Wednesday, September 22, 2010

GL Focus: Kosher

What does "kosher" mean?

When I applied for my current job in the kosher food industry, my understanding of "kosher" was that a rabbi would come into your home and say a blessing over your microwave or stove, and then it was kosher. Boy I had a lot to learn!!! During my interview process I would go home and Google as many terms as I could. I started inquiring about the little symbols I had seen on products all my life but never took the time to understand. I wanted this job and I knew with a bit of research I could impress my future bosses with my wealth of kosher knowledge. Months after hiring me, my manager told me, "You had me at 'hechsher.'" So what exactly are those symbols and what does it take to be able to certify your product as kosher?

[Blogger's Caveat: This by no means is a total rundown of the Jewish law, but it is an understanding for people who, like myself, never understood what being "kosher" entails.]

Back in April, The New York Times ran this article on the rise in popularity of kosher products, citing that only 15% of kosher product consumers do so for religious reasons. So what is it about kosher food that attracts the other 85%?

#1. Kosher is not just for the religious.

It means the health standards are higher and supervision is key to maintain those standards. Kosher laws regarding slaughter are so sanitary and supervised, the USDA's regulations are not as strict and often kosher butchers are exempt from the USDA rules since they already go above and beyond the USDA requirements. [Dietary Laws explained]

#2. Bug free.
When it comes to produce, being kosher means the fruit or vegetable you are about to eat has been inspected for bugs. This is key for any consumer. Each Garden Lites souffle and dish has gone through rigorous inspection to ensure every fruit and vegetable used meets these laws. Also, the fruits and vegetables go through a series of washes in order to ensure the best quality possible.

#3. Classifications of Dairy, Meat, or Parve help those with specific dietary needs.
Since kosher products define themselves on the label in order to keep dairy and meat products separate, it is very helpful to certain groups with dietary needs. If you are a vegetarian, you can avoid the meat labels, or if you are vegan, you know which foods contain dairy. Be aware that there are some ingredients that vegans and vegetarians do have to look out for - fish and eggs are considered neutral so for those avoiding them, be sure to read your labels!

These are just the basics of all that goes in to being a kosher product, but I feel it gives a good understanding to those new to the concept of "kosher." I know from personal experience, after learning about the standards that kosher products are held to, I began looking for the notation on products I would typically purchase. Each symbol, or hechsher, represents a different certifying organization. Depending on how strictly you follow the kosher law, different hechshers also come with different levels of supervision. To learn more about one of our certifiers, Star-K, you can check out their website.

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