View source for Kashrut

{{Short description|Jewish dietary laws}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Redirect2|Kasher|Kosher|people with this name|Kasher (surname)|other meanings|Kosher (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Treyf|the politically left-wing Jewish podcast|Treyf (podcast)}}
{{For|Egyptian food|koshari}}
{{Good article}}
{{Judaism}}{{Lead too long|date=September 2025}}
'''{{transliteration|he|Kashrut}}''' (also '''{{transliteration|he|kashruth}}''' or '''{{transliteration|he|kashrus}}''', {{lang|he|{{Script/Hebrew|כַּשְׁרוּת}}}}) is a set of [[Food and drink prohibitions|dietary laws]] dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to [[halakha|Jewish religious law]]. Food that may be consumed is deemed '''kosher''' ({{IPAc-en|'|k|oʊ|ʃ|ər|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Simplificationalizer-kosher.wav}} in English, {{langx|yi|כּשר}}), from the [[Ashkenazi Hebrew|Ashkenazi]] pronunciation of the term that in [[Sephardi Hebrew|Sephardi]] or [[Modern Hebrew]] is pronounced ''kashér'' ({{Script/Hebrew|כָּשֵׁר}}), meaning "fit" (in this context: "fit for consumption"). Food that may not be consumed, however, is deemed '''treif''' ({{IPAc-en|t|ɹ|eɪ|f}} in English, {{langx|yi|טרײף}}), also spelled '''treyf''' ({{langx|yi|טריף}}). In case of objects the opposite of kosher is pasúl ({{IPAc-en|p|ə|ˈ|s|u|l}} in English, Yiddish: פָּסוּל).

Although the details of the laws of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} are numerous and complex, they rest on a few basic principles:

* Only certain types of mammals, birds, and fish, [[Kosher animals|meeting specific criteria]] are kosher; the consumption of the flesh of any animals that do not meet these criteria, such as [[pork]], [[frog]]s, and [[shellfish]], is forbidden, except for [[Kosher locust|locusts]], which are the only kosher invertebrate.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21847517 "Eating locusts: The crunchy, kosher snack taking Israel by swarm"] ([[BBC]])</ref>
* The most basic eating rule in the Torah is that blood is not to be consumed; therefore, as a step to being kosher, mammals and birds must be slaughtered according to a process known as {{transliteration|he|[[shechita]]}}, in which a certified ritual slaughterer, called a ''shochet'', severs the trachea, esophagus, carotid arteries, and jugular veins in a single, quick cut using an ultra-sharp instrument called a ''chalaf''; doing so causes rapid and massive blood loss.
* The meat must still go through a process known as ''koshering'' or ''kashering'' to be considered fit for consumption. The three approved methods are broiling, roasting, and soaking & salting. 
* Meat and meat derivatives [[Milk and meat in Jewish law|may never be mixed]] with milk and milk derivatives. Separate equipment must be used for the storage and preparation of meat-based and dairy-based foods.

Every food that is considered kosher is also categorized as follows:

* '''Meat products''' (also called {{transliteration|he|b'sari}} or {{transliteration|yi|[[fleishig]]}}) are those that contain kosher meat, such as beef, lamb, or venison; kosher poultry, such as chicken, goose, duck, or turkey; or derivatives of meat such as animal gelatin; additionally, non-animal products that were processed on equipment used for meat or meat-derived products must also be considered as meat ({{transliteration|he|b'chezkat basar}}).
* '''Dairy products''' (also called {{transliteration|he|c'halavi}} or {{transliteration|yi|[[milchig]]}}) contain milk or any derivatives such as butter or cheese; additionally, non-dairy products that were processed on equipment used for milk or milk-derived products must also be considered as milk ({{transliteration|he|b'chezkat chalav}}).
* '''[[Pareve]]''' (also called ''parve'', ''parveh'' meaning "neutral") products contain neither meat, milk, nor their respective derivatives; they include foods such as [[List of halal and kosher fish|kosher fish]], eggs from [[Kosher animals#Modern practical considerations|permitted birds]], grains, [[produce]], and other edible vegetation. They remain pareve if they are not mixed with or processed using equipment that is used for any meat or dairy products.

While any produce that grows from the earth, such as fruits, grains, vegetables, and mushrooms, is always permissible, laws regarding the status of certain agricultural produce, especially that grown in the [[Land of Israel]] such as [[Tithes in Judaism|tithes]] and produce of the [[Shemitta|Sabbatical year]], impact their permissibility for consumption.

Most of the basic laws of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} are derived from the [[Torah]]'s books of [[Leviticus]] and [[Deuteronomy]]. Their details and practical application, however, are set down in the [[Oral Torah]], (eventually codified in the [[Mishnah]] and [[Talmud]]), and elaborated on in the later rabbinical literature. Although the Torah does not state the rationale for most {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} laws, some suggest that they are only tests of obedience,<ref>Maimonides, ''[[Guide for the Perplexed]]'' (ed. M. Friedländer), Part III (chapter 26), New York 1956, p. 311</ref> while others have suggested philosophical, practical, and hygienic reasons.<ref>Maimonides, ''[[Guide for the Perplexed]]'' (ed. M. Friedländer), Part III (chapter 48), New York 1956, p. 371</ref><ref>[[Rashbam]], commentary to Leviticus 11:3</ref><ref>[[Sefer ha-Chinuch]], commandments 73 and 148</ref>

Over the past century, many [[kosher certification agency|{{transliteration|he|kashrut}} certification agencies]] have started to certify products, manufacturers, and restaurants as kosher, usually authorizing the use of a proprietary symbol or certificate, called a {{transliteration|he|hechsher}}, to be displayed by the food establishment or on the product, which indicates that they are in compliance with the kosher laws. This labeling is also used by some non-Jewish people, examples of which include those whose religions (including [[Islamic dietary laws|Islam]]) expect adherence to a similar set of dietary laws, people with allergies to dairy foods, and vegans, who use the various kosher designations to determine whether a food contains meat or dairy-derived ingredients.

The laws of Kashrut are a major area covered in traditional rabbinic ordination; see {{slink|Yeshiva#Jewish law}} and {{slink|Semikhah#Varieties of ordination}}. And numerous scholarly and popular works exist on these topics,<ref>For the example the series by Rabbi [[Aharon Pfeuffer]].</ref> covering both practice and theory.

==Explanations==

===Philosophical===
[[Jewish philosophy]] divides the [[613 commandments]] (or {{transliteration|he|mitzvot}}) into three groups—laws that have a rational explanation and would probably be enacted by most orderly societies ({{transliteration|he|mishpatim}}), laws that are understood after being explained, but would not be legislated without the Torah's command ({{transliteration|he|eidot}}), and laws that do not have a rational explanation ({{transliteration|he|chukim}}).

Some Jewish scholars say that {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} should be categorized as laws for which there is no particular explanation since the human mind is not always capable of understanding divine intentions. In this line of thinking, the dietary laws were given as a demonstration of God's authority, and man must obey without asking why.<ref name="Is there a reason why we are required to keep kosher?">{{cite web |title=Is there a reason why we are required to keep kosher? |url=https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/is-there-a-reason-why-we-are-required-to-keep-kosher/ |website=Times of Israel |access-date=20 October 2020}}</ref> Although [[Maimonides]] concurs that all the statutes of the Torah are decrees, he is of the view that whenever possible, one should seek out reasons for the Torah's commandments.<ref>''[[Mishneh Torah]]'' ''[[Korban]]ot'', ''[[Temurah (Halacha)|Temurah]] 4:13 (in eds. Frankel; "Rambam L'Am")''</ref>

Some theologians have said that the laws of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} are symbolic in character: kosher animals represent [[virtue]]s, while non-kosher animals represent [[vice]]s. The 1st-century BCE [[Letter of Aristeas]] argues that the laws "have been given [...] to awake pious thoughts and to form the character".<ref>''Letter of Aristeas'', 145–154</ref> This view reappears in the work of the 19th-century [[Rabbi]] [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|year =1971|title=Dietary Laws|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia Judaica]]|publisher=[[Keter Publishing House]]|location=Jerusalem}}</ref>

The Torah prohibits "cooking the kid (goat, sheep, calf) in its mother's milk". While the Torah does not provide a reason, it has been suggested that the practice was perceived as cruel and insensitive.<ref>{{cite book| last = Gottlieb| first = Roger S.| title = The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_LldeLvqQNsC&pg=PA45| access-date = October 18, 2012| year = 2006| publisher = Oxford Handbooks Online| isbn = 978-0-19-517872-2| page = 45 }} quoting [[Deuteronomy Rabbah]] 6:1</ref><ref>{{cite book| last = Chill| first = Abraham| author-link = Abraham Chill| title = The mitzvot: the commandments and their rationale| year = 1974| publisher = [[Bloch Publishing Company]]| isbn = 978-0-8197-0376-7| page = 114 }}</ref>

