| By The Poultry Site

Updated Halal Regulations Open New Discussion on Stunning Methods

Recent updates to mandatory halal slaughter regulations in the United Arab Emirates have renewed discussions around the permissibility of controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) in halal poultry processing. Under UAE Standard UAE.S. 993/2022, methods used to induce loss of consciousness in animals must not cause cardiac arrest, as the animal’s death must occur due to bleeding during slaughter rather than as a result of the stunning process itself. This requirement places strong emphasis on maintaining heart activity to allow proper blood loss in accordance with Islamic principles.

Scientific Evaluation of Heart Activity After CAS

To assess whether CAS meets these halal requirements, researchers from Auburn University, together with consultants Ken Opengart of Three Birds Consulting and Dianna Bourassa of Bourassa Consulting, presented a study at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP). The research focused on determining whether broiler chickens retain sufficient heart activity after CAS to allow death through exsanguination.

Study Objectives and Research Approach

The study pursued two key objectives: first, to measure the duration of rhythmic cardiac activity in market-age broilers following CAS, and second, to evaluate whether this duration is long enough to permit death from volumetric blood loss during standard slaughter procedures. Electrocardiograms were used to monitor heart activity immediately after birds exited the CAS system.

Findings Show Sustained Cardiac Function Post-Stunning

Results showed that rhythmic heart activity continued well beyond the stunning phase. Male broilers exhibited heart activity for an average of 390 seconds, while female broilers showed an average of 366 seconds. These durations exceed the typical 265-second interval between CAS exit and entry into the scalder, indicating that the heart remains active long enough to support effective bleeding.

Implications for Halal Poultry Markets

The findings suggest that CAS does not necessarily contradict halal slaughter requirements when properly managed, as cardiac function remains intact long enough for death to occur through blood loss. This challenges long-standing assumptions that CAS-stunned poultry is automatically ineligible for halal certification. The results also highlight the potential for CAS systems to meet both animal welfare standards and religious slaughter requirements.

A Potential Shift in Halal Poultry Processing

With scientific evidence demonstrating sustained heart activity after CAS, the study provides a technical basis for reconsidering CAS within halal poultry production frameworks. If adopted under strict regulatory oversight, this approach could expand access to halal markets while maintaining compliance with Islamic slaughter principles and modern welfare expectations.

Original Article:

Wright, C. (2025). AAAP: Can controlled atmosphere stunning be used for Halal slaughter?. The Poultry Site. https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/aaap-controlled-atmosphere-stunning