INTRODUCTION TO

KOSHER
FAKHRI SUNGIT, PhD.
INTRODUCTION TO KOSHER
“Kosher” is a term used to describe
food that complies with the strict
dietary standards of traditional
Jewish law. For many Jews, kosher
is about more than just health or
food safety. It is about reverence
and adherence to religious
SUMMARY
tradition. That said, not all Jewish “Kosher” is a term used to
communities adhere to strict describe foods that comply with
dietary guidelines set by
kosher guidelines. traditional Jewish law. These
laws determine which foods may
be consumed and how they must
be produced, processed, and
prepared.
Definition of Kosher
• The English word “kosher” is derived from the
Hebrew root “kashér,” which means to be pure,
proper, or suitable for consumption
• The laws that provide the foundation for a kosher
dietary pattern are collectively referred to as
kashrut and are found within the Torah, the Jewish
book of sacred texts. Instructions for practical
application of these laws are passed down through SUMMARY
Kosher guidelines strictly prohibit
oral tradition the pairing of any meat and dairy
product. This also means that all
• Kosher dietary laws are comprehensive and utensils and equipment used to
prepare meat and dairy must
provide a rigid framework of rules that not only always be kept separate.
outline which foods are allowed or forbidden but
also mandate how permitted foods must be
produced, processed, and prepared prior to
consumption
Certain Food Combinations Are Strictly
Forbidden
• Some of the main kosher There are three main kosher
dietary guidelines ban food categories:
certain food pairings — • Meat (fleishig): Mammals or
particularly that of meat fowl, as well as products
and dairy. derived from them, including
bones or broth.
• Dairy (milchig): Milk, cheese,
butter, and yogurt.
• Pareve: Any food that is not
meat or dairy, including fish,
eggs, and plant-based foods.
Cont..
• According to kosher tradition, any food categorized
as meat may never be served or eaten at the same
meal as a dairy product.

• Furthermore, all utensils and equipment used to

process and clean meat and dairy must be kept
separate — even down to the sinks in which they’re
washed.

• After eating meat, they must wait a designated

amount of time before consuming any dairy product.
The particular length of time varies among different
Jewish customs but is usually between one and six
hours.

• Pareve food items are considered neutral and may be

eaten alongside either meat or dairy. However, if a
pareve food item is prepared or processed using any
equipment used to process meat or dairy, it may be
reclassified as meat, dairy, or non-kosher.
Only Certain Animal Products Are Permitted
• A large portion of kosher rules addresses animal-based
foods and the way in which they are slaughtered and
prepared.
• Dairy is treated as a separate entity and should never be
consumed or prepared alongside meat or meat products.
• Fish and eggs are considered pareve and have their own sets
of rules, too.
Meat (Fleishig)
The term “meat” in the kosher context generally refers to edible
flesh from certain types of mammals and fowl, as well any products
derived from them, like broth, gravy, or bones.

Jewish law states that for meat to be considered kosher, it must

meet the following criteria:

• It must come from ruminant animals with cloven — or split —

hooves, such as cows, sheep, goats, lambs, oxen, and deer.

• The only permitted cuts of meat come from the forequarters of

kosher ruminant animals.

• Certain domesticated fowl can be eaten, such as chicken, geese,

quail, dove, and turkey.

• The animal must be slaughtered by a shochet — a person

trained and certified to butcher animals according to Jewish
laws.
Cont..
• The meat must be soaked in order to remove any traces of blood
prior to cooking.
• Any utensils used to slaughter or prepare the meat must be kosher
and designated only for use with meat and meat products.
• The following types of meat and meat products are not considered
kosher:
• Meat from pigs, rabbits, squirrels, camels, kangaroos, or horses
• Predator or scavenger birds, such as eagles, owls, gulls, and hawks
• Cuts of beef that come from the hindquarters of the animal, such as
flank, short loin, sirloin, round, and shank
Types of meat and meat products are not
considered kosher

• Meat from pigs, rabbits,

squirrels, camels, kangaroos, or
horses
• Predator or scavenger birds, such
as eagles, owls, gulls, and hawks
• Cuts of beef that come from the
hindquarters of the animal, such
as flank, short loin, sirloin,
round, and shank
Dairy (Milchig)

• Dairy products — such as milk, cheese, butter, and

yogurt — are permitted, although they must adhere to
specific rules in order to be considered kosher:

• They must come from a kosher animal.

• They must never be mixed with any meat-based

derivatives, such as gelatin or rennet (an animal-derived
enzyme), which is often the case with hard cheeses and
other processed cheese products.