[[Hasidic Judaism]] believes that everyday life is imbued with channels connecting with [[God|Divinity]], the activation of which it sees as helping the [[Shechinah|Divine Presence]] to be drawn into the physical world;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/73827/jewish/The-Chassidic-Masters-on-Food.htm |title=The Chassidic Masters on Food and Eating |access-date=April 10, 2013 |last=Schneersohn |first=Yosef Yitzchak |author-link=Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn |publisher=[[Chabad.org]]}}</ref> Hasidism argues that the food laws are related to the way such channels, termed 'sparks of holiness', interact with various animals. These 'sparks of holiness' are released whenever a Jew manipulates any object for a 'holy reason', (which includes eating);<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/73850/jewish/Meat.htm |title=Meat |access-date=April 10, 2013 |last=Tauber |first=Yanki |author-link=Yanki Tauber |publisher=[[Chabad.org]]}}</ref> however, not all animal products are capable of releasing their 'sparks of holiness'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org/library/tanya/tanya_cdo/aid/7887/jewish/Chapter-8.htm |title=The Tanya Chapter 8 |access-date=April 10, 2013 |last=Borukhovich |first=Shneur Zalman |publisher=[[Chabad.org]]}}</ref> The Hasidic argument is that animals are imbued with signs that reveal the release of these sparks, and the signs are expressed in the biblical categorization of ritually 'clean' and ritually 'unclean'.<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829062317/http://www.rabbifriedman.org/sichaReeh.asp |date=August 29, 2007 |title=Re'eh }}, rabbifriedman.org (archived from [http://www.rabbifriedman.org/sichaReeh.asp the original]  on August 29, 2007).</ref>

===Medical===
Although the reason for {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} is that it is a decree from the Torah, there have been attempts to provide scientific support for the view that Jewish food laws have an incidental health benefit. One of the earliest is that of [[Maimonides]] in ''[[The Guide for the Perplexed]]'' (c. 1190).

In 1953, [[David Macht]], an Orthodox Jew and proponent of the theory of biblical scientific foresight, conducted [[toxin|toxicity]] experiments on many kinds of animals and fish.<ref>{{cite journal |title=An Experimental Pharmalogical Appreciation of Leviticus&nbsp;XI and Deuteronomy&nbsp;XIV |url=http://members.dslextreme.com/users/hollymick/Macht1953.pdf |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20070630112056/http://members.dslextreme.com/users/hollymick/Macht1953.pdf |archive-date=2007-06-30 |last=Macht |first=David I. |date=September–October 1953 |journal=Bulletin of the History of Medicine |volume=XXXVII |issue=5 |pages=444–450 }}</ref> His experiment involved [[lupin]] seedlings being supplied with extracts from the meat of various animals; Macht reported that in 100% of cases, extracts from ritually 'unclean' meat inhibited the seedling's growth more than that from ritually 'clean' meats.<ref>{{Harvnb|Macht|1953}} op. cit.</ref>

At the same time, these explanations are controversial. Scholar [[Lester L. Grabbe]], writing in the ''Oxford Bible Commentary'' on Leviticus, says "[a]n explanation now almost universally rejected is that the laws in this section<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|11–15}}</ref> have hygiene as their basis. Although some of the laws of ritual purity roughly correspond to modern ideas of physical cleanliness, many of them have little to do with hygiene. For example, there is no evidence that the 'unclean' animals are intrinsically bad to eat or to be avoided in a Mediterranean climate, as is sometimes asserted."<ref>''The Oxford Bible Commentary'', eds. J. Barton and J. Muddiman. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2001: 99.</ref>

==Rules==
===Prohibited foods===
{{Main|Kosher foods}}
[[File:Kosher BethDin.jpg|thumb|Kosher [[airline meal]] approved by [[The Johannesburg Beth Din]]]]
The laws of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} can be classified according to the origin of the prohibition (Biblical or rabbinical) and whether the prohibition concerns the food itself or a mixture of foods.<ref name="Forst">{{cite book |last=Forst |first=Binyomin |title=The laws of kashrus: a comprehensive exposition of their underlying concepts and applications |year=1994 |publisher=Mesorah Publications |location=Brooklyn, N.Y |isbn=978-0-89906-103-0 |pages=32–49}}</ref>

Biblically prohibited foods include:<ref name=Forst/>
* [[Kosher animals|Non-kosher animals]]<ref name="lev 11 3 8">{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|11:3–8}}</ref><ref>{{Tanakhverse|Deuteronomy|14:3–21}}</ref>—any mammals without certain identifying characteristics ([[Cloven hoof|cloven hooves]] and [[Ruminant|rumination]]); any birds of prey; any fish without fins or scales (thus excluding [[catfish]], for instance). All [[invertebrates]] are non-kosher apart from certain types of locust, on which most communities lack a clear tradition. No [[reptiles]] or [[amphibians]] are kosher. There are also no [[rodents]] that are kosher.
* Carrion ({{transliteration|he|nevelah}})—meat from a kosher animal that has not been slaughtered according to the laws of {{transliteration|he|[[shechita]]}}. This prohibition includes animals that have been slaughtered by non-Jews.<ref>[[Babylonian Talmud]], ''Hullin'' 13a (on Mishnah ''Hullin'' 1:1).</ref>
* Injured ({{transliteration|he|[[terefah]]}})—an animal with a significant defect or injury, such as a fractured bone or particular types of lung adhesions.
* Blood ({{transliteration|he|dam}})—the blood of kosher mammals and fowl is removed through salting, with special procedures for the [[Liver (food)|liver]], which is very rich in blood.
* Particular fats ({{transliteration|he|[[chelev]]}})—particular parts of the abdominal fat of cattle, goats and sheep must be removed by a process called {{transliteration|he|[[nikkur]]}}.
* The twisted nerve ({{transliteration|he|[[gid hanasheh]]}})—the [[sciatic nerve]], as according to Genesis 32:32 the patriarch [[Jacob]]'s was damaged when he fought with an angel, so may not be eaten and is removed by {{transliteration|he|nikkur}}.
* A limb of a living animal ({{transliteration|he|[[Taboo food and drink#Living animals|ever min ha-chai]]}})<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Genesis|9:4}}</ref>—according to Jewish law, God forbade [[Noahide laws|Noah and his descendants]] to consume flesh torn from a live animal. Hence, Jewish law considers this prohibition applicable even to non-Jews,<ref>{{cite book |last=Doron-spalter |first=Pinchos |title=Major Concepts of the Talmud: An Encyclopedic Resource Guide, Volume 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kPARAQAAIAAJ |access-date=March 15, 2013 |year=2008 |publisher=[[Targum Press]] |isbn=978-1-56871-465-3 |page=7}}</ref> and therefore, a Jew may not give or sell such meat to a non-Jew.
* Untithed food ({{transliteration|he|tevel}})—produce of the [[Land of Israel]] requires the removal of certain [[tithe]]s, which in ancient times were given to the {{transliteration|he|[[Kohen|kohanim]]}} (priests), [[Levite]]s and the poor ({{transliteration|he|[[Heave offering|terumah]]}}, {{transliteration|he|[[First tithe|maaser rishon]]}} and {{transliteration|he|[[Poor tithe|maasar ani]]}} respectively) or taken to the [[Old City (Jerusalem)|Old City of Jerusalem]] to be eaten there ({{transliteration|he|[[maaser sheni]]}}).
* Fruit during the first three years ({{transliteration|he|[[orlah]]}})—according to Leviticus 19:23,<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|19:23}}</ref> fruit from a tree in the first three years after planting may not be consumed (both in the Land of Israel and the diaspora).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Battegay |first1=Caspar |last2=Lubrich |first2=Naomi |title=Jewish Switzerland: 50 Objects Tell Their Stories |publisher=Christoph Merian |year=2018 |isbn=978-3-85616-847-6 |location=Basel |page=98}}</ref> This applies also to the fruit of the vine—grapes, and wine produced from them.<ref>{{cite book |last=Blech |first=Zushe Yosef |title=Kosher Food Production |date=January 27, 2009 |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |isbn=978-0-8138-2093-4}}</ref>
* New grain ({{transliteration|he|[[chadash]]}})<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|23:14}}</ref>—the Bible prohibits newly grown grain (planted after [[Passover]] the previous year) until the second day of Passover; there is debate as to whether this law applies to grain grown outside the Land of Israel.
* Wine of libation ({{transliteration|he|[[Kosher wine|yayin nesekh]]}})—wine that may have been dedicated to idolatrous practices.

