Stepping out from a halal hotpot restaurant in Houhai, central Beijing, Liu Jun lit a cigarette to conclude the satisfactory meal he just eaten. "I am not Muslim, but I love halal food. It's not only tasty, but safe," he said.

Liu said the large number of regulations on halal food makes it healthy and clean. "At least, I don't need to worry about reclaimed gutter oil or rotting meat on my plate, because that sort of behavior is against Islamic practice," said the 49-year-old businessman.

"Muslims strictly follow the Islamic dietary guidelines in every step in the foodmaking process, from purchasing quality ingredients to the chef's personal hygiene. All these guidelines have made halal food safe to eat. It has rarely been involved in China's recent food scandals," according to Jin Rubin, secretary-general of the China Islamic Association.