruits have an immediate impact on our skin, mode and health, but it seems that we choose to deny that also the bad content ( physical or emotional ) would also be reflected on us !
In the past 60 years, consumption of milk, meat and egg worldwide have increased. At the same time, “several studies have reported a drop of semen quality and an increased incidence of cryptorchidism, hypospadias, and some hormone-related cancers (testicular, prostate, breast, endometrial cancer) in humans.” [4]
“Studies show the added hormones do show up in beef and milk, pushing their estrogen and testosterone content to the high end of normal for cows. Whether that translates to increased risk for humans is the question.“ “Many industry-funded studies show no risk, but there are independent studies that suggest a potential cancer risk from hormones in milk.” [5]
Beside the above health impacts due to what the animals are fed, there are consequences to the stress an animal goes through.“ If the animal is stressed before and during slaughter, the glycogen is used up, and the lactic acid level that develops in the meat after slaughter is reduced. This will have serious adverse effects on meat quality.” [6]
I also choose to believe that “ emotions have energy ” and the first law of thermodynamics states that “ energy is always conserved, it cannot be created or destroyed “. Therefore, the emotions an animal is going through (sadness, depression, fear or happiness ) will definitely find its way in us when we eat it.
How Islam guides us ? There are multiple Quran verses and sayings of the prophet pbuh that show us the importance of animal welfare.
Recognizing their value: “Animals are seen to have their own lives and purpose, valuable to themselves and to Allah above and beyond any material value they may provide to humanity” [7]
“أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُون“
Do you not see that Allah is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting [Him], and Allah is Knowing of what they do (24:41)
أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانِ (8) وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ (9) وَالْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ (10)
Qur’an actually forbids human actions which may lead to harm; transgress not in the balance, and weigh with justice, and skimp not in the balance … earth, He set it down for all beings(55:8–10)
Prohibits harming and commands good treatment: “ The killing of nonhuman animals for meat and hides by halāl (that is, permissible based on a set of ethical and religious standards) methods is obligatory, with meat considered forbidden (Makrooh) if the nonhuman animal has in any way been subjected to inhumane treatment” [7]
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says: “A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being.”
“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
He also says: “It is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power.”
“You will not have secure faith until you love one another and have mercy on those who live upon the earth.”
Distribution Stage
What is the issue ? When animals are ready to go to the slaughter house they are transported by trucks and usually for quite a long ride. There are some common impacts that happen due to poor transportation. Stress, suffocation, dehydration, heart failure ( as they get overfed before transportation ), frostbite ( in cold countries ! ) and bruising.
Why an issue ? The main issue in this stage is the horrific state that these animals go through. Those who survive are usually very exhausted and sick from the trip. But those that die, which is a considerable amount, contribute to waste generation that impacts the environment.
How Islam guides us ? The prophet pbuh says “The worst of shepherds is the ungentle, who causes the beasts to crush or bruise one another.”
Processing Stage
What is the issue ? The controversial point when it comes to slaughtering animals is whether rendering them unconscious is more humane than not. Nowadays, animals are rendered unconscious through mechanical force, electric shocks or gassing. These methods claim to be more humane and they ensure the animal only loses consciousness and not dies.
Why is it an issue ? However, the main issue here is that cases have been reported of animals not losing consciousness due to mistakes by operators for example. In these cases, animals get to suffer twice as they get to see other animals dead and also they go through the long process while they are alive.
In Islam, there has been Fatwa’s allowing stunning the animals but there are strict rules that grants the kindest treatment possible to animals.
How Islam guides ? Harming animals could easily make their meat forbidden to us. “ The flesh of animals killed by cruel methods (Al-Muthiah) is carrion (Al-Mujaththamah). Even if these animals have been slaughtered in the strictest Islamic manner, if cruelties were otherwise inflicted on them, their flesh is still forbidden (Haram) food.” [7]
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has also said, “When one of you slaughters, let him complete it”, meaning that one should sharpen the knife well and feed, water, and soothe the animal before killing it.
He also said, “Do you intend (on) inflicting death on the animal twice—once by sharpening the knife within its sight, and once by cutting its throat?”