Biblically prohibited mixtures include:<ref name=Forst/>
* Mixtures of meat and milk<ref name="auto2">{{Tanakhverse|Exodus|23:19}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Tanakhverse|Exodus|34:26}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Tanakhverse|Deuteronomy|14:21}}</ref> ({{transliteration|he|[[Milk and meat in Jewish law|basar be-chalav]]}})—this law derives from the broad interpretation of the commandment not to "cook a kid in its mother's milk";<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/> other non-kosher foods are permitted for non-dietary use (e.g. to be sold to non-Jews), but Jews are forbidden to benefit from mixtures of meat and milk in any way.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1149824/jewish/Meat-Milk.htm |title = Meat & Milk - Parshat Mishpatim}}</ref>
* Different species of plants grown together ({{transliteration|he|[[Kil'ayim (prohibition)|kilayim]]}})—in the Land of Israel different species of plants are to be grown separately and not in close proximity according to Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9–11.
** A specific subdivision of this law is {{transliteration|he|kil'ei ha-kerem}}, the prohibition of planting any grain or vegetable near a [[grapevine]]; this law applies to Jews throughout the world, and a Jew may not derive benefit from such produce.

Rabbinically prohibited foods include:<ref name=Forst/>

* Non-Jewish milk ({{transliteration|he|[[Cholov Yisroel|chalav akum]]}})—milk that may have an admixture of milk from non-kosher animals (see below for current views on this prohibition).
* Non-Jewish cheese ({{transliteration|he|gevinat akum}})—cheese that may have been produced with non-kosher [[rennet]].
* Non-Jewish wine ({{transliteration|he|stam yeinam}})—wine that while not produced for idolatrous purposes may otherwise have been poured for such a purpose or alternatively when consumed will lead to intermarriage.
* Food cooked by a non-Jew ({{transliteration|he|[[Bishul Yisrael|bishul akum]]}})—this law was enacted for concerns of [[Interfaith marriage in Judaism|intermarriage]]. (Minor)
* Non-Jewish bread ({{transliteration|he|[[Pas Yisroel|pat akum]]}})—this law was enacted for concerns of intermarriage.
* Health risk ({{transliteration|he|sakanah}})—certain foods and mixtures are considered a health risk, such as mixtures of [[fish]] and meat.

===Permitted and forbidden animals===
{{further|Unclean animal}}
[[File:Hoof montage.jpg|thumb|[[cloven hoof|Cloven hooves]] in  goats (upper left), pigs (lower left), and [[cattle]] (lower right). Horse hooves (upper right) are not cloven.]]

Only meat from particular species is permissible. Mammals that both chew their cud ([[Ruminant|ruminate]]) and have [[Cloven hoof|cloven hooves]] can be kosher. Animals with one characteristic but not the other (the camel, the [[hyrax]], and the [[hare]] because they have no cloven hooves, and the pig because it does not ruminate) are specifically excluded.<ref name="lev 11 3 8"/><ref>''[[Shulchan Aruch]]'', ''[[Yoreh De'ah]]'' 79</ref><ref>For a comprehensive review of the issue involving the difficulty that neither the hyrax nor the hare are ruminants, see {{cite book |last=Slifkin |first=Rabbi Nosson  |author-link=Natan Slifkin |title=The Camel, the Hare & the Hyrax: A Study of the Laws of Animals with One Kosher Sign in Light of Modern Zoology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cHsRAQAAIAAJ |edition=illustrated |year=2004 |publisher=Zoo Torah in association with Targum/Feldheim |isbn=978-1-56871-312-0}}</ref>

In 2008, a rabbinical ruling determined that [[giraffes]] and their milk are eligible to be considered kosher. The giraffe has both split hooves and chews its cud, characteristics of animals considered kosher. Findings from 2008 show that giraffe milk curdles, meeting kosher standards. Although kosher, the giraffe is not slaughtered today because the process would be very costly. Giraffes are difficult to restrain, and their use for food could cause the species to become endangered.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2084281/Giraffe-is-kosher-Israeli-vets-have-ruled.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2084281/Giraffe-is-kosher-Israeli-vets-have-ruled.html |archive-date=2022-01-11 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Giraffe is kosher, rabbis rule in Israel |last=Butcher |first=Tim |date=June 6, 2008 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=April 10, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 82:1–5</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kashrut.com-archive.info/articles/giraffe/ |title=What's the Truth About Giraffe Meat! |last=Zivotofsky |first=Ari Z. |website=Kashrut.com |access-date=May 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407105109/http://www.kashrut.com-archive.info/articles/giraffe/ |archive-date=April 7, 2014 }}</ref>

Non-kosher birds are listed outright in the Torah,<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Deuteronomy|14:12–18}}</ref> but the exact zoological references are disputed and some references refer to families of birds (24 are mentioned). The [[Mishnah]]<ref>''[[Bavli]]'' ''[[Chullin]]'' 3:22–23</ref> refers to four signs provided by the [[Chazal|sages]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kashrut.com/articles/turk_part2/ |title=Is Turkey Kosher?, part 2 |last=Zivotofsky |first=Ari Z. |website=Kashrut.com |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref>  First, a {{transliteration|he|dores}} (predatory bird) is not kosher. Additionally, kosher birds possess three physical characteristics: an extra toe in the back (which does not join the other toes in supporting the leg), a {{transliteration|he|zefek}} ([[crop (anatomy)|crop]]), and a {{transliteration|he|korkoban}} ([[gizzard]]) with a peelable [[Lumen (anatomy)|lumen]]. However, individual Jews are barred from merely applying these regulations alone; an established tradition ({{transliteration|he|masorah}}) is necessary to allow birds to be consumed, even if it can be substantiated that they meet all four criteria. The only exception to this is the turkey. There was a time when certain authorities considered the signs sufficient, so Jews started eating this bird without a {{transliteration|he|masorah}} because it possesses all the signs ({{transliteration|he|simanim}}) in Hebrew.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kashrut.com/articles/turk_part3/ |title=Is Turkey Kosher?, part 3 |last=Zivotofsky |first=Ari Z. |website=Kashrut.com |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref>

Fish must have fins and scales to be kosher.<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|11:9–12}}</ref> [[Shellfish]] and other non-fish water [[fauna]] are not kosher.<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 83 and 84</ref> (See [[Kosher fish list|kosher species of fish]]) Insects are not kosher, except for certain species of [[kosher locust]].<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 85</ref> Any animal that eats other animals, whether they kill their food or eat [[carrion]],<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|11:13–31}}</ref> is generally not kosher, as well as any animal that has been partially eaten by other animals.<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Exodus|22:30-31}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Class
! Forbidden kinds
|-
 |Mammals
 |Carnivores; animals that do not chew the cud (e.g. [[pork]]); animals that do not have cloven hooves (e.g., the camel, the [[hare]], the horse and the [[hyrax]]); bats; rodents
|-
 |Birds
 |Birds of prey; scavengers
|-
 |Reptiles and amphibians
 |All
|-
 |Water animals
 |All non-fish. Among fish, all those that do not have both fins and scales
|-
 |Insects
 |All, except particular types of locust or grasshopper that, according to most, cannot be identified today
|}

===Separation of meat and milk===
{{Main|Milk and meat in Jewish law}}
Meat and milk (or derivatives) may not be mixed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.koshercertification.org.uk/whatdoe.html|title=What Does Kosher Mean? - section 2.4|website=koshercertification.org.uk|access-date=2016-02-16|archive-date=2016-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301201928/http://www.koshercertification.org.uk/whatdoe.html}}</ref> in the sense that meat and [[dairy product]]s are not served at the same meal, served or cooked in the same utensils, or stored together.

Observant Jews have separate sets of dishes, and sometimes different kitchens, for meat and milk, and wait anywhere between one and six hours after eating meat before consuming milk products.<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 87 ''et seq''</ref> The {{transliteration|yi|milchig}} and {{transliteration|yi|fleishig}} (literally "milky" and "meaty") utensils and dishes are the commonly referred-to Yiddish delineations between dairy and meat ones, respectively.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/kashrut.html|title=Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws|encyclopedia=[[Jewish Virtual Library]]|access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref>

According to the Shulchan Aruch, a six-hour waiting period is recommended between consuming meat and dairy. During this time, it is generally advised to abstain from brushing and rinsing the mouth.<ref>A halachic answer on the topic of [https://meshiv.co.il/en/shelot_vetshuvot/after-eating-meat-can-i-use-dental-floss-and-rinsing-my-mouth-and-eat-milk-with-out-waiting-6-hours/ after eating meat, can I use dental floss, and rinsing my mouth, and eat milk without waiting 6 hours] on the website [https://meshiv.co.il/en/home-page1/ "Meshiv Kahlahah"].</ref>

[[Shelomo Dov Goitein]] writes, "the dichotomy of the kitchen into a meat and a milk section, so basic in an observant Jewish household, is [...] never mentioned in the [[Cairo Geniza|Geniza]]." Goitein believed that in the early Middle Ages Jewish families kept only one set of cutlery and cooking ware.<ref>Goitein, Shelomo Dov. ''A Mediterranean Society: The Jewish Communities of the Arab World as Portrayed in the Documents of the Cairo Geniza, Vol. IV. p. 252''. {{ISBN|978-0-520-22161-1}}.</ref> According to [[David C. Kraemer]], the practice of keeping separate sets of dishes developed only in the late 14th and 15th centuries.<ref>Kraemer, David C. (2007). ''Jewish Eating and Identity Through the Ages''. New York: Routledge. pp. 99–121. {{ISBN|978-0-415-47640-9}}.</ref> It is possible observant Jews before then waited overnight for the meat or dairy gravy absorbed in a pot's walls to become insignificant ([[:he:נותן טעם לפגם#נותן טעם לפגם בכלים|{{transliteration|he|lifgam}}]]) before using the pot for the other foodstuff (meat or dairy).<ref>{{cite web|date=2016|title=The Development of a Waiting Period Between Meat and Dairy: 9th – 14th Centuries|url=http://www.oqimta.org.il/oqimta/5776/adams4.pdf|website=Oqimta: Studies in Talmudic and Rabbinic Literature. 4: 79-84, note 222}}</ref>