• They must also be prepared using kosher utensils and

equipment that has not previously been used to process
any meat-based product.
Fish and Eggs (Pareve)

• Although they each have their own separate rules, fish and
eggs are both classified as pareve, or neutral, which means
that they do not contain milk or meat.
• Fish is only considered kosher if it comes from an animal that
has fins and scales, such as tuna, salmon, halibut, or mackerel.
• Water-dwelling creatures that don’t have these physical
features are prohibited, such as shrimp, crab, oysters, lobster,
and other types of shellfish.
SUMMARY
• Unlike kosher meat, fish don’t require separate utensils for Kosher guidelines limit the consumption
their preparation and may be eaten alongside meat or dairy of animal-based foods to specific
products. animals and cuts of meat which are
slaughtered and prepared in a particular
• Eggs that come from kosher fowl or fish are permitted as long manner.
as they don’t have any traces of blood in them. This stipulation
means that each egg must be inspected individually.
• Like fish, eggs may be eaten alongside meat or dairy.
Guidelines for Plant-Based Foods
• Like fish and eggs, plant-based
foods are considered pareve, or
neutral, meaning that they don’t
contain meat or dairy and may
be eaten with either of those
food groups.
• Although somewhat less
restrictive than meat and dairy,
these foods also have their own
set of kosher guidelines —
especially regarding how they’re
processed.
Grains and Bread
• In their purest form, grains and grain-based foods are
considered kosher. However, certain processing methods may
ultimately deem them not kosher.

• Processed grains like bread may not be kosher due to the

equipment on which they’re processed or the ingredients
used.

• It is common for some breads to contain oils or shortening. If

an animal-based shortening is used, the bread may not be
considered kosher.

• Furthermore, if baking pans or other equipment are greased

with animal-based fats or otherwise used to cook any meat-
or dairy-containing dish, the end product is no longer kosher.

• Because these types of processing methods are not typically

disclosed on a standard nutrition or ingredient label, bread
and grain products must be certified kosher to ensure that
the food complies with all relevant guidelines.
 Fruits and Vegetables
• Similar to grains, fruits and vegetables are kosher
in their unprocessed form.
• However, because insects are not kosher, fresh
fruits and vegetables must be inspected for the
presence of insects or larvae prior to sale or
consumption.
• Furthermore, fruit and vegetable products that are
produced using non-kosher equipment, such as
anything that processes milk and meat, are not
kosher.
Nuts, Seeds, and Oils
• Generally speaking, nuts, seeds, and the oils
derived from them are kosher.

• However, the complicated processing of

these foods often renders them non-kosher
due to cross-contamination of equipment
also used to process meat and/or dairy
products.

• Many vegetable and seed oils undergo

several complicated steps before they’re
considered edible. Each of these steps must
be closely monitored in order to ensure
adherence to kosher guidelines.

• Thus, to be completely certain the oils they

are using are kosher, it’s best to check the
label for certification.
Wine
• Like foods, wine must be produced using
kosher equipment and ingredients to be
deemed kosher. This includes any tools
used to harvest and prepare the grapes for
fermentation.
• However, because wine is significant to
many Jewish religious occasions, stricter
rules are imposed.
• In fact, the entire kosher wine production
process must be carried out and SUMMARY
supervised by practicing Jews. Otherwise, The majority of plant-based
foods are considered kosher.
the wine cannot be deemed kosher. However, they may lose this
status if they’re processed or
prepared using non-kosher
equipment.
Different Rules Apply During Passover
• Additional kosher dietary restrictions apply during the religious holiday of Passover.
• Though there is some variation in adherence to Passover dietary guidelines, all leavened grain
products are traditionally forbidden.
• These foods are collectively referred to as “chametz” and include the following grains:
• Wheat
• Oats
• Rye
• Barley
• Spelt
• That said, some of these grains may be permitted as long as they haven’t been in contact with any
moisture longer than 18 minutes and do not contain any added leavening agents, such as yeast.
• This is why matzo, a type of unleavened flatbread, is not considered chametz — even though it is
traditionally made from wheat.
How Does Certification Work?
• Because of complex modern food
production practices, ensuring that the
foods you’re eating are kosher can be very
challenging.
• That’s why systems are in place for
certifying specific food products.
• Foods certified kosher feature a label on
their packaging indicating that they’ve
met all of the necessary requirements.
• There are dozens of different kosher
labels, many of which come from
different certifying organizations. If a
food is certified for Passover, this will be
SUMMARY
indicated in a separate label. The labelsIf you keep kosher, be sure to look for
may also indicate if a food is dairy, meat,
appropriate labels when you shop. Kosher
foods often feature a certification to
or pareve. guarantee they have met all the necessary
stipulations.
CONCLUSION
• “Kosher” refers to a Jewish dietary framework for food
preparation, processing, and consumption.
• Though variations exist, most guidelines prohibit pairing meat
and dairy and only allow certain animals to be eaten.
• Foods not considered meat or dairy are generally accepted,
provided they’re produced using kosher equipment and practices.
• Additional rules may be imposed during religious holidays.
• Because of the complexities of modern food production, it can be
difficult to know whether many processed foods are kosher. To
avoid any missteps, always look for kosher certification