Kosher: Means suitable to human consumption
according to the Jewish dietary laws. Every foodstuff must
be Kosher certified.
Animals: Only cows, sheep and goats are Kosher (have both
Kosher marks: cleft footed and ruminant. Their milk is Kosher
and their meat is only Kosher when they were slaughtered
according to the Jewish ritual. Any other milk and meat
are strictly forbidden.
Fowls: Only poultry (hens, ducks, turkeys, geese and pigeons)
are Kosher their eggs are Kosher and parve (see later) and
their meat is only Kosher when it is slaughtered according
to the Jewish ritual.
Fish: Kosher fishes are those that have both Kosher marks:
fins and scales. (e.g. salmon, carp, tuna, herring, trout
mackerels etc.) All other fish, without fins as eels, sharks
etc. are non-kosher. All sea-food e.g. lobsters, crabs,
oysters etc. are strictly forbidden.
Insects: All insects are forbidden. Flour has, therefore,
to be sieved as well as some sorts of legumes e.g. rice,
beans in order to prevent worms, etc.
Beverages:
a. All that originated from the grapevine (wine, grape
juice) has to be produced only by Jews under strict supervision.
b. All derivatives of the grapevine must come only from
Kosher wine (e.g. wine vinegar, tartaric acid, wine alcohol,
brandy).
Pastry: Needs to be, first, free from any non-kosher ingredients
and also baked as 'Affiyat Ysroel' (Jewish baked), that
means that the rabbi (or his assistant) operates himself,
by lighting the oven, the entire baking process.
Meat - Parve - Dairy: The Jewish dietary laws require always
a full separation between products that contain meat and
those containing milk. It is strictly forbidden to eat or
even to cook meat and milk together, therefore, every foodstuff
must be labeled 'meat' or 'dairy' or 'parve' (means: neutral
that can be consumed with meat or milk e.g. water, bread,
fruits and vegetables.
Raw materials:
a. All raw-materials used in the food industry must be
free from any animal or wine derived substances e.g. gelatin,
animal fat, glycerol, stearin, emulsifiers, mono-di glycerides,
polysorbates, tartaric acid, shellac anti-foams and anti-caking.
b. All products that were in contact with non-kosher materials
or produced on the same line without kasherisation are non-kosher.
This contact might be also in the steam system.
Kasherisation of production plants: A plant where non-kosher
products were produced can be 'kosherized' once the non-kosher
ingredients were removed. This is done by a full cleaning
process consisting of hot boiling water with steam and addition
of strong chemicals. The entire procedure must be done under
rabbinical supervision.
Passover:
a. During these festival days (that falls in end March
- beginning April and lasts one week) it is forbidden to
eat cereal products (leavened bread and pastry, flour, wheat
starch, beverages and corn alcohol) as well as all products
that have come in contact with them. It means that products
like sweets, juices, baby food, oils and flavors must all
be produced Kosher for Passover under Rabbinical supervision.
b.As a result must every product, that is meant to be used
during the Passover days, be produced only under strict
rabbinical supervision to ascertain that the production
line was throughout cleaned from any residues and that the
ingredients are free from any cereal derivatives. The finished
products are then labeled as 'Kosher for Passover' and must
carry a special Kosher certificate.
c.All products that contain legumes e.g. maize, soybean,
rice, etc. In form of flour, oil or starch are only partly
allowed for use on the Passover days. They must be labeled,
therefore, Kosher for Passover 'Kitniyot'.
Super-Kosher: These are products that have a high Kosher
standard and are consumed by the ultra-Orthodox Jews. Usually,
these product are produced only under strict Rabbinical
supervision. When milk powder is used then it must be controlled
from the milking process. It is called 'Chalav Yisroel'.
What is needed for a Kosher certificate? A Kashrus expert
'Rabbi', has to inspect the production plant in order to
find out if the products are kosher and to advise the company
of the needed changes. A full list of all the products,
ingredients and their suppliers has to be presented. Every
such information must be reveled only if the inspecting
rabbi commits himself to keep it as strictly confidential.
Who is authorized to issue a Kosher certificate?
For export to Israel:
a. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel must approve the Kosher
certificate issued in abroad and only those European Rabbis
and the Kosher organizations who enjoy its confidence are
entitled to issue a Kosher certificate.
b. In addition, some of the Israeli importers require a
super-kosher certificate, (see above) that is issued by
the ultra- orthodox Kosher organization named Badaz, or
by those European Rabbis who enjoy its confidence.
For export to the USA: There are in America several Kosher
organizations. The main ones are: the Orthodox Union (O.U.),
the Kosher Laboratories (O.K.), the Triangle-K, the Kof-K
and the Star-K. The certification is done by the staff or
the representatives of these organizations or by the European
Rabbis who enjoy their confidence. A well-known European
Kosher organization is the Kosher Federation of London (KF)
that its certificates are fully accepted in the USA as well
as in Israel and Europe.
Halal: Means allowed to be eaten according to the Moslem
dietary laws. Since the Islam forbids also the eating of
food containing animal substances and alcohol, most of the
kosher products can be certified also Halal.