===Kosher slaughter===
{{Main|Shechita}}
[[File:Schect.jpg|thumb|A 15th-century depiction of {{transliteration|he|[[shechita]]}}]]
Mammals and fowl must be slaughtered by a trained individual (a {{transliteration|he|[[shochet]]}}) using a special method of slaughter, {{transliteration|he|[[shechita]]}}.<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Deuteronomy|12:21}}</ref> {{transliteration|he|Shechita}} slaughter severs the [[jugular vein]], [[carotid artery]], [[esophagus]], and [[Vertebrate trachea|trachea]] in a single continuous cutting movement with an [[shechita#The knife|unserrated, sharp knife]]. Failure to meet any of these criteria renders the meat of the animal non-kosher.

The body of the slaughtered animal must be checked after slaughter to confirm that the animal had no medical condition or defect that would have caused it to die of its own accord within a year, which would make the meat unsuitable.<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 1–65</ref>

These conditions ({{transliteration|he|[[Terefah|treifot]]}}) include 70 different categories of injuries, diseases, and abnormalities whose presence renders the animal non-kosher.

It is forbidden to consume certain parts of the animal, such as certain fats ({{transliteration|he|[[chelev]]}}) and the [[sciatic nerve]]s from the legs, the process of [[Nikkur|excision]] being done by experts before the meat is sold.

As much blood as possible must be removed<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Leviticus|17:10}}</ref> through the {{transliteration|he|kashering}} process; this is usually done through soaking and salting the meat, but the [[liver (food)|liver]], as it is rich in blood, is grilled over an open flame.<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 66–78</ref>

Fish (and kosher locusts, for those who follow the traditions permitting them) must be killed before being eaten, but no particular method has been specified in Jewish law.<ref>{{cite web|title=ABCs of Kosher|work=aishcom |date=9 May 2009 |url=http://www.aish.com/jl/m/mm/48958906.html|publisher=[[Aish HaTorah]]|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Locusts Go Biblical – But Are They Kosher?|url=http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/172409/locusts-go-biblical-but-are-they-kosher/|work=[[The Jewish Daily Forward]]|access-date=March 15, 2013|archive-date=March 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314233426/http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/172409/locusts-go-biblical-but-are-they-kosher/}}</ref> [[Legal aspects of ritual slaughter]] are governed not only by Jewish law but civil law as well.

Some believe that this ensures the animal dies instantly without [[Tza'ar ba'alei hayyim|unnecessary suffering]], but many [[animal rights]] activists view the process as cruel, claiming that the animal may not lose consciousness immediately, and activists have called for it to be banned.<ref name="theAgeArticle">{{cite web|date=2007-08-03|title=Sheep killing branded cruel|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/sheep-killing-branded-cruel/2007/08/02/1185648061374.html?page=2|access-date=2011-12-03|publisher=The Age}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=2003-06-10|title=Halal and Kosher slaughter 'must end'|work=BBC News|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2977086.stm|access-date=2010-05-07}}</ref>

====Preparation of meats====
When an animal is ritually slaughtered ({{transliteration|he|shechted}}) the raw meat is traditionally cut, salted, and rinsed, prior to cooking. Salting of raw meat draws out the blood that lodges on the inner surface of the meat. The salting is done with coarse grain salt, commonly referred to as [[kosher salt]], after which the meat is laid over a grating or [[colander]] to allow for drainage, remaining so for the duration of time that it takes to walk one [[biblical mile]]<ref>[[Shulhan Arukh]], ''Yoreh De'ah'' 69:6, 69:16–19</ref> (approximately 18–24 minutes). Afterwards, the residue of salt is rinsed away with water, and the meat cooked.

Meat that is roasted requires no prior salting, as fire causes a natural purging  of blood.

{{transliteration|he|Turei Zahav}} ("Taz"), a 17th-century commentary on the ''[[Shulchan Arukh]]'', ruled that the pieces of meat can be "very thick" when salting.<ref>Shulhan Arukh, ''Yoreh De'ah'', § 69:5; ''Turei Zahav'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 69:5:16</ref> The [[Yemenite Jewish]] practice, however, follows [[Saadiah Gaon]], who required that the meat not be larger than half a "rotal" (i.e. roughly {{convert|216|g}}) when salting.<ref>{{cite book |last=Alfasi|first=Y. |author-link=Isaac Alfasi |title=R. Yitzhak al-Fasi's Commentary on Tractate Hullin (Chapter Kol ha-Basar)|editor=[[Yosef Qafih]] |date=1960 |publisher=ha-Agudah le-Hatzalat Ginzei Teiman|page=98 |language=he |oclc=745065428 |title-link=Hullin }}</ref> This allows the effects of the salt to penetrate.

Some Orthodox Jewish communities require the additional stricture of submersing raw meat in boiling water prior to cooking it, a practice known as {{transliteration|he|ḥaliṭah}} ({{Langx|he|חליטה}}), "blanching."<ref>[[Maimonides]], ''[[Mishne Torah]]'' (''Hil. Ma'achaloth Asuroth'' 6:10); cf. Babylonian Talmud, ''Hullin'' 111a.</ref> This was believed to constrict the blood lodged within the meat, to prevent it from oozing out when the meat was eaten. The raw meat is left in the pot of boiling water for as long as it takes for the meat to whiten on its outer layer.

If someone wanted to use the water for soup after making {{transliteration|he|ḥaliṭah}} in the same pot, they could simply scoop out the film, froth and scum that surface in the boiling water.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}

{{transliteration|he|Ḥaliṭah}} is not required when roasting meat over a fire, as the fire constricts the blood.

===Kosher utensils===
[[File:Kosher dishes P7160076.JPG|thumb|Kosher dairy dishes from the 19th century in the [[Jewish Museum, Berlin]]]]
Utensils used for non-kosher foods become non-kosher, and make even otherwise kosher food prepared with them non-kosher.

Some such utensils, depending on the material they are made from, can be made suitable for preparing kosher food again by immersion in boiling water or by the application of a blowtorch.

Food prepared in a manner that violates the {{transliteration|he|[[Shabbat]]}} (Sabbath) may not be eaten; although in certain instances it is permitted after the {{transliteration|he|Shabbat}} is over.<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Orach Chayim'', 318:1</ref>

=== Kosher travel and accomodations ===
Maintaining kashrut during travel or temporary stays presents unique challenges, as individuals must ensure access to kosher food, supervised utensils, and environments conducive to observance. Common issues include verifying the kosher status of rental kitchens (e.g., prior use of non-kosher items), proximity to synagogues (shuls) for prayer and community support, and availability of local kosher markets or Chabad houses.

Renters are advised to seek properties with fully equipped kosher kitchens (separate meat and dairy sections, kasherable cookware), Shabbat-friendly features (e.g., keyless entry, timers for appliances)<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Every Kosher Traveler Should Look for in a Vacation Rental – Kosher Trippers |url=https://koshertrippers.com/2025/06/what-every-kosher-traveler-should-look-for-in-a-vacation-rental/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=koshertrippers.com}}</ref>, and certification from recognized agencies like the Orthodox Union (OU) or STAR-K.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Travel Archives |url=https://www.star-k.org/articles/category/articles/travel/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=STAR-K Kosher Certification |language=en-US}}</ref> Halachic concerns may also arise with platforms like Airbnb, such as liability for damages from kashering or unintended violations of Shabbat restrictions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Rabbi Zvi |date=2022-01-03 |title=Navigating the Ins and Outs of Renting an Airbnb |url=https://www.star-k.org/articles/kashrus-kurrents/13344/renting-an-airbnb/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=STAR-K Kosher Certification |language=en-US}}</ref>

In response to growing demand—driven by post-pandemic travel recovery and a shift toward private rentals—specialized online platforms have emerged to connect kosher-observant travelers with suitable properties<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trends Shaping the Kosher Travel Accommodation Market |url=https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article137602.html |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=www.hotelnewsresource.com}}</ref>. Examples include:

* [https://kvation.com/ Kvation.com]: a booking site modeled on Airbnb for verified kosher homes and villas on mehadrin standards.
* [https://gokosher.com/ GoKosher.com]: a free classifieds site for listings.
* ReserveKosher.com: a paid classifieds platform for premium options. 

