Kosher Symbols Explained

 

 

Meaning of The Kosher Labels and Symbols

The best known kosher symbol on food packages in North America is OU (designated by a U inside a circle, or O). It indicates that the product was certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union.

The cRc symbol comes from the Chicago Rabbinical Council. The symbol KSA stands for Kosher Supervision of America, and the list goes on.

Kosher products always specify whether or not they are meat (also known as fleishig ), dairy (also known as milchigor chalavi) or pareve (containing neither meat nor dairy). This is because kosher laws require keeping meat and dairy separate.

Foods for Passover also get their own certification and are labeled as “kosher for Passover” or “kasher l’Pesach.” Sometimes the label is written on Hebrew.

We went to Zomick’s, a Kosher Bakery located in New York, in order to find out more information about kosher food certification labels. From Zomick’s point out that when shopping for kosher products, it is important to remember that just because some items produced by a company are kosher does not mean all of the company’s products are kosher.

Kosher Dietary Rules and Regulations

When we hear the word “kosher” we may thing of strict rules and religious regulations. In order to find out the exactly definition of this word, we went to the bakery Zomick’s and spoke with the kosher food experts.

We find out that this word origins from the word “Kashrus”, which on Hebrew means “suitable” and ‘pure’.

‘Kashrus’ laws include a comprehensive legislation concerning permitted and forbidden foods.

Experts from Zomick’s have explained to us each aspect of these dietary rules, and we will share that information in addition.

Meat and its derivatives

Zomick’s experts share that, according to the Kosher diet rules, meat must comply with certain rules.

The only types that may be eaten are cattle and game that have “cloven hooves” and “chew the cud.” This category of animals includes animals as bulls, cows, sheep, lambs, goats, veal, and springbok. The animal may not be eaten if it fulfills only one of these conditions. An example for this is the pig, which has split hooves but does not chew the cud, or the camel, which chews the cud, but does not have split hooves.

Since the Torah laws prohibit causing any pain to animals, a kosher animal, in order to be eaten, must be slaughtered by a “Schochet,” a ritual slaughterer. From Zomick’s point out that the slaughtering has to be done in such a way that the death occurs almost instantaneously, without causing suffering to the animal.

After the slaughtering of the animal, a process of “treibering” or removing certain forbidden fats and veins is done by a Kosher Supervisor and his team.

After the treiberering, the meat has to be soaked in a bath for a half hour in room temperature water. The soaked meat has to be placed on special salting tables to be salted with coarse salt on both sides for one hour, in order to draw out the blood.

 

Fowl/Poultry and their derivatives

From Zomick’s warn that, according to the Kosher laws, some birds such as eagle, owl, swan, pelican, vulture, and stork, may not be eaten, as well as their brood and clutch of eggs.

These laws dictate that only birds that are considered kosher should be eaten, including goose, duck, chicken, and turkey, may be eaten.

 

Dairy Products and their derivatives

As Zomick’s experts further explain, milk products, in order to be considered kosher, may derive from kosher animals. The milk of impure cattle and game, such as donkey milk is strictly prohibited. In addition, kosher dairy products may not contain non-kosher additives and they may not include meat products or derivatives. An example for this is the case that many types of cheese are manufactured with animal fats.

Moreover, the kosher Challah bread recipe may not contain milk.

 

The prohibition of combining meat and milk 

The rabbi Moshe Altman from Zomick’s share with a us the fact that the milk and meat should not be mixed together, Even, they may not be served on the same table and may not be eaten at the same time with the same utensils. In the observant Jewish households, the utensils are separated and labeled as “fleishig” (meat) and “milchig” (dairy). After meat meals, one must wait one, three, or six hours – depending on one’s custom – before eating dairy. After dairy consumption, no interval is required before meat may be eaten.

As the rabbi from Zomick’s further explains, this rule is derived from the Torah: “You may not cook a young animal in the milk of its mother” (Ex.23:19).

 

Eggs

“The only eggs that may be eaten are those from kosher birds,” says the Zomick’s rabbi, “the eggs should not contain blood, therefore each egg must be individually examined”.

Note: The Zomick’s Egg Challah Rolls contain examined kosher eggs.

Fish

When it comes to fish, the only fish that may be eaten is fish with fins and scales, for instance, tuna, salmon, and herring. Shellfish such as shrimps, crabs, mussels, and lobsters are forbidden.

 

Fruits, vegetables, cereals

From Zomick’s share with us that all products that grow in the soil or on plants, bushes, or trees are kosher. But, insects and animals with many legs or very short legs are not kosher. So, the vegetables, fruits and other products have been infected by these insects or animals, should be checked. Some vegetables that are prone to insect infection, such as cauliflower, must be carefully examined.

