Kosher Concepts

The word ‘kosher’ means ‘suitable for consumption by Jews according to Jewish law’.

Which foods are Kosher?

Foods can be grouped into three broad categories:

• Innocuous: Some food items are always acceptable as kosher – these include unprocessed natural foods without any additives, flavourings or colourings, such as salt.
• Never Kosher: Certain foods are inherently non-kosher, such as include pork, lobster, oyster and crab which are prohibited by Biblical law.
• Kosher when certified: Other foods may be kosher if both the ingredients and the manufacturing process meet kosher standards, as verified and supervised by a reliable kosher authority.

Categories of Kosher Food

Kosher food falls into four main categories:

• Meat products: Only certain species of animals and poultry are kosher, and only then if they are slaughtered by a qualified and trained religious slaughterer, in accordance with Jewish law. The meat must then undergo a special process to remove all blood. For all practical purposes, the only kosher animals are cows, sheep and goats, and the only kosher poultry are chicken, duck, turkey, geese and pigeon. Meat products from non-kosher animals or poultry (e.g., lard and tallow) are non-kosher.
• Dairy products: Milk and its byproducts (such as cheese, curd, whey, lactose) are kosher only if they come from the aforementioned kosher species. In addition, all dairy products must be prepared under special kosher supervision.
• Parev products: This term denotes ‘neutral’ foods that contain no derivatives of either milk or meat, such as fruit, vegetables, fish and chemicals.
• Alcoholic beverages: While most alcoholic beverages are generally kosher, the production of wine and grape juice requires special supervision. Thus, all wines, port, brandy, and cognac must be produced under kosher supervision.

The Kosher Manufacturing Process

Equipment used to manufacture non-kosher products or products containing non-kosher ingredients may be unsuitable for kosher production. However, the equipment can often be made acceptable for kosher production through a controlled process managed by a reliable kosher authority.

KF Kosher provides expert advice and guidance in relation to all aspects of this.

times of year: Passover / year round

Passover is an eight-day festival occuring in March or April. During this time, Jews may not eat any leavened or fermented products (such as bread, cake, biscuits, pasta, noodles, as well as beer and whisky) or any products containing even the slightest quantity of these items (such as wheat flour or starch). Additionally, some products such as soya, lecithin and pulses are also not used. All foods which are kosher throughout the year require additional supervision and certification to render them Kosher for Passover.

KF Kosher provides expert advice and guidance in relation to all aspects of Kosher manufacturing.

kosher levels: Glatt Kosher L’mehadrin

This term describes products prepared according to the most rigorous kosher standards. For example, milk products which not only come from a kosher animal but have also been supervised from the time of milking, will be Kosher L’mehadrin. Meat products may also be glatt Kosher, as well as standard Kosher. If they are glatt, they will have been prepared and supervised in accordance with special requirements.

 

related pages

For a full glossary of kosher terms, please click here