These services often highlight features like on-site mashgiach (kosher supervisor) access and proximity to Jewish infrastructure, though users should independently confirm details to align with their level of observance (e.g., mehadrin standards).

For broader guidance, organizations provide free resources on planning kosher trips:

* [https://www.chabad.org/ Chabad.org]: Offers packing tips (e.g., insulated bags for frozen kosher meats, non-perishables like instant soups) and a global directory of ''Chabad'' centers for on-site support.
* [https://www.star-k.org/ STAR-K] Kosher Certification: Articles and videos on hotel kashering, cruise options, and airport dining, emphasizing health-conscious choices like fresh produce checks for insects.
* IsItKosher app (isitkosherapp.com): A mobile app that helps users quickly verify the reliability of kosher symbols/hechshers on food products in any shop.
* Masa Israel Journey: A guide for Israel-focused travel, covering programs with built-in kosher facilities and tips for international flights<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.masaisrael.org/kosher-travel-guide/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=www.masaisrael.org}}</ref>.

Scholarly and communal discussions note that while kosher rentals expand accessibility (e.g., in destinations like Miami or Jerusalem), they also raise questions about standardization and cost premiums, similar to certified food products. Observers recommend consulting a local rabbi for personalized rulings, particularly for extended stays involving ''Shabbat'' or holidays.

===Passover laws===
[[File:Kosher for Passover orange juice.JPG|thumb|left|The label on a bottle of [[orange juice]] certifying that it is kosher for [[Passover]]]]
[[Passover]] has stricter dietary rules, the most important of which is the prohibition on eating [[leavened bread]] or derivatives of this, which are known as {{transliteration|he|[[chametz]]}}. This prohibition is derived from Exodus 12:15.<ref>{{Tanakhverse|Exodus|12:15}}</ref>

Utensils used in preparing and serving {{transliteration|he|chametz}} are also forbidden on Passover unless they have been ritually cleansed ({{transliteration|he|kashered}}).<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Orach Chayim'', 431–452</ref>

Observant Jews often keep separate sets of meat and dairy utensils for Passover use only. In addition, some groups follow various eating restrictions on Passover that go beyond the rules of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}}, such as not eating {{transliteration|he|[[kitniyot]]}},<ref>{{cite web |title=What is Kitniyot? |url=https://oukosher.org/passover/articles/what-is-kitniyot/ |website=OUKosher.org |date=23 January 2013 |publisher=[[Orthodox Union]] |access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> {{transliteration|he|[[gebrochts]]}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oukosher.org/blog/industrial-kosher/keeping-up-with-passover-trenditions/ |title=Keeping Up with Passover Trenditions |last=Brenner |first=Bayla Sheva |website=OUKosher.org |publisher=[[Orthodox Union]] |access-date=May 22, 2013|date=2005-04-05 }}</ref> or [[garlic]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/493085/jewish/Which-vegetables-may-be-eaten-on-Passover.htm |title=Which vegetables may be eaten on Passover? |last=Davidson |first=Baruch S. |website=[[Chabad.org]] |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref>

===Produce of the Land of Israel===
Biblical rules also control the use of agriculture produce, for example, with respect to their tithing, or when it is permitted to eat them or to harvest them, and what must be done to make them suitable for human consumption.<ref>{{cite web|title=Overview of Jewish Dietary Laws & Regulations|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/overview-of-jewish-dietary-laws-and-regulations|access-date=2022-02-16|website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org}}</ref>

For produce grown in the [[Land of Israel]] a modified version of the  biblical [[tithe]]s must be applied, including {{transliteration|he|[[Terumat hamaaser|Terumat HaMaaser]]}}, {{transliteration|he|[[Maaser Rishon]]}}, {{transliteration|he|[[Maaser Sheni]]}}, and {{transliteration|he|[[Maasar Ani]]}} (untithed produce is called {{transliteration|he|tevel}}); the fruit of the first three years of a tree's growth or replanting are forbidden for eating or any other use as {{transliteration|he|[[orlah prohibition|orlah]]}};<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.star-k.org/kashrus/kk-medi-terumos.htm|title=Terumos and Ma'asros |access-date=April 10, 2013 |last=Heinemann |first=Moshe |author-link=Moshe Heinemann |publisher=[[Star-K]]}}</ref> produce grown in the Land of Israel on the seventh year obtains {{transliteration|he|k'dushat shvi'it}}, and unless managed carefully is forbidden as a violation of the {{transliteration|he|[[Shmita]]}} (Sabbatical Year).

Some rules of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} are subject to different rabbinical opinions. For example, many hold that the rule against eating {{transliteration|he|[[yoshon|chadash]]}} (new grain) before the 16th of the month [[Nisan]] does not apply outside the Land of Israel.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is "Yashan"?|url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/584873/jewish/What-is-Yashan.htm|last=Posner|first=Menachem|publisher=[[Chabad.org]]|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref>

===Vegetables===
[[File:Barley bug.jpg|thumb|A [[Pupa#Cocoon|cocoon]] found among [[barley]]corns in a commercially available bag of barley. Foods such as [[seed]]s, [[Nut (fruit)|nut]]s and [[vegetable]]s need to be checked to avoid eating insects.]]
Although plants and minerals are nearly always kosher, vegetarian restaurants and producers of vegetarian foods are required to obtain a {{transliteration|he|[[hechsher]]}}, certifying that a rabbinical organization has approved their products as being kosher, because the {{transliteration|he|hechsher}} usually certifies that certain vegetables have been checked for insect infestation and steps have been taken to ensure that cooked food meets the requirements of {{transliteration|he|[[bishul Yisrael]]}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Are vegan restaurants automatically kosher?|url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/547235/jewish/Are-vegan-restaurants-kosher.htm|last=Posner|first=Eliezer|publisher=[[Chabad.org]]|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> Vegetables such as [[spinach]] and [[cauliflower]] must be checked for insect infestation. The proper procedure for inspecting and cleaning varies by species, growing conditions, and views of individual rabbis.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Check for Insects?|url=http://star-k.org/cons-insectintro.php|publisher=[[Star-K]]|access-date=March 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130321204333/http://www.star-k.org/cons-insectintro.php|archive-date=March 21, 2013}}</ref>

===Pareve foods===
{{Main|Pareve}}

A pareve food is one which is neither meat nor dairy. Fish fall into this category, as well as any food that is not animal-derived. [[egg (food)|Egg]]s are also considered pareve despite being an animal product.<ref>{{cite web|title=Meat, Dairy and Pareve|url=http://www.ok.org/Content.asp?ID=63|publisher=[[OK Kosher Certification]]|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref>

Some processes convert a meat- or dairy-derived product into a pareve one. For example, [[rennet]] is sometimes made from stomach linings, yet is acceptable for making kosher cheese.<ref>"The rennet must be kosher, either microbial or from special productions of animal rennet using kosher calf stomachs." [http://oukosher.org/index.php/articles/single/2828/ Oukosher.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306151416/http://oukosher.org/index.php/articles/single/2828/ |date=2012-03-06 }}, Retrieved August 10, 2005.</ref> Gelatins derived from kosher animal sources (which were ritually slaughtered) are also pareve.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kosher Gelatin:How a Product from Beef Can be Used in Dairy Delicacies|url=https://oukosher.org/blog/industrial-kosher/the-fascinating-story-of-kosher-gelatin-or-how-a-product-from-beef-can-be-used-in-dairy-delicacies|publisher=[[OU Kosher]]|access-date=February 7, 2019|date=2009-07-16}}</ref> Other gelatin-like products from non-animal sources such as [[agar agar]] and [[carrageenan]] are pareve by nature. Fish gelatin, like all kosher fish products, is pareve.

Jewish law generally requires that bread be kept pareve (i.e., not kneaded with meat or dairy products nor made on meat or dairy equipment).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kashrut.com/articles/bread/|title=Bread|website=www.kashrut.com}}</ref>

{{transliteration|he|Kashrut}} has procedures by which equipment can be cleaned of its previous non-kosher or meat/dairy use, but those may be inadequate for vegetarians, those with allergies, or adherents to other religious laws.

For example, dairy manufacturing equipment can be cleaned well enough that the rabbis grant pareve status to products manufactured with it but someone with a strong allergic sensitivity to dairy products might still react to the dairy residue. This is why some products that are legitimately pareve carry "milk" warnings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kosher Consumer Misconsumptions|url=http://www.star-k.org/kashrus/kk-KosherConsumerMisconsumptions.htm|publisher=[[Star-K]]|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref>

===Cannabis===
{{main|Cannabis and Judaism}}

For cannabis grown in Israel, the plants must observe {{transliteration|he|[[shmittah]]}}, but this does not apply to cannabis from elsewhere. At least one brand of cannabis edibles is certified to follow the laws of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}}.<ref name="IfYouEatIt">{{cite news |last1=Schuster |first1=Ruth |url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/kosher-washing-medical-marijuana-1.5387374 |title=Marijuana Is Always Kosher, as Long as You Smoke It |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |location=Tel Aviv |date=7 January 2016 |access-date=27 January 2019}}</ref>

===Tobacco===
{{main|Smoking in Jewish law}}

Although it is not a food product, some [[tobacco]] receives a year-long kosher for Passover certification. This year-long certification means that the tobacco is certified also for [[Passover]] where different restrictions may be in place. Tobacco may, for example, come into contact with some {{transliteration|he|[[chametz]]}} grains that are strictly forbidden during Passover and the certification is a guarantee that it is free from this type of contamination.

