WHAT IS KOSHER
The word kosher is a Hebrew word meaning "fit" or "proper." Simply put, kosher foods meet the dietary requirements and are prepared in accordance to the Jewish Law. A food’s kosher status depends on two key points- the ingredients and the production equipment. In order for food to be kosher, all the ingredients need to be from kosher sources, and all the equipment must be properly koshered (a cleaning process usually consisting of boiling hot water or other hot cleaning techniques) before being used for kosher production.
All raw fruits and vegetables are inherently kosher. Additionally some raw materials do not require formal kosher certification in order to be approved for kosher use. These are intrinsically kosher ingredients, such as cane sugar, corn meal, vanillin, and many others. These materials have been investigated and are completely kosher. However, most other ingredients can only be approved for kosher use if they are certified as such. This is typically done through a letter of certification from the rabbinic agency that designates the item as kosher. The letter of certification will also indicate weather the ingredient is dairy or not.
Kosher law dictates that only animals which have split hooves and chew their cud are kosher. This includes members of the bovine, goat, sheep and buffalo family.Today, the only fowl considered kosher are those that we know our ancestors ate such as chicken, certain duck and goose.Kosher fish must have both scales and fins. Generally, kosher fish production requires a supervisor to be present to verify that the fish is a kosher species. Meat and poultry from kosher animals that are slaughtered by specially trained ritual slaughterers, are permissible. In addition, all meat and poultry must also be soaked, salted and de-veined. Only then is it fit for kosher consumption.Many food products contain ingredients which come from animal sources. Sterates, a common additive in the production of sweets and candy, may be derived from tallow. Fatty acids and mono and triglycerides used in salad oils, shortenings, and baking products, may also be animal based. Gelatin, used in a variety of candies, desserts and medications, as well as glycerin, (often used to flavor liquid medications,) often are made from animal sources.