University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Cooperative Extension Service FCS3-577

Kosher Foods

ome religions specify dietary rules to follow. One of must elapse between eating and meat. the most confusing sets of guidelines applies to ko- Kosher: Cream with lox, milk with Ssher foods. are items approved by , Non-kosher: Cheeseburger, milk with chicken the body of Jewish law that supplies the guidelines for Grape Products food preparation. Not all follow these guidelines, but if they do, they are said to “keep kosher.” Because and grape juice are used for religious pur- Jewish dietary laws maintain certain rules for pre- poses, grape-derived products must be made following paring foods that are not common in modern food strict guidelines that cover growth, harvest and produc- preparation. These laws originated from the , the tion, and they must be made by Jews. first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures. The following Kosher: Kosher grape juice, , whole grapes information is an overview of Jewish dietary laws. Non-kosher: Fruit drinks containing non-kosher grape juice, products sweetened with non-kosher grape juice Meats Slaughtering Land animals that have cloven hooves and chew their cud may be eaten. Any land animal that does not have Kosher meats and poultry must be slaughtered by a both of those qualities is forbidden. Milk and other butcher who is well educated in kashrut (a shochet). A products from forbidden animals are also forbidden. specific method is used for slaughtering (shechitah). The Kosher: Cows, , , bison, deer method involves slitting the animal’s throat with a sharp Non-kosher: Pigs, , rabbits, rodents, reptiles, knife. The animal then bleeds out quickly, resulting in insects, ’s milk a fast death that is considered the most humane. All blood, sciatic nerves and surrounding blood vessels, and Seafood fat around the vital organs ( fat) must be removed Seafood that has both fins and scales may be eaten. before consumption. Certain body parts are not allowed Shellfish are forbidden. for consumption despite the animal source being kosher. Kosher: Carp, salmon, whitefish, tuna Utensils Non-kosher: Catfish, swordfish, crab, lobster, , Utensils must also be kosher. Each utensil or piece of cookware is reserved for a specific type of food. Uten- Poultry sils, cookware, plates, flatware, dishwashers, dishwater, Birds of prey and scavengers are forbidden. Other birds and towels that were previously used for a non-kosher are permitted. food item may not be used for a kosher food item. Cooks Kosher: Chicken, turkey, duck, goose must also maintain separate cookware and utensils for Non-kosher: Ostrich, hawk, owl, stork dairy and meat. Dairy Regulation Dairy cannot be eaten at the same time as meat or Foods may not be advertised as kosher unless they poultry, but it can be eaten with fish. Even a very small meet the requirements. Jewish individuals rely on rab- quantity of dairy (or meat) in something makes it entirely binical supervision to make sure that foods are prepared dairy (or meat) for kosher purposes. Three to six hours according to kashrut. As more and more products are

Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic Development developed for the marketplace some companies are Although some religions allow dietary interpretation, developing their own criteria for kosher food. Using the those who choose to keep kosher follow a stringent set older certifying agencies listed below will help ensure of guidelines. correct interpretation. This publication covers the basics of keeping kosher and has been reviewed by a . For more in-depth Symbols information, please visit one of the websites listed below. The following symbols indicate widely accepted kosher certifications commonly found in the United States. The References symbols are usually found on the label near the product American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise (2013). name, and occasionally near the list of ingredients. Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws. Retrieved February 8, 2013, from The Union of Orthodox Jewish http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ Congregations (OU) jsource/Judaism/kashrut.html. 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 Chabad.org ( n.d.). Kosher Fish List. Retrieved May 30, 2013, from http://www.chabad.org/library/arti- The Organized Kashrus Laboratories cle_cdo/aid/82675/jewish/Kosher-Fish-List.htm. (O/K) Eidlitz, E. (2008). Reliable Certifications. Retrieved Feb- 391 Troy Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213 ruary 8, 2013, from http://kosherquest.org/. Rich, Tracey (2011). Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws. Re- Star-K Kosher Certification (chalav trieved February 8, 2013, from http://www.jewfaq. Yisrael) & Star-D Certification (non-) org/kashrut.htm. 122 Slade Ave. #300, Baltimore, MD 21208 Prepared by Sarah Small, Project Associate Sandra Bastin, PhD, RD, LD, CCE, Extension Food and Kof-K Kosher Supervision Nutrition Specialist 201 The Plaza, Teaneck, NJ 07666 Debbie Clouthier, Extension Associate

Symbols used with permission. Family and Consumer Sciences

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Nancy M. Cox, Director, Land Grant Programs, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Lexington, and Kentucky State University, Frankfort. Copyright © 2014 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at www.ca.uky.edu.

Issued 4-2014