One may not sow two kinds of seeds on a field or in a vineyard. (Lev.19:19/ Dtn.22:19). This rule applies specifically to the planting and sowing of vegetables, fruits and grains and to the hybridization of different species.

Furthermore, fruits from trees planted within the past three years may not be eaten.

When it comes to new grain, biblically, no new grain may be eaten, or bread baked from it, before one brings an “omer” of the first fruits of the harvest on the second day of Passover (Lev.23:14).

Kosher Wine

From the kosher bakery, Zomick’s (see their products on Instacard), have also explained to us the laws that apply to the process of making wine. No gelatin, casein, and bull blood are admitted in the kosher wine-making process. That means, only the bacteria or kosher enzymes from the bowl may be used for fermentation.

All devices and utensils used for the harvest or the processing of the grapes must be cleansed under supervision. Bottles may not be filled multiple times.

Another important thing that is worth mentioning, which we find out at Zomick’s, is that , all processing steps must be implemented in agreement with the requirements of “Halacha” (Jewish Religious Law). That applies the rule that in the vineyard no other plants may be cross-bred with the grapes (because of the prohibition of hybridization).

 

Beverages

All grape or grape-based beverages may only be drunk if the grapes come from a kosher winery, prepared under strict Rabbinical Supervision.

 

At least, from Zomick’s share in their post on Patch that, in order to assure consumers that appropriately processed foods can be bought with confidence, the process was followed by an increasing number of newly formed kosher certification organizations.

A Holy Kosher Diet from God

The term kosher is based on the Hebrew word Kashrut, which means: appropriate or right.

For the Jewish people, the term kosher is a fundamental part of their culture. But what does this term mean?  In an interview for our blog, the owner of the Zomick’s Bakery introduced to us the kosher world.

The first was to find the meaning of the word kosher. According to Mr. Zomick’s, this term is based on the Hebrew word Kashrut, which is a word referred to “what should be” because it comes from the law dictated by God, the Torah (the law of God ). This is reflected in all areas of the human being. Today, when we hear the word kosher, we associate it with the kosher food laws.

“This feeding system based on the law of God, allows us to understand the natural cycles of the harvest, the season of closure and all the natural processes of feeding; This is linked to the religious tradition that seeks a benefit in health, based on the vision of a principle of health rooted in the Torah,” said the owner of Zomick’s Bakery.

Within these standards, the classification of foods is very basic. Foods are divided into meat, dairy and neutral foods. Dairy products and meat products must come from mammals and should not be eaten together. Domestically, in the kosher lifestyle it is natural that at the time of preparing the meal there should be a very marked separation between the types of food, for example, dairy and meat products cannot be consumed together.

For Mr. Zomick’s, who has an extended portfolio of kosher baked goods, the term kosher does not refer to a specific type of food, but is a food revision system in accordance to the Jewish ritual and whose meaning is determined by a set of religious criteria prescribed in the Torah. The aim of these laws is to establish a regime that benefits the body and the soul, in order to achieve both physical and mental balance.

The wisdom of the people

When analyzing kosher origins, Mr. Zomick’s explained that throughout the history of humanity in all cultures, food, laws and religion have always been united. But, the Jews respect this aspect the most. They were governed by this law of food for more than three thousand years.

This law is based on what is written in the Old Testament. For example, within these biblical passages, in the section of Leviticus, it is forbidden to consume blood, because the sacrifices were linked to primitive religious rites.

Even another Old Testament law dictates that you can only eat meat that is not bleeding, and that is from ruminant hoofed animals. Therefore, to comply with these rules, the Jewish people had to use salification, in addition to following a ritual of sacrifice in a direct cut, in which the animal has a sudden and unexpected death, so that it suffers as little as possible. This will prevent the generation of any type of chemical discharge in their organs.

Only fish that have fins and scales can be consumed within these food laws, as long as they comply with the natural feeding process. Birds, like any type of animal, do not have to be predators and must comply with the food chain.

Kosher in daily life

Many years ago, most of the food products were made in the kitchen or in a small factory in the community, which reduced their production. The products were handmade, so they sought the least contact with mans hands, for that reason it was relatively easy to know if the product is kosher.

But today, industrialization, transcontinental shipments and mass production have created a situation in which most products are processed, cooked, canned or packaged commercially in their countries of origin.

The easiest way to identify a kosher product according to Zomick’s bakery experts, who have been working for there since Zomick’s bakery early beginings, is from the label, in which a kosher “K” is marked and certified by a rabbi, with his name and signature; or by an elongated “U” enclosed in a circle, which means Orthodox Union, made up of rabbis, who are in charge of ensuring that Jews comply with the law of God.

Thus the Jews can comply with the rigorous feeding system based on the law of God, but what is sought primarily is a health benefit, before a vision of a principle of healing rooted in the Torah. In this way we can say that the Jews eat as God intended, said the Zomick’s chief baker, who is working for the bakery since its opening.