Kosher certified foods are those that have been certified to meet kosher requirements in terms of ingredients and preparation. It’s easier to identify foods that don’t violate Jewish dietary law when they’re certified. A hekhsher, a trademark that identifies the organization or rabbi who granted certification, is applied to these products. The majority of food products are kosher certified, and many major brands have Orthodox certification as well.
Kashrut, a Hebrew term derived from a root meaning fit or proper or kosher in English, refers to the body of Jewish dietary law. The books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy contain many of the kashrut laws. These laws specify what animals can and cannot be eaten, how they must be slaughtered, and the separation of dairy and meat, among other things. Furthermore, some foods, such as grape wine, must be prepared entirely or partially by Jews, and vegetables must be inspected for insects.
As more food products are processed in factories away from the eyes of the average consumer, determining whether an item complies with kashrut laws has become more difficult. Consumers can sort through all of the available options with kosher certification, making it easier to stick to a kosher diet. To cover the cost of examining the ingredients and manufacturing process, certification organizations charge producers a fee for kosher certification. Manufacturers will pay because the cost is typically offset by increased sales.
Blessing is not required to certify a food item as kosher. Certification organizations scrutinize all of the ingredients and processes used in the production of a given product. The product will be kosher certified and labeled with the certification organization’s mark, or hekhsher, if it meets the kashrut requirements. The facilities of a certified kosher company are then inspected on a regular basis to ensure that they remain compliant.
Hekhshers are frequently registered trademarks in the United States, and they cannot be used on a label without the owner’s permission. Some exceptions exist, such as the letter “K.” Because the plain letter isn’t trademarked, it can be used on a label with little restriction. As a result, a food item bearing the letter “K” may not have been certified kosher by an organization or rabbi, or may have been certified by a rabbi without a trademark. A hekhsher guarantees certification in accordance with the standards of the organization or rabbi who owns the trademark, but consumers should be aware that these standards can vary.
Hekhshers usually include additional words or letters that designate the kosher-certified food product’s category. Dairy, for example, is denoted by the letter “D,” whereas “pareve” refers to food that is neither dairy nor meat. Products that are kosher for Passover are designated with the letter “P.” These classifications are based on kashrut law and may differ from legal classifications. x000D_
A kosher diet is not followed by all Jews. For a variety of reasons, non-Jews may seek out kosher-certified products. Vegans and lactose intolerant people, for example, may seek out kosher-certified pareve products to ensure that they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
Kosher certification does not imply that a product is healthier than a non-kosher product, and kosher is not a cuisine. Certification simply means that the ingredients and manufacturing process meet the certifying body’s requirements. Many foods are certified kosher without the need for a certifying agency or rabbi. In a world of processed and manufactured foods, kosher-certified foods assist consumers in identifying kosher products.