Examples

Non-Kosher processing methods

This may apply to food and ingredients whose manufacture includes heat processing, i.e., spray-dried products, reacted flavours, production of fatty acids, canned foods, etc. If the equipment has been previously used for non-Kosher products, it renders any Kosher product non-Kosher. The Kosher product is viewed as absorbing the non-Kosher material from the walls of the vessels. However, if the equipment undergoes a special cleaning process called “Kosherisation” under supervision of a Rabbi, it can then be used for Kosher products. Such products may be marked with a special batch number or Kosher symbol and so noted in our comments column as a requirement for the product to be considered Kosher.

Kosherisation will typically require the use of steam and/or near boiling water (preferably > 95°C) in the CIP or cleaning. Racks in ovens or on BBQs where non-Kosher product is actually placed on the rack would need to be cleaned by blowtorching.

Non-Kosher additives

This applies to many foods and includes where a “processing aid” is added but is not considered an ingredient. For example, a non-Kosher processing aid may be added to the production of jams to ensure that the jam does not excessively bubble during boiling. This would not be considered bythe manufacturer as an ingredient but may make the product non-Kosher even if all other ingredients are Kosher.

Non-Kosher Ingredients

There are a number of categories of ingredients:

  • Ingredients that can never be Kosher: e.g. civet from cats (used in beverages and ice creams), castoreum (extracted from beaver glands), cochineal from insects, and ambergris (from whale intenstines used as a flavour), ox bile (used in flour blends). Cochineal is made from crushed insectsand is the red colouring added to some products like confectionery, soft drinks and cordials.
  • Ingredients that are presently not available in Kosher form: e.g. natural cognac oil.

Given the small number of items in the two preceding categories, the overwhelming majority of basic ingredients may or may not be Kosher, depending on their origin and processing history. Consequently, they require Rabbinic certification to ascertain that their origin is indeed Kosher, andwhether they are meat, dairy, or pareve.

Ingredients that require Rabbinic certification if the finished product is to be Kosher certified:

Products that may be derived from an animal source Products that have or may have a grape origin
Ingredients that are dairy or may have a dairy origin and will cause a product to be dairy

All oils and fats

Natural fatty acids and their esters e.g. palmitic, stearic, oleic, and pelargonic acids

Polysorbates, sorbitans and all emulsifiers

Amino acids

Hydrolysed proteins

Glycerol & compounds thereof

Enzymes & Enzyme modified products

Glucosamine

Whey

Vitamins

Juice concentrates

Wine

Enocianine

Natural cognac oil

Fusel oil

Amyl alcohol and esters

Ethyl alcohol

Natural acetaldehyde

Vinegar

Cream of Tartar

Tartaric acid

Milk solids

Lactose, casein and derivatives

Cream and derivatives

Starter distillates

Whey and derivatives

Fatty acids from butter or cheese, e.g. caproic acid