In Israel, this certification is given by a private {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} rabbinic group [[Badatz Beit Yosef|Beit Yosef]], but the Chief Rabbinate has objected to granting of any certification by rabbis because of health risks from tobacco.<ref name="tabak">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-get-kosher-cigarettes-for-passover/ |title=Rabbis fired up over kosher cigarettes for Passover | date=2013-03-25 |work=[[Times of Israel]]}}</ref>

===Genetically modified foods===
With the advent of [[genetic engineering]], scholars in both academia and Judaic faith have differing viewpoints on whether these new strains of foods are to be considered kosher or not. The first [[genetically modified animal]] approved by the FDA for human consumption is the [[AquAdvantage salmon]] and, while salmon is normally an acceptably kosher food, this modified organism has a [[gene]] from a non-kosher organism.

In 2015, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the [[Rabbinical Assembly]] released a document regarding genetically modified organisms, stating that modification of gene sequences via the introduction of foreign DNA in order to convey a specific capability in the new organism is allowable, that entirely new species should not be intentionally created, and that the health implications of genetically modified foods must be considered on an individual basis.<ref>Nevins, Rabbi David S. 10 November 2015. "[http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/2011-2020/nevins-gmos.pdf Halakhic Perspectives on Genetically Modified Organisms]". ''[[Rabbinical Assembly]]''.</ref>

Some put forth that this intermixing of species is against the teachings of the [[Talmud]] and thus against Jewish Law and non-kosher. Others argue that the one in sixty parts law of {{transliteration|he|kashrut}} is of significance, and that the foreign gene accounts for less than 1/60 of the animal and thus the modified salmon is kosher.{{who|date=November 2019}}

==Supervision and marketing==
===''Hashgacha''===
Certain foods must be prepared in whole or in part by Jews. This includes [[kosher wine|grape wine]],<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 114</ref> certain cooked foods (''[[Bishul Yisrael|bishul akum]]''),<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 113</ref> [[cheese]] (''g'vinat akum''), and according to some also butter (''chem'at akum''),<ref name="YD115">''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 115</ref> dairy products (Hebrew: חלב ישראל [[chalav Yisrael]] "milk of Israel"),<ref name=YD115/><ref>Many rely on lenient rulings by Rabbi [[Moshe Feinstein]] in ''Teshuvot Igrot Moshe'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 1:47 and other 20th century rabbinic authorities who rule that strict government supervision prevents the admixture of non-kosher milk, making supervision unnecessary. See {{cite web|url=https://www.koltorah.org/halachah/chalav-yisrael-rabbi-soloveitchiks-view-by-rabbi-howard-jachter |author=Rabbi Chaim Jachter |title=Chalav Yisrael&nbsp;– Part I: Rav Soloveitchik's View |access-date=December 2, 2007 }}</ref> and [[bread]] ([[Pas Yisroel]]).<ref>''Shulchan Aruch'', ''Yoreh De'ah'' 112, ''Orach Chayim'' 603</ref>

===Product labeling standards===
{{further|Hechsher}}
[[File:OUKosher.JPG|thumb|180x180px|The circled U means a product is certified as kosher by the [[Orthodox Union]] (OU). "Pareve" means no ingredients are derived from milk or meat.]]
[[File:Kosher labels.jpg|thumb|180x180px|Kosher labels on salt and sugar packages in [[Colombia]].]]

Although reading the label of food products can identify obviously non-kosher ingredients, some countries allow manufacturers to omit identification of certain ingredients. Such "hidden" ingredients may include [[lubricant]]s and [[flavoring]]s, among other [[Food additive|additives]]; in some cases, for instance, the use of ''natural'' flavorings, these ingredients are more likely to be derived from non-kosher substances.<ref>{{cite web|title=What foods are kosher?|url=http://www.oxfordchabad.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/307920/jewish/Kosher-Foods.htm|publisher=Oxford Chabad Society|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> Furthermore, certain products, such as fish, have a high rate of [[Seafood mislabelling|mislabeling]], which may result in a non-kosher fish being sold in a package labeled as a species of kosher fish.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/science/earth/27fish.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220103/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/science/earth/27fish.html |archive-date=2022-01-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Tests Reveal Mislabeling of Fish |last=Rosenthal |first=Elizabeth |date=May 26, 2011 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=May 22, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Producers of foods and food additives can contact Jewish religious authorities to have their products certified as ''kosher'': this involves a visit to the manufacturing facilities by an individual rabbi or a committee from a rabbinic organization, who will inspect the production methods and contents and, if everything is sufficiently ''kosher'' a certificate would be issued.<ref>{{cite web|title=How to choose a kosher certification|url=http://www.kashrut.com/trade/trade_links/hechsher/|publisher=Kashrut.com|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref>

[[File:OK kosher D symbol.jpg|thumb|[[OK Kosher Certification]] (circled K) symbol with a dairy designation on a bag of [[chocolate chip]]s]]

Manufacturers sometimes identify the products that have received such certification by adding particular graphical symbols to the label. These symbols are known in Judaism as ''[[hechsher]]im''.<ref name="Hechshers">{{cite web|title=About this web-site|url=http://www.hechshers.info/about.htm|publisher=Hechshers.info|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> Due to differences in ''kashrut'' standards held by different organizations, the ''hechsheirim'' of certain Jewish authorities may at times be considered invalid by other Jewish authorities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kosher Certification|url=http://www.chabad.org/library/howto/wizard_cdo/aid/113474/jewish/Kosher-Certification.htm|publisher=[[Chabad]].org|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> The [[certification mark]]s of the various rabbis and organisations are too numerous to list, but one of the most commonly used in the United States of America is that of the [[Union of Orthodox Congregations]], who use a ''U'' inside a circle ("O-U"), symbolising the initials of ''Orthodox Union''. In Britain, commonly used symbols are the "KLBD" logo of the [[London Beth Din]] and the "MK" logo of the Manchester Beth Din.<ref>{{cite web|title=MK Kosher|date=20 September 2012 |url=https://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/features/how-kellogg-s-keeps-the-corn-flakes-kosher-in-the-world-s-biggest-cereal-factory-1.36397|access-date=March 25, 2021|publisher=thejc.com}}</ref> A single ''K'' is sometimes used as a symbol for ''kosher'', but since many countries do not allow letters to be [[trademark]]ed (the method by which other symbols are protected from misuse), it only indicates that the company producing the product claims that it is kosher.<ref name="Kosherfest">{{cite web|title=Glossary of Kosher Terms |url=http://www.kosherfest.com/about-kosher/glossary-of-kosher-terms |publisher=[[Kosherfest]] |access-date=March 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203160355/http://www.kosherfest.com/about-kosher/glossary-of-kosher-terms |archive-date=February 3, 2013 }}</ref>

[[File:Stempel potwierdzający koszerność, MŻ 44d.jpg|thumb|Stamp for identifying food as kosher. Collection of Auschwitz Jewish Centre]]

Many of the certification symbols are accompanied by additional letters or words to indicate the category of the product, according to Jewish law;<ref name=Kosherfest/> the categorization may conflict with legal classifications, especially in the case of food that Jewish law regards as ''dairy'', but legal classification does not.

* D: Dairy
* DE: Dairy equipment
* M: Meat, including [[poultry]]
*''Pareve'': Food that is neither meat nor dairy
* Fish
* P: [[Passover]]-related (''P'' is not used for ''Pareve'')

In many cases constant supervision is required because, for various reasons such as changes in manufacturing processes, products that once were kosher may cease to be so. For example, a kosher lubricating oil may be replaced by one containing [[tallow]], which many rabbinic authorities view as non-kosher. Such changes are often coordinated with the supervising rabbi or supervising organization to ensure that new packaging does not suggest any ''hechsher'' or ''kashrut''. In some cases, however, existing stocks of pre-printed labels with the ''hechsher'' may continue to be used on the non-kosher product. An active [[Grapevine (gossip)|grapevine]] among the Jewish community discusses which products are questionable, as well as products which have become kosher but whose labels have yet to carry the ''hechsher''. Some newspapers and periodicals also discuss ''kashrut'' products.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kosher Supervision|url=http://www.ok.org/Content.asp?ID=116|publisher=[[OK Kosher Certification]]|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref>

Products labeled [[kosher-style]] are non-kosher products that have characteristics of kosher foods, such as all-beef [[hot dog]]s,<ref name="zeldes">{{cite web | last = Zeldes | first = Leah A. | title = Know your wiener! | work = Dining Chicago | publisher = Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. | date = July 8, 2010 | url = http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/08/know-your-wiener/ | access-date = July 31, 2010 | archive-date = July 10, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110710093609/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/08/know-your-wiener/ }}</ref> or are flavored or prepared in a manner consistent with [[Ashkenazi]] practices, like [[dill pickles]].<ref name="pickle">{{cite web | last = Zeldes | first = Leah A. | title = Origins of neon relish and other Chicago hot dog conundrums | work = Dining Chicago | publisher = Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. | date = July 20, 2010 | url = http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/20/chicago-hot-dog-yellow-mustard-neon-green-relish#pickle | access-date = July 31, 2010 | archive-date = July 10, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110710130712/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/20/chicago-hot-dog-yellow-mustard-neon-green-relish/#pickle }}</ref> The designation usually refers to [[delicatessen]] items.

