The Halal Food Authority is a voluntary, non-profit making organisation. It was launched in 1994 to monitor and regulate red meat and poultry in UK. The HFA introduced a unique system of identifying halal meat from non-halal, by putting marking or tagging for authenticity of halal on the carcasses, soon after slaughter at the slaughterhouses. The HFA licenses slaughterhouses, distribution centres, retailers and providers of meat and poultry for human consumption. These licenses are granted on an annual and contractual basis. The HFA inspectors are there to audit and monitor compliance of both Islamic laws and MAFF and EC regulations of slaughter. The HFA is also assiduously engaged in regulating, endorsing and authenticating food stuffs, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, toiletries, flavourings, emulsifiers, colourings (including E numbered additives etc) for Muslim usage. This is also done on an annual contractual basis by licensing the provider, after auditing ingredients, method of manufacture and process together with packaging and labelling. The HFA allows the use of a technique called 'stun-to-stun' - a pain free process that makes the animal insensible to pain and suffering. This is the method that KFC is using for its halal trial restaurants in the UK.   Added on April 27, 2008