Consumption and waste stage
What is the issue ? We are consuming a lot of meat and at the same time wasting a lot of it. “The study, published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, found that the average U.S. household wasted 31.9% of its food. The total annual cost of the wasted food was estimated to be $240 billion or $1,866 per household”[8]
Why is it an issue ? 6% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions is coming from food waste, “ if we were to put it in the context of national emissions, it would be the world’s third largest emitter. Only China (21%) and the United States (13%) emitted more.” [9]
In middle and high income countries, consumers are the biggest cause of waste. A study suggests that households are responsible for 53% of all food waste in the EU and 47% in Canada. In the low income countries, the responsible party is different. 40% of the good waste occurs after harvesting and before reaching the customer, mainly due to inadequate equipements.
How Islam guides ? Islam encourages sharing food with others, avoiding waste and causing no harm to our health by overeating.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنْشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ وَالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ ۚ كُلُوا مِنْ ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثْمَرَ وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ ۖ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
“It is He Who has brought into being gardens, the cultivated and the wild, and date-palms, and fields with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and variegated. Eat of their fruit in season, but give (the poor) their due on harvest day. And do not waste, for God does not love the wasteful.” [ 6:141]
“Eat of their fruit in season” which is better for the environment than importing food from far away just because it is not its season. The environmental impact of transportation is very serious. 14% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions came from transportation( fossil fuels burned for road, rail, air, and marine transportation).
كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِي وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَى
“Eat of the wholesome things We have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein, lest My condemnation fall upon you; he upon whom My condemnation falls has indeed thrown himself into utter ruin. (20:81)
Obesity and diabetes are critical health conditions that are related to overeating. “In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.” Causing this harm to ourselves is not accepted by God as our bodies and life are an “amana” “a trust” . The prophet pbuh says “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
Sustainability tools for a Tayyb Food
EcoLabels is one of the sustainability tools available for customers to choose products and companies which put an effort to contribute to the sustainability movements. We did talk about the possibility of greenwashing in a previous article . Here are some ecolables related to the meat industry that we believe are trustworthy and could help make a difference in our personal well-being and the environment.
Certified Humane Raised and Handled. This program sets standards of humane treatment for livestock including prohibition of growth hormones and non-therapeutic antibiotics and providing animals space to exercise.
USDA ORGANIC. Organic food generally means the absence of the use of man-made pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, and growth hormones, in addition to genetically modified organisms. In the United States, the National Organic Program sets the standards for processing and handling food. There are three main categories for the organic label. 1) 100% Organic: as it says, all ingredients must be organic. 2) Organic: must contain no less than 95% of organic ingredients. And 3) “Made with” Organic: contains at least 70% organic ingredients. Similarly are the other regions organic label like Canada Organic, EU organic .. etc.
NON-GMO Project Verified. This label indicates that products carrying it have been produced according to the best available practices for avoiding genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Yet, it does not ensure that 100%. For more //www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/what-is-gmo/
Conclusion
Our consumption of meat has increases. In order to call our food tayyb and good, we have to ensure a kind and fair treatment to these animals throughout their life cycle. We also should care about minimizing the environmental and societal impact of these livestock along their journey. Islam teachings emphasizes on critical treatments that seem to be neglected nowadays, and if followed would grant animals better life. As Muslims, being aware of what is happening, recalling the current issues when choosing our food would and supporting the efforts in the market is for sure part of our religion and worship.
What other labels and sustainability tools do you recommend ? Do you know of Muslims founded businesses that implement sustainability practices ? We have a list of them here, help us grow it.
Resources
[1] //brainworldmagazine.com/are-we-what-we-eat/
[2] //plantbasednews.org/culture/factory-farms-study/
[3] //www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-animals-and-factory-farms#:~:text=A%20%22factory%20farm%22%20is%20a,their%20growth%20and%20food%20output.
[??] //foodprint.org/issues/raising-animals-industrial-system/
[4] //www.researchgate.net/publication/333997255_Hormones_in_Food_as_a_Potential_Risk_for_Human_Reproductive_and_Health_Disorders
[5] //www.webmd.com/diet/features/safer-food-healthier-you#2
[6] //www.fao.org/3/x6909e/x6909e04.htm#:~:text=If%20the%20animal%20is%20stressed,adverse%20effects%20on%20meat%20quality.
[7] //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5332932/#:~:text=One%20Hadith%20quotes%20Prophet%20Muhammad,cruelty%20to%20a%20human%20being.%E2%80%9D
[8] //www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2020/01/26/the-shocking-amount-of-food-us-households-waste-every-year/?sh=44161aba7dc8
[9] //ourworldindata.org/food-waste-emissions