With Eid and the holidays coming, now is a good time to replace sugar in your recipes with IFANCA halal-certified Splenda® No Calorie Sweetener.

Splenda offers low calorie option to sugar while closely matching the sweetness and taste of sugar in recipes such as in pie fillings, cheesecakes, sweet sauces, marinades and glazes. Splenda can also be used to replace part or all of sugar in baked goods, and get good taste with lower calories. Recipes can be found at: http://splenda.allrecipes.com/default.aspx.

As for questions about its safety, more than 100 scientific studies on sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in all Splenda sweetener products, conducted over a 20-year period support that it is safe for human consumption. The data from these studies were independently evaluated by the FDA and international experts in a variety of scientific disciplines, to establish its safety. Moreover the safety of sucralose has also been confirmed by years of both domestic and international use.

New York Post called it "the biggest military advancement to hit the mainstream since the Hummer". According to Fox News, "If it can give a welcome surge of energy to a U.S soldier in the Iraqi desert, then it should do the trick for a runner, a hiker, a third-shift worker or even an on-the-go mom." What's everyone talking about? It's Soldier Fuel previously known as HOOAH! energy bars.

D'Andrea Brothers, LLC licensed the federally registered trademark Soldier Fuel from the Army as manufacturers/sellers of Soldier Fuel sweet, crunchy energy bars. A sweet respite from their jobs, the bars give U.S. soldiers that extra boost in energy and fight against fatigue. In fact, Soldier Fuel Chocolate Crisp was named "Most Loved Product" on Amazon.com's 'Health & Personal Care' store.

Soldier Fuel Energy Bar Apple Cinnamon, Soldier Fuel Energy Bar Chocolate Crisp and Soldier Fuel Peanut Butter Bar all make the IFANCA halal grade and can be purchased on www.amazon.com, www.drugstore.com and www.navyseals.com amongst several other outlets, all of which are listed on the Soldier Fuel website (www.soldierfuel.com).

D'Andrea Brothers, LLC have donated Soldier Fuel energy bars to many worthy causes, including care packages for soldiers, tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka, hurricane Katrina refugees in Louisiana, and earthquake survivors in Pakistan.

IFANCA halal-certified Carol's Cheesecake based in Canada was profiled in a laudatory article on the halal market in Canada, in its leading newspaper, the Toronto Star. According to the report, "… Carole, after whom the company is named, admits that initially she didn't even know the meaning of halal …But she says there's "no question" the halal certified cakes have increased her business".

"We have repeat customers, and ladies who are thrilled to find a halal bakery," she said. Carole's Cheesecake isn't the only ones to go halal according to the report. "Many mainstream companies are exploring the same terrain. Halal is no longer restricted to Muslim-run butcher shops dotting the Greater Toronto Area," reports Rakhshande Italia.

Is Halal certification beneficial and/or necessary for fruit packing facility? C. Masse, Food Safety Technician, OKTF

IFANCA Response: Greetings and peace. Halal certification removes any doubts about the product. Certainly if you have a request from halal consumers, halal certification would be beneficial for your sales. If you are marketing to a region of the world that requires halal certification, then it is not just beneficial but necessary. In other areas, it does remove doubts about the products and enhances its perception of higher quality product. There are companies like [Paramount Farms’] Sunkist [brand] whose almonds and pistachios are certified as halal. Some other major companies are looking into in too. People usually think nuts are just nuts, but they are processed with the use of other ingredients. IFANCA checks every major and minor ingredient and processing aid used in the production of nuts.

IFANCA

Did you know that popcorn is a whole grain? Popcorn is an excellent source of fiber, and increases the feeling of being full and helps to steady blood sugar levels. IFANCA certifies popcorn kernels for Vogel popcorn which is responsible for approximately 52% of the total annual popcorn production in the United States. Vogel is a supplier to movie theatres, retailers, and snack food manufacturers around the globe. Vogel Popcorn Co. is now owned by ConAgra Foods and produces approximately a billion packages of microwave popcorn each year. Another popcorn manufacturer certified by IFANCA is Super Pufft Snacks Corp. based in Canada.