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SECTION 11 Religious Food Practices


Keeping Kosher Food is a joyful part of a Jewish lifestyle and celebrations such as Passover (described later in the chapter), and for many, so is keeping kosher. To maintain the separation between meat and dairy, observant families have separate sets of table linen, dishes, utensils, cookware, and storage containers. Some may have separate kitchen sinks, dish- washers, and even refrigerators to maintain absolute separa- tion of meat and dairy foods. Using a nonkosher utensil can make the food nonkosher. To continue the absolute separation of meat and dairy,


there is also a waiting period between eating foods of each category so that the food groups do not mix even within the body. Family and community standards will determine the length of time involved. Tis can range from a 2- to 6-hour waiting period between eating meat and eating dairy; some wait as long as 12 hours before eating meat. After dairy, some people wait as little as 15 minutes and some wait as long as 6 hours. Te shorter waiting time is believed to be appropriate because there is less residue in the mouth after consuming dairy as compared with eating meat.12 All foods must be kosher for Jews who keep kosher. A


packaged item is kosher made with approved ingredients and if prepared under certified rabbinic supervision. Tou- sands of food items in the US bear a symbol of kashrut, known as hechsher, even though most of their customers are not observant Jews. Tis prevalence of kashrut-certified foods aids in the identification of kosher items.12


Kosher Food Certifications Several different kosher symbols may be found on food labels. Tese symbols are registered trademarks of kosher/ kashrut certification organizations. Tey are supervised by a rabbi and cannot be placed on a food label without the certifying organization’s permission. Te symbol is usually near the product name on the label; occasionally it is placed near the list of ingredients. Te certifying organization assures consumers that the product is kosher according to the organization’s standards. However, standards vary among organizations. If a Jewish person observes kosher laws, the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) should ask them which certification system they use. Tis information can help guide food selection. Te most widely used and recognized kosher symbol is the seal of the Orthodox Union: the letter U inside the letter O. Many organizations use symbols that incorporate a K for kashrut. However, some labels include the letter K by itself. A letter of the alphabet cannot be trademarked; therefore, the K alone is not a reliable indicator that a product is kosher or rabbinically certified. For example, some foods that contain gelatin (which is not kosher) have labels marked with the letter K. In addition to symbols that indicate a food is kosher, labels may also display a D for dairy or the word pareve or parve (for neutral foods). Te letter P indicates the food is kosher for Passover. Refer to Figure 1 for examples of kosher certifica-


tion symbols that may be used on labels. Because kosher symbols and supervision may change, it is best to check for updates at www. kashrut . com / agencies.


FIGURE 1 Examples of Kosher certification symbols


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