The most common asked questions about Kashrut and/or Kosher supervision:

What is "kosher" and what does it mean?

The term "kosher" means "proper" or "fit". In order for any food type to become a certified "kosher" product, there are guidelines that must be followed/practiced. These requirements/laws are based on principles set forth in the Bible with elucidation in Rabbinic literature. All foods and their components (sugar, flour, flavorings, cheeses, etc.) and derivitives are divided into four categories:

FOODS

A. Meat: Includes animals that chew the cud (generally cows and sheep), char have split hooves, and poultry. Furthermore, they must be slaughtered in a prescribed manner, by a trained "shocker" (ritual slaughterer). The meat must then undergo a soaking and salting procedure to remove any residual bloood ("koshering"). The whole procedure must be done under the supervision of a "mashgiach", or "Rabbinic supervisor".

B. Dairy: Milk and all its derivatives. Milk from a non-kosher animal (pig, camel) is not kosher. Note: Even a very small amount of meat or dairy (or their derivative) in a product renders that product with a "meat" or "dairy" status. Also, food processed with heat (115F) on equipment previously used for a dairy product, acquires dairy status.

C. Parve (Neutral): Everything kosher that does not fall under the above two categories. Included are eggs, plants, and kosher fish (with fins and scales). Note: Meat and dairy products and their derivatives may not be mixed or eaten together in any amount. Parve (neutral) products can be mixed with either. Fish is an exception: it may not be mixed with meat.

D. Non-Kosher:
1. Intrinsically non-kosher: .All animals that do nor chew the cud or those that do not have split hooves - Most birds outside of poultry - All animals that have not been laughtered, soaked, salted and inspected according to Jewish law - All shellfish - All insects - All grape derived products that have nor been supervised by a Rabbi - All hard cheese products that have not been supervised by a Rabbi - All mixtures of meat and dairy ingredients and their derivatives - All mixtures of meat and fish.

2. Non-Kosher through processing: This may apply to food and ingredients whose manufacture or processing includes heat processing (115F) i.e. spray-dried products, reacted flavors, 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 "kosherization" under supervision of a Rabbi, it can then be used for kosher products. Consequently, ingredients which may be kosher by nature, such as petroleum-derived products and inorganic chemicals, may require investigation of their processing history.
INGREDIENTS

A. Ingredients that are presently not available In Kosher form: eg. musk, natural cognac oil. Given the small number of items in the two preceding categories, the overwhelming majority of basic ingredients may or may nor be kosher depending on their origin and processing history. Consequently, they require Rabbinical supervision to ascertain that their origin is indeed kosher, and whether they are meat, dairy, or parve.

B. Ingredients that require Rabbinical supervision:
1. Products that may be derived from an animal source: All oils and fats - Natural fatty acids, their esters and especially palmitic, stearic, oleic, and pelargonic acids - Fatty alcohols, aldehydes and ketones - Lactones - Polysorbates, sorbitans and all emulsifiers - Amino acids and hydrolyzed proteins - Glycerol and esters - Enzymes - Enzyme modified products - Whey - Vitamins.
2. Products that have or may have a grape origin: Juices - Wine - Enocianina - Natural cognac oil - Fusel oil - Amyl alcohol and esters - Natural valeric acid - Ethyl alcohol - Narural ethyl esters - Natural acetaldehyde - Vinegar.
3. Ingredients that are dairy or may have a dairy origin and will cause a product to be dairy: Milk solids - Lactose, casein and derivatives - Cream and derivatives - Starter distillates - Whey and chemicals produced from its fermentation - Fatty acids from butter or cheese: butyric, caproic, propionic, and myristic acids.
PASSOVER

Passover Guidelines: in addition to the above restrictions, the following and their derivatives may not be used for Passover: Wheat. rye, barely, oats, spelt, corn, legumes, (soy, peanut, etc.) rice, and mustard. Derivatives include: alcohol, beer. Also dextrose from wheat or corn including their derivatives (such as sorbitol). Moreover. all products requiring Passover certification must be manufactured under Rabbinical supervision.

In addition, all of this must be produced with "kosherized" equipment, manufactured and packaged in a "kosher" plant that must be inspected by the kosher agency's Rabbinic inspector , including food chemists and experts in every phase of food production. It is aided by a sophisticated computerized support system, and is overseen by the worlds most foremost authorities on "kosher" law. This highly perceived "mark of trust" is not limited just to the Western Hemisphere, but extend to Israel, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

What is Kosher Certification? How do I get started?

Kosher certification with the Florida 'K' means that a product is certified kosher and recognized as such. This symbol is recognized and accepted by Jewish consumers in all Jewish communities around the world as a product that meets all of the strictest standards pertaining to the laws of kosher food production and consumption.

The ongoing process of kosher certification will require meaningful interaction with you and your business. It is important that we understand completely what your company's needs are so that a smooth and easy certification program can be specifically designed and implemented for each product under consideration.

When products to be certified are made at more than one facility, information regarding each production plant is necessary. This is because for any product to be certified as kosher all ingredients that make up that product must also be accepted, or, known to be, kosher. To that end, all ingredients must also be carefully reviewed and shown to be kosher before approval of the product under consideration can be certified.

Other factors in the plant may affect the kosher status of the product under consideration as well. For example, if there are other products being manufactured on the same processing line and at the same facility.

A key factor in determining certification status is how the product is to be designated as kosher on its packaging and labels. Perhaps PARVE, meaning it is not a meat nor a dairy product in which case it will receive the Parve insignia. Or, if it's a DAIRY product it will receive a D certification status, the "D" reflecting the "dairy" ingredients it contains. Or perhaps it can get a DE status which signifies that the product consists of Parve ingredients but it has been manufactured on "E", equipment, that is not "Parve" but "dairy".

Or if your product is to be certified kosher for Passover, it will bear a special seal of certification..

Making Contact & Getting Started:
The Online Forms will help us familiarize ourselves with you and your product. The more thorough you complete the Online Forms, the easier and faster the certification process can proceed.
After reviewing your application, Rabbi Dubov will contact you personally to discuss any immediate questions regarding your product. Afterwards, an appointment to visit your plant or headquarters will be arranged. Click here to get started!