===History of kosher supervision and marketing===
[[File:Kosher McDonald's, Abasto Shopping, Buenos Aires.jpg|thumb|Kosher [[McDonald's]] in [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]]]]

Food producers often look to expand their markets or marketing potential, and offering kosher food has become a way to do that. The uniqueness of kosher food was advertised as early as 1849.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10938449/early_mention_of_kosher/|title=Early mention of kosher|date=1849-03-15|work=Public Ledger|access-date=2017-05-12|page=2|via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}}}}</ref> In 1911 [[Procter & Gamble]] became the first company to advertise one of their products, Crisco, as kosher.<ref name="Heinze1992">
{{cite book| last = Heinze| first = Andrew R.| title = Adapting to Abundance: Jewish Immigrants, Mass Consumption, and the Search for American Identity| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=0QRmrxJfP44C&pg=PA176| access-date = March 15, 2013| date = 1 August 1992| publisher = Columbia University Press| isbn = 978-0-231-06853-6| page = 176 }}</ref> Over the next two decades, companies such as [[Lender's Bagels]], [[Maxwell House]], [[Manischewitz]], and [[Empire Kosher|Empire]] evolved and gave the kosher market more shelf-space. In the 1960s, [[Hebrew National]] hotdogs launched a "we answer to a higher authority" campaign to appeal to Jews and non-Jews alike. From that point on, "kosher" became a symbol for both quality and value. The kosher market quickly expanded, and with it more opportunities for kosher products. Menachem Lubinsky, founder of the [[Kosherfest]] trade fair, estimates as many as {{Nowrap|14 million}} kosher consumers and {{Nowrap|$40 billion}} in sales of kosher products in the U.S.<ref name="Kosherfest-history">{{cite web|title=The History of Kosher |url=http://www.kosherfest.com/about-kosher/the-history-of-kosher |publisher=Kosherfest |access-date=March 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130321023402/http://www.kosherfest.com/about-kosher/the-history-of-kosher |archive-date=March 21, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2014 the [[Israeli Defense Forces]] decided to allow female kosher supervisors to work in its kitchens on military bases, and the first women kosher inspectors were certified in Israel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/articles/190635/idf-to-allow-female-kosher-supervisors-to-work-on/|title=IDF To Allow Female Kosher Supervisors To Work on Military Bases|date=9 January 2014|work=The Jewish Daily Forward}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdjewishworld.com/2014/05/08/first-women-kashrut-inspectors-certified-israel/|title=First women kashrut inspectors certified in Israel - San Diego Jewish World|work=[[San Diego Jewish World]]|date=8 May 2014 }}</ref>

===Legal usage===
{{Main|Civil laws regarding Kashrut}}

Advertising standards laws in many{{quantify|date=August 2014}} jurisdictions prohibit the use of the phrase ''kosher'' in a product's labeling unless the producer can show that the product conforms to Jewish dietary laws; however, different jurisdictions often define the legal qualifications for conforming to Jewish dietary laws differently. For example, in some places the law may require that a rabbi certify the ''kashrut'' nature, in others the rules of ''kosher'' are fully defined in law, and in others still it is sufficient that the manufacturer only believes that the product complies with Jewish dietary regulations. In several cases, laws restricting the use of the term ''kosher'' have later been determined to be illegal religious interference.<ref>{{cite web|last=Popovsky|first=Mark|title=The Constitutional Complexity of Kosher Food Laws|url=http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jlsp/pdf/Fall%202010/Popovsky.JLSP.44.1.pdf|publisher=[[Columbia University]]|access-date=March 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922093707/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jlsp/pdf/Fall%202010/Popovsky.JLSP.44.1.pdf|archive-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref>

===Costs===
In the United States, the cost of certification for mass-produced items is typically minuscule<ref name=Snopes>{{cite web |url= http://www.snopes.com/racial/business/kosher.htm |title= The Kosher Nostra |access-date= 2006-10-23 |last= Mikkelson |first= Barbara |author-link= Urban Legends Reference Pages |date= May 24, 2002 |publisher= [[Urban Legends Reference Pages]]}}</ref><ref name = Brunvand>{{cite book | last = Brunvand | first = Jan Harold | author-link = Jan Harold Brunvand | title = Encyclopedia of urban legends | orig-date = 2001 | edition = Reprint | date = November 2002 | publisher = [[W. W. Norton|W. W. Norton & Company]] | location = [[New York, NY]] | pages = [https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofur00janh_0/page/222 222–223] | chapter = The Jewish Secret Tax | isbn = 978-0-393-32358-0 | lccn = 2001000883 | chapter-url-access = registration | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofur00janh_0 | url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofur00janh_0/page/222 }}</ref> and is usually more than offset by the advantages of being certified.<ref name=Brunvand/> In 1975 ''[[The New York Times]]'' estimated the cost per item for obtaining kosher certification at 6.5 millionths of a cent ($0.000000065) per item for a [[General Foods]] frozen-food item.<ref name=adl/> According to a 2005 report by [[Burns & McDonnell]], most U.S. national certifying agencies are non-profit, only charging for supervision and on-site work, for which the on-site supervisor "typically makes less per visit than an auto mechanic does per hour". However, re-engineering an existing manufacturing process can be costly.<ref name="B&M">{{cite journal |last1=Morris |first1=Lisa |last2=Hays |first2=Jim |last3=York |first3=Elaine |year=2005 |title=Obtaining Kosher Certification: The Engineering Implications for Food Processing |url=https://www.burnsmcd.com/~/media/files/insightsnews/insights/tech-briefs/2005-issue-3/obtaining-kosher-certification/articleobtainingkoshercertification05.pdf |journal=TECHBriefs |publisher=Burns & McDonnell |volume=2005 |issue=3 |pages=1–3 |access-date=October 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207084547/https://www.burnsmcd.com/~/media/files/insightsnews/insights/tech-briefs/2005-issue-3/obtaining-kosher-certification/articleobtainingkoshercertification05.pdf |archive-date=December 7, 2017 }}</ref> Certification usually leads to increased revenues by opening up additional markets to [[Jew]]s who keep kosher, [[Muslim]]s who keep [[halal]], [[Seventh-day Adventists]] who keep the main laws of Kosher Diet, [[Vegetarianism|vegetarians]], and the [[lactose-intolerant]] who wish to avoid dairy products (products that are reliably certified as ''pareve'' meet this criterion).<ref name=adl>{{cite web|url=http://www.adl.org/special_reports/kosher_tax/print.asp |title=The "Kosher Tax" Hoax: Anti-Semitic Recipe for Hate |access-date=2006-10-23 |date=January 1991 |publisher=[[Anti-Defamation League]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023233658/http://www.adl.org/special_reports/kosher_tax/print.asp |archive-date=2006-10-23 }}</ref><ref name=ou>{{cite web | url = http://oukosher.org/blog/news/the-kosher-tax-fraud/  | title = The "Kosher Tax" Fraud | access-date = 2006-10-23 | last = Luban | first = Yaakov | publisher = [[Orthodox Union]]| date = 2004-07-18 }}</ref><ref name=bw>{{cite web| url = http://www.boycottwatch.org/misc/koshertax1.htm| title = Dispelling a rumor - there is no kosher tax or Jewish tax| access-date = 2006-10-24| date = December 22, 2003| publisher = Boycott Watch}}</ref><ref name=Levenson2>{{cite book | last = Levenson | first = Barry M. | title = Habeas Codfish: Reflections on Food and the Law | year = 2001 | publisher = [[University of Wisconsin Press]] | isbn = 978-0-299-17510-8 | quote = Adherents to other faiths, including Moslems and Seventh-Day Adventists, look to kosher certification for a variety of reasons (including making sure the product is pork free). | page = [https://archive.org/details/habeascodfishref0000leve/page/188 188] | url = https://archive.org/details/habeascodfishref0000leve/page/188 }}</ref> The [[Orthodox Union]], one of the largest ''kashrut'' organizations in the United States, claims that "when positioned next to a competing non-kosher brand, a kosher product will do better by 20%".<ref name = "OU20percent">{{cite web |url = http://oukosher.org/kosher-overview/why-go-kosher/|title = Why Go Kosher |author= <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year= 2014|publisher= [[Orthodox Union]]|access-date= October 13, 2014}}</ref>

