Both Kellogg’s and Sanitarium made national headlines this week after their decision to stop paying for the certification on Australian products came to light.

The term “halal” means lawful and is used to signify products permissible to be consumed by those of the Muslim faith. In particular if those food items contain meat or animal byproducts, that they have been prepared according to Islamic law.

However, the requirement to pay a fee to third-party Islamic groups in order to have products certified halal draws plenty of, often toxic, criticism from anti-Muslim groups and on social media.

We’ve written previously about the level of bile that issues forth when halal products are mentioned on our own digital platforms. That has included venom directed at the Bega District News itself by those who can’t grasp there’s a distinction between the news outlet, the cheese producer and the town.

Both Kellogg’s and Sanitarium say their products are inherently halal as they aren’t produced using any meat or alcohol. Fair point we would argue.

There needs to be a distinction made between halal products, and the requirement to pay for halal certification. Is it that something is suitable for those of a different religion to eat which gets under your skin? Or that the company has made a commercial decision to pay a relatively minor amount to make that clear to their consumers?

Then again, there are plenty of other programs that require third-party certification and fees to be paid –  including organics, the National Heart Foundation “tick”, and the “Australian made” green triangle logo, to name a few. Yes that’s right, for something to be classified as Australian made, someone is getting paid.

And while we’re on the subject (with tongue firmly in cheek) who is benefitting from our purchase of breakfast cereal? Sanitarium is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist church and Kellogg’s has its formation in the Adventist movement.

If your argument is to purchase halal products is un-Australian and funds terrorism – ‘cause all Muslims are terrorists haven’t you heard – then does eating Weetbix mean you believe in the second coming and that same-sex marriage is wrong?