Q: 71 – Title: Is the practice of injecting brine to chicken before sale permissible?

Question

Some poultry abattoirs inject Brine into the chickens in the process between slaughter and packing. This reportedly serves to elongate shelf life of the chickens. But it also increases the size of the chickens as well as the weight.

Is this practice acceptable in Shariah? Kindly assist us.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh.

Brine injection in poultry carcass is an industrial practice to enhance the taste, tenderize the meat and prolong the shelf life.

This practice is generally governed by Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[1]

The practice of using salt as a preservative was prevalent in older times as well.[2]

However, since injecting brine solution increases the weight of the chicken carcass, this increase in weight should be clearly mentioned on the packaging. This is also a legal requirement as well. Concealing this increase in weight due to the brine solution may lead to deception.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mawlana Faisal bin Abdul Hameed
Student, Darul Iftaa
Canada

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net

[1] http://www.pmg.org.za/report/20110322-department-agriculture-department-trade-industry-poultry-brine-inject (accessed 21st Sept. 2011)

[2] فِي الْمُغْرِبِ سَمَكٌ مَلِيحٌ وَمَمْلُوحٌ وَهُوَ الْقَدِيدُ الَّذِي فِيهِ الْمِلْحُ (الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) 5/ 211)

ينبغي أن يحترموا ويعظموا ويرجع إليهم ولأن الملح يحفظ الطعام ويمنع من ورود الفساد عليه  - فيض القدير (5/ 516)