What is Kosher
The Hebrew word kosher means fit or proper as it relates to kosher dietary law. Kosher foods are permitted to be eaten, and can be used as ingredients in the production of additional food items.
The basic laws of Kashrus (a Hebrew word referring to kosher and its application) are of Biblical origin (Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 17). For thousands of years, Rabbinic scholars have interpreted these laws and applied them to contemporary situations. In addition, Rabbinic bodies enacted protective legislation to safeguard the integrity of kosher laws.
The process of certification does not involve "blessing" the food; rather, it involves examining the ingredients used to make the food, examining the process by which the food is prepared, and periodically inspecting the processing facilities to make sure that kosher standards are maintained.
What adds further complication is that it is generally not possible to judge the kosher status of an item on the basis of the information provided in the ingredient declaration for a variety of reasons.
First, the product may be made from kosher ingredients, but processed on non-kosher equipment. Second, the USDA does not require the listing of certain processing aids, such as pan liners and oils that serve as release agents. Though not legally classified as ingredients, these items could nonetheless render the product non-kosher. Third, many ingredients can be kosher or non-kosher, depending on their source of origin. For example, glycerin and emulsifiers are made from either vegetable or animal oils. Finally, many ingredients are listed only in broad terms, with no breakdown of the many complex components that make up the actual item. For example, a chocolate flavor may contain 50 ingredients, but the ingredient declaration will list this entire complex of ingredients as "flavors".
Unless a person is an expert in food production, the average consumer cannot possibly make an evaluation of the kosher status, which is why it is important to purchase only those products that have the endorsement of a reliable kosher agency.
What is a Hekhsher (Kosher Symbol)?
On each food package, there are common symbols displayed to inform the buyer that this item is Kosher. These symbols are registered trademarks of kosher certification organizations, and cannot be placed on a food label without the organization's permission. With a little practice, it is very easy to spot these hekhshers on food labels, usually near the product name, occasionally near the list of ingredients. There are many certifications available, of varying degrees of strictness.
Is Kosher only Jewish?
It is interesting, that statistics show that the majority of kosher consumers are not Jewish! As a matter of fact not even any religious group at all! The majority of kosher consumers are regular, ordinary people that perceive kosher to be “cleaner”, “better” & “healthier”! Which certainly may be the case, but isn’t what kosher means!
Organizers of the popular “KosherFest” The largest kosher trade show in the world projects kosher food sales to pass the $150 Billion mark this year! Kosher is no longer a niche segment. With Fortune 500 companies such as Nabisco, P&G & M&M Mars among others committed to kosher its no wonder its “IN” to be kosher today.