By: Chanie Zirkind
The Torah clearly defines the signs and physical features of kosher animals, birds and fish. Namely, all animals must both chew their cud and have split hooves. Birds must be domesticated, kind, and not prey on others. Fish must have both fins and scales, cannot be bottom feeders, and swim upstream.
That list of attributes may seem relatively straightforward -- but once food is processed, determining its kosher status becomes a whole new ballgame.
According to the Orthodox Union, over $150 billion of kosher certified products are consumed annually and spending continues to rise dramatically. A store will favor a product with a kosher symbol over its counterpart, for it generally sells 20% faster. On your next grocery run, take a few moments to notice the vast availability of kosher items on the store shelves. Kosher products dominate the aisles of foods, chemicals and paper goods.
So what is really behind that kosher symbol? Is it hip or hype? Does it mean a food is healthier? Does it assure us of a higher quality, or is it merely propaganda? Just what does that rabbi’s seal of approval mean?
In actuality, these little symbols convey a system of extensive knowledge, research, and complex coordination with the involved facilities. The rabbinical expertise that stands behind the accepted symbols ensures the public of the highest standards. Reading the ingredients on a label may be a step in the right direction. However, that only reveals one level of consciousness to the consumer. The product may appear to be kosher and pareve (non-meat/non-dairy), yet it may have been packed on a non-kosher line, a dairy or meat line, or even on a non-kosher grape juice line. This is why we need rabbinic certification on processed foods.
My husband, Rabbi Levy Zirkind, happens to be one of these mysterious rabbis behind the symbol. Hence, this interview.
Impact!: Rabbi, what does the word kosher mean?
Rabbi: Items permissible and acceptable according to Jewish law.
Impact!: How many years have you been actively involved with the kosher field and visiting various plants?
Rabbi: I’ve been eating kosher my entire life, and I have been active in the kosher industry for the past eighteen years.
Impact!: What happens when you visit a plant? Is it just a simple walk-through?
Rabbi: No, there’s a lot to do. Every ingredient has to be verified and match the master kosher list provided by the certifying kosher agency. Then all kosher letters to the company must be checked to verify their current status. All printed labels on ingredients used in the making of the food must be cross-checked to verify that their own ingredients are kosher, with the proper kosher symbol. A walk-through is then conducted with company personnel to answer any questions regarding the production and ingredients of the particular items. We continue to the storage room to verify that non-kosher ingredients cannot be inadvertently exchanged for kosher ones.
Impact!: What particulars do you look for in the production area?
Rabbi: There are companies that produce both kosher and non-kosher products on shared lines. When I go to kosher such a facility, it entails boiling the kettles and transfer lines with water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. I must ascertain that all equipment has been properly cleaned beforehand and that there is no residue of non-kosher in them, nor in the bottling area where the kosher item will now be packaged. I check out the steam lines to the boiler(s) to rule out any cross-contamination between kosher and non-kosher. I also check if it is a hot or cold production. Each carries its own unique complexities. I verify how the product is transported in and out of the facility. Are the vats new, do they need koshering, have they only been used with kosher products? If transferred by a trucking company, then the kosher status of the truck must be up to par. All bulk items must have a kosher symbol on the package or a kosher letter verifying their status.
Impact!: How much time does it take to check out a plant?
Rabbi: That really varies according to each facility and the items it produces. In some cases, it can be a relatively straightforward process -- but many times, the procedures grow very complex and intricately detailed.
Impact!: Has there ever been a time that you visited a plant where everything appeared to be fine according to the kosher laws, but then you noticed something askew?
Rabbi: Yes. In one of the plants that I certify, on the initial meeting and walk-through everything seemed fine. Their ingredients were all of the highest kosher standards, the cleaning methods and sterilization all checked, and then one thing caught my eye. The ingredients were all in bulk packages and had to be transferred with smaller vessels. Most were okay, but one of these transfer bottles was an empty, thoroughly cleaned bottle of non-kosher brandy. I explained to the owner that use of this bottle was not acceptable. Fortunately, he was happy to comply by recycling this bottle in my presence and he designated a new bottle.
Impact!: Which kosher agencies are you affiliated with?
Rabbi: I work very closely with the Orthodox Union (OU), Organized Kashrus Laboratories (OK), Star K, K of K, Heart K, Vaad Hakashrus of Northern California as well as my own; Central California Kosher (CCK). I am also a member of AKO – Association of Kashrus Organizations.
Impact!: I understand that for the past couple of years you have been involved in giving kosher certification to Kingsburg Orchards. Why would a fresh fruit need certification?
Rabbi: In the technical laws of kashrut, there is a law of fruits that have been cross-bred. I had to research this area of Jewish law to determine if there could be a problem with this company or not, since they produce new varieties of fruit each year. Also, most fruit are sprayed to help maintain their freshness. Many of these sprays are not kosher. I was instrumental in having Kingsburg Orchards change their vendor and acquire a kosher spray, free from non-kosher chemicals and ingredients.
Impact!: Is there any advice that you would like to share with the kosher consumer?
Rabbi: Never trust a package solely by its printed ingredients. As one of my grade school teachers taught me, “buyer beware!” If the ingredient is less than 2% of the whole product, it does not have to be listed on the label. Ingredients used as a transferring or filtering agent do not have to be listed either.
On your next shopping spree, enjoy the availability of kosher with the knowledge that a rabbi is looking out for you as a consumer. You are what you eat, and a proper kosher symbol is your identifiable mark of confidence.
Channie Zirkind is co-director of Chabad of Fresno.
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