Kosher Production for Certification
The kosher market is a US $12.5 billion industry with 11.4 thousand kosher product producers serving 12.4 million kosher and 35 million non-Jewish customers annually1. At the same time, kosher certification is essential for kosher food and beverage makers. Selling products to Jewish and other kosher-preference consumers is impossible without a trusted guarantee of approved ingredient source, production, product manufacture and environment.
The Benefits of Being Kosher-Certified
Beyond the peace of mind and quality assurance your certification provides your users, your business has various advantages. These include:
- Product and brand credibility and consumer trust.
- A competitive advantage over non-kosher certified brands.
- Increased opportunity for market expansion – beyond religious adherence, many choose kosher products for health, cultural, or ethical reasons.
- Export opportunities.
However, what is kosher certification, and how do you get it?
What Is Kosher Certification?
Kosher certification by approved agencies ensures that the product’s ingredients, source, production, manufacturing and preparation processes meet Jewish dietary laws. Following these stringent rules make the product permissible for consumption.
“Kosher” is Hebrew for “proper.” To ensure foodstuffs are “fit” to eat or drink means complying with rules that categorize food into three segments, namely meat, dairy, and pareve or everything else. The law indicates what can and can’t be eaten within these categories.
Meat and dairy should never be prepared or eaten together, and cooking and preparation utensils never washed in the same water. Besides fish, which can’t be consumed with meat, combinations with pareve foods are allowed. Meats to avoid include seafood, birds of prey and scavenger birds, most insects, animal hindquarters, and meat from pigs, squirrels, horses, rabbits, kangaroos, and camels. Animals must be slaughtered in approved ways to be considered kosher.
Certification requires your product and processes to meet strict inspections and audits by accredited organizations to ensure compliance with established standards. Every ingredient is inspected, and every production step monitored and assessed.
Different Levels of Kosher Certification
Various levels of certification are applied, depending on the need. The most basic is “pareve”. This approval indicates that the product is pareve and contains no meat or dairy. It’s usually plant-based, without animal-derived ingredients or additives.
The “kosher” label applies to meat from animals slaughtered and processed in a kosher manner and facility. A special accreditation, “Chalav Yisrael,” indicates dairy compliance and certification.
Additionally, products certified for use during the Passover festival are labeled “kosher l’Pesach,” meaning they adhere to Passover rules, such as avoiding certain grains and leavened bread.
Obtaining Food Product Kosher Certification
Getting your product kosher-certified is a detailed process. Application encompasses information about the products, the company, manufacturing methods, ingredient vendors and sources.
The certifying entity will review and assess the information, including analyzing, vetting and verifying ingredients, suppliers and their certifications. A representative will then conduct a facilities inspection, including evaluating equipment on food separation, hygiene, and overall kosher regulation requirements.
Applicants receive feedback and can adjust if necessary. Once compliant and granted kosher certification, the manufacturer may communicate their status by displaying the related kosher-certified labels or symbols on and in their packaging and marketing materials. The certifying agency will conduct periodic inspections to ensure ongoing adherence for certification retention.
Beyond the raw components of your kosher food product, ensure your flavor and odor ingredients are also 100% compliant with Advanced Biotech’s EU-certified and documented extracts.
Stay Crave-Worthy and Compliant With Advanced Biotech
Most of our taste and aroma ingredients are plant-based and pareve. Each comes with documentation detailing its kosher status and Orthodox Union certification. Our range includes distillates, oleoresins, thiazoles, pyrazines, and other pure and 100% natural extracts. Please contact us for more information.