In the Quran, halal is a category of food that is permissible for Muslims. It is a contrast to haram, which is forbidden. The Arabic word halal means "permissible," while haram means "reprehensible." The Arabic word halal translates to permissible in English. The concept of halal is based on the five decisions of the Quran: neutral, recommended, prohibited, and mandatory.
Animals and seafood must be slaughtered by a Muslim, not a non-Muslim. The meat should be free from pork and other forbidden foods, and the animal must be sliced by the jugular. It should also be marked "for human consumption" before the slaughter. For a specific animal to be considered halal, the meat must be slaughtered by a Muslim. These requirements are outlined in the Codex General Guidelines for the Use of the Term "Halal."
Currently, there are some supermarket chains that stock halal meat and other products. Crescent Foods and Saffron Road both sell halal frozen foods, as do a variety of artisanal halal-certified brands. In addition, some mainstream grocery stores carry products produced by halal farms. However, many Muslims don't find halal foods in their regular grocery stores. If you want to buy halal meat, there are some places to buy it.
In addition to halal meat, halal seafood are acceptable for Muslims. In the meat industry, it is important to ensure that by-products are removed when creating the food products, and that the ingredients are kosher. By-products may also be added to produce a product that is acceptable for Muslim consumption. Yungman, Limor, and Ishrat-Ali are a few examples of sources for information.