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Kosher: a Hebrew word meaning "fit and proper." Food and drink is considered kosher when it conforms to Jewish dietary laws and is prepared under the strict supervision of a Jewish rabbi.
Anyone paying attention to trends in the food industry knows there’s a growing demand for kosher products. When you think kosher, you should definitely think Blue Mountain. Kosher is a specialty at Blue Mountain Flavors. Most of our flavors are kosher pareve or could be kosher approved.
Few flavor companies in the food industry offer the level of kosher capabilities you find at Blue Mountain. If you currently have a kosher line or if you are interested in developing one, make sure to take time to learn more about Blue Mountain.
Blue Mountain’s Kosher supervision is contracted through Star K Certification, Inc. (http://www.star-k.org)
The Kosher Market
What’s the market for kosher foods? Modest estimates suggest there more than eight million people in the United States alone who shop specifically for kosher certified foods. They spend an estimated $5 billion on kosher products each year. Many other people buy kosher foods without specifically seeking them out.
Another interesting and surprising fact: it is estimated that possibly as few as twenty-five percent of the people who buy kosher in the U.S are actually Jewish.
What is Kosher Certification?
A kosher certification agency, such as Star-K, is an organization with expertise in the Laws of Kashrus, which govern kosher dietary practices. The agency takes on the responsibility for assuring kosher consumers that food products and ingredients meet all kosher requirements, meaning they are “fit and proper” according to kosher law. When the specific kosher requirements have been met to the satisfaction of the agency, a letter of certification is issued to the manufacturer. Only then is the manufacturer permitted to display the kosher symbol and advertise its product as genuine kosher.
To learn more about the kosher certification process, click here.
SPECIAL NOTE: Halal supervision is being contracted through the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America. The halal dietary laws determine which foods are ‘lawful’ or permitted for Muslims. These laws are found in the Quran and the books of Hadith (the Traditions).
A Quick Vocabulary Lesson
Kosher: Food prepared according to a set of Rabbinical and Biblical dietary laws. Under kosher laws certain foods may not be eaten, meat and diary may not be eaten at the same meal and animals must be slaughtered in a certain way.
fleishig, milchig, pareve: These are the three major kosher food groups. Fleishig means meat; milchig means dairy; and pareve means neutral. In the most general terms according to kosher law, meat and dairy cannot be eaten together, but either may be eaten with pareve.
schechita: The act of ritual slaughtering that will render an animal kosher.
schmaltz: Chicken fat used instead of butter for cooking in kosher meat dishes.
treyf: This word is the opposite of kosher. Food which would otherwise be kosher can become treyf if the rules aren’t followed.
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