What is Kosher Certification ?

Kosher certification is a process that verifies that a company's food is kosher, or fit for ingestion by observant Jews. Kosher is a religious dietary regimen based on Jewish tradition. Kosher food does not, contrary to common assumption, refer to Jewish cuisine. Thai cuisine can be kosher if prepared according to kosher laws, just as Jewish food can be non-kosher if not prepared according to those laws.

Kosher rules are more intricate than they appear, particularly now that modern technology is involved. Take, for example, potato chips, which you'd think would be kosher because they're not manufactured from Torah-prohibited items. Potato chips can be considered non-kosher if they are fried with vegetable oil that has been pasteurised and deodorised using tallow processing facilities.

Observant Jews may only buy kosher-certified food, which means that a rabbi has overseen the food production process and verified that it follows to exacting criteria. Those who eat non-kosher food are contaminated with an unclean spirit, according to the Torah. Even if you are not Jewish, you can benefit from eating food that has been certified as kosher. Because the certification ensures quality and purity, a rising number of non-Jewish customers are purchasing certified kosher products.

Kosher meat, for example, must be fed, slaughtered, and processed in specified ways, and kosher hygiene standards are severe, therefore kosher meat is often of excellent quality. This is especially crucial in light of issues such as mad cow disease and E. coli. Individuals who are allergic to specific components, such as wheat, dairy, or shellfish, can benefit from purchasing kosher items since they can be assured that the products do not contain anything derived from such ingredients. Vegetarians and lactose intolerant people can also benefit from purchasing kosher certified pareve items, which are meat and dairy free. Kosher food sales in Canada alone have increased by up to 20% every year.

All foods and their components and derivatives are divided into 4 categories :

• • Meat
• • Dairy
• • Pareve (Neutral)
• • Non-Kosher, which includes mixtures of Meat and Dairy, and mixtures of Meat and Fish.