At the core of this change is food-conscious consumerism. Modern kosher certification is, in many ways, the prototype for others that have followed. Site inspections and accountability are all hallmarks of quality kosher supervision. By example, the oldest and most-recognized kosher symbol is the internationally trademarked , first introduced in 1913. Today, the Orthodox Union (OU) oversees more than 6,000 certified production facilities in 83 countries producing over 400,000 certified SKUs.
This second set of eyes has become critical to a diverse group of consumers. To the kosher observant Jew—or those of other religions, such as Seventh Day Adventists and Muslims, who follow disciplines similar to kosher— kosher is adhered to for spiritual reasons. That said, it is a misnomer that rabbis bless kosher food. Rather, kosher certification translates into real-world applications with benefits to average consumers.
Among the many benefits kosher presents are some that today seem to be common sense. For example, the kosher laws of treifa would have automatically excluded heifers later found to have “mad cow” disease; an animal that is visibly unhealthy or unable to walk may not be slaughtered and eaten. Furthermore, post slaughter, Jewish Law requires checking internal organs for signs of disease and decay.
After the prohibition of pork, perhaps the best-known kosher requirement is the absolute separation of meat and milk. This means much more than no cheeseburgers: Kosher meat items cannot have dairy components; likewise, a kosher dairy item may not contain any meat. Foods that are neither meat nor dairy fall into the parve, or neutral, category and may be consumed with either one.
In kosher certification nomenclature, this status is indicated either by the symbol with no further designation, or by “ Parve.” While produce, eggs and many other foods are naturally parve, once they are processed, all gloves are off, as manufacturing environments, additives and processing aids often present problems.
Even equipment must be fully cleaned and purged (koshered) when transferring from one kosher category to the other, or from nonkosher to kosher. Take, for example, an OU-certified dairy that wants to produce milk and parve orange juice on the same equipment. First, the equipment must be thoroughly cleaned to remove visible milk residue. Following a physical inspection by the rabbi and a rest period (usually 24 hours), pasteurizers and other heating equipment must be boiled. Only after it is again rinsed is the equipment ready for the parve juice. For many consumers in the broader public, these separations serve as important guarantees.
Many vegetarians seek assurances that foods are truly meat-free. For vegans, parve is a clear indicator that there are no animal components in the food. For example, commercially available OU-certified cheeses and yogurts do not contain animal-derived rennet or gelatin, and an OU parve item will not contain any animal-derived ingredients. Even if a flavor component is meat derived, it will not be found in an OU-certified dairy or parve item. “Natural flavors” can be made of literally hundreds of compounds, many of which are highly kosher sensitive.
Even if the compounds themselves do not have kosher concerns, the diluents or carriers may. Glycerin, for example, can be of animal, petrochemical or vegetable origins.
Kosher supervision has also been a tremendous boon to many suffering from food allergies. Those who are lactose intolerant —some 25% of the U.S. population —rely upon parve when looking for foods that are safe to eat. However, parve foods, while generally safe for the lactose-intolerant, may not necessarily be safe for those with milk-protein sensitivities, as some dairy proteins may remain after koshering.
Many times, the dairy nature of foods is not recognized by the average consumer. For example, most “nondairy” creamers contain case-inates derived from milk protein and are actually dairy. The D or Dairy designations are clear indications that a product either contains dairy ingredients or is made on dairy-processing equipment that has not undergone the required koshering. Similarly, those who are allergic to shellfish find safety because kosher law abjures all but finfish with certain types of scales. For those with gluten intolerance (celiacs), certain Passover foods labeled “non-gebrukts” are often safe, since these items may not contain grain flour.
Rabbi Moshe Elefant is the C.O.O. of the Orthodox Union and is considered one of today’s premier authorities on kosher foods and the kosher marketplace.