In some European Jewish communities, kosher supervision of meat includes a "tax" used to fund Jewish education in the community, which makes kosher meat more expensive than the cost of supervision alone would imply.<ref>{{cite web 
|title= Brussels call for lower kosher tax 
|author= Gold, Asher 
|url= http://www.rce.eu.com/contentManagment/uploadedFiles/hnase_vehanishma/JET003.pdf 
|publisher= Rabbinical Center of Europe 
|date= October 29, 2009 
|access-date= October 13, 2014 
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140428051845/http://www.rce.eu.com/contentManagment/uploadedFiles/hnase_vehanishma/JET003.pdf 
|archive-date= April 28, 2014 
}}</ref>

==Society and culture==
===Adherence===
Many Jews partially observe ''kashrut,'' by abstaining from pork or shellfish or by not drinking milk with meat dishes. Some keep kosher at home but eat in non-kosher restaurants. In 2012, one analysis of the specialty food market in North America estimated that only 15% of kosher consumers were Jewish.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/info/6116-eng.htm|title= The Specialty Food Market in North America|date= March 2012|publisher= Agri-Food Trade Service, Canada|work= Market Information|access-date= 2012-10-29|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130528183844/http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/info/6116-eng.htm |archive-date= 2013-05-28}}</ref> Kosher meat is regularly consumed by [[Muslim]]s when ''[[halal]]'' is not available.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Yitzchok Frankfurter|date=Nov 15, 2017|title=Between Kosher & Halal |magazine=[[Ami (magazine)|Ami]]|issue=342|page=94}}</ref> Muslims, [[Hindu]]s, and people with allergies to dairy foods often consider the ''kosher-pareve'' designation as an assurance that a food contains no animal-derived ingredients, including milk and all of its derivatives.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.kosher-directory.com/whoeats.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081224232856/http://www.kosher-directory.com/whoeats.htm |url-status= usurped |archive-date= December 24, 2008 |title= Who Eats Kosher? Do You Have to Be Jewish to Eat Kosher? |access-date= March 14, 2013 |work= Kosher Directory}}</ref> However, since ''kosher-pareve'' foods may contain honey, eggs, or fish, [[vegan]]s cannot rely on the certification.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#kosher |title= Most Frequently Asked Questions |access-date= October 17, 2013 |work= The Vegetarian Resource Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.peta.org/about/faq/What-about-kosher-symbols.aspx |title= What about kosher symbols? |access-date= October 17, 2013 |work= PETA|date= 7 July 2010 }}</ref>

About a sixth of [[American Jews]] or 0.3% of the American population fully keep kosher, and many more of them do not strictly follow all of the rules but still abstain from some prohibited foods, especially pork. The [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], a [[Christian denomination]], preaches a health message which expects adherence to the kosher dietary laws.<ref name="Jewish Folklore and Ethnology Review 1996 p.">{{cite book | title=Jewish Folklore and Ethnology Review | publisher=Jewish Folklore and Ethnology Section of the American Folklore Society | page=79 | issue=v. 18–20 | year=1996 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oRskAQAAIAAJ | access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Quick Frozen Foods 1977 p.">{{cite book | title=Quick Frozen Foods | publisher=E.W. Williams | issue=v. 39 | year=1977 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b1TVAAAAMAAJ | language=eu | access-date=July 26, 2018 | page=28}}</ref>

Surveys conducted in 2013 and 2020 found that 22% of [[American Jews]] by religion claimed to keep kosher in their homes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.pewforum.org/2013/10/01/chapter-4-religious-beliefs-and-practices/ |title= A Portrait of Jewish Americans: Chapter 4: Religious Beliefs and Practices|date= 1 October 2013 |access-date= 8 January 2015 |publisher=[[Pew Forum]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Diamant |first=Jeff |title=Jews in U.S. are far less religious than Christians and Americans overall, at least by traditional measures |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/13/jews-in-u-s-are-far-less-religious-than-christians-and-americans-overall-at-least-by-traditional-measures/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Pew Research Center |date=13 May 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> Pork consumption in particular seems to be a bigger taboo than other non-Kosher eating practices among Jews, with 41% claiming to at least abstain from eating pork.<ref>{{cite web |title=57% of US Jews eat pork, and 9 other findings from new Pew study {{!}} The Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/57-of-us-jews-eat-pork-and-9-other-findings-from-new-pew-study/amp/ |access-date=2022-07-24 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> American Jews are generally less strict about Kosher laws when compared to [[Israeli Jews]]. Nearly three times as many Israeli Jews reported that they commit to keeping kosher in their homes and 84% do not eat pork.<ref>{{Cite web    |date=2016-03-08 |title=1. Comparisons between Jews in Israel and the U.S. |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2016/03/08/comparisons-between-jews-in-israel-and-the-u-s/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Differentiations in practice ====
"Kosher style" allows for variation in adherence to kashrut, reflecting different practices within the Jewish community. For some, kosher style implies abstinence from non-kosher animals, like pork and shellfish, and the avoidance of mixing meat and dairy in meals. These individuals may consume meat from animals that are kosher but not necessarily slaughtered according to kashrut standards.

The notion of "kosher style" serves individuals and communities navigating between strict religious observance and cultural identification with Jewish culinary traditions. Hasia Diner, a professor of American Jewish history at New York University, suggests that "kosher-style" represents a balancing act between tradition and assimilation, providing a sense of Jewish identity through food without strict adherence to kashrut.<ref name="From Pickles to Salmon, the Joys of Kosher-Style">{{cite web|title=From Pickles to Salmon, the Joys of Kosher-Style|url=https://momentmag.com/from-pickles-to-salmon-the-joys-of-kosher-style/|publisher=Moment Magazine|date=July 25, 2019|access-date=October 1, 2023|author=Sala Levin}}</ref>

This flexible practice emerged in the 1920s amongst Jews assimilating into American society, who sought connection to their heritage without fully observing dietary laws. The term is broad and encompasses foods that could be kosher, like chicken noodle soup or pareve meals (neither meat nor dairy), even if they don't meet halakhic standards. Diner points out the term is "oxymoronic," creating an illusion of kashrut where the true emphasis is on a style of cuisine rather than compliance with religious dietary laws.<ref name="From Pickles to Salmon, the Joys of Kosher-Style" />

Over time, the meaning of "kosher style" has evolved and expanded, reflecting changes within Jewish communities and broader society. In contemporary practice, "kosher style" is often encountered at social events and gatherings, where meals might exclude certain non-kosher items but not adhere strictly to kashrut. The exact definition may vary between communities and individuals, reflecting diverse interpretations and practices related to Jewish dietary laws. The term also relates to products marketed as "kosher style," prompting some regions to establish legislation to clarify labeling and prevent consumer misunderstanding. For instance, kosher-style pickles might be produced without kosher certification or supervision but are associated with Jewish culinary tradition.<ref name="From Pickles to Salmon, the Joys of Kosher-Style" />

===Linguistics===
====Etymology====
[[File:Sklep koszerny.jpg|thumb|Kosher shop in [[Warsaw]], using the Polish spelling of "kosher"]]
In [[Biblical Hebrew|Ancient Hebrew]] the word ''kosher'' ({{langx|he|כשר}}) means ''be advantageous'', ''proper'', ''suitable'', or ''succeed'',<ref>{{cite web |url= http://tmcdaniel.palmerseminary.edu/BDB.pdf |title= A Hebrew and English lexicon of the Old Testament |publisher= Palmer Theological Seminary}}</ref> according to the [[Brown–Driver–Briggs]] Hebrew and English Lexicon. In [[Modern Hebrew]] it generally refers to ''kashrut'' but it can also sometimes mean "proper". For example, the [[Babylonian Talmud]] uses ''kosher'' in the sense of "virtuous" when referring to [[Darius I]] as a "kosher king"; Darius, a [[Persia]]n king (reigned 522–486 BCE), fostered the building of the [[Second Temple]].<ref>[[Rosh Hashanah (tractate)|Tractate ''Rosh Hashanah'']] 3b, ''Schottenstein Edition'', [[Mesorah Publications]] Ltd.</ref> In colloquial [[English language|English]], ''[[wiktionary:kosher|kosher]]'' often means "legitimate", "acceptable", "permissible", "genuine", or "authentic".<ref name="Partridge">{{cite book |author1= Eric Partridge |author2= Tom Dalzell |author3= Terry Victor | title = The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: Volume 2, J-Z | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mAdUqLrKw4YC&pg=PA388 | year = 2006 | publisher = Taylor & Francis | isbn = 978-0-415-25938-5 | page = 388 }}</ref><ref name="Phythian">{{cite book | author = B.A. Phythian | title = A concise dictionary of English slang and colloquialisms | year = 1976 | publisher = The Writer, Inc | isbn = 978-0-87116-099-7 | page = 110 | quote = Kosher Genuine. Fair. Acceptable. }}</ref> The word ''kosher'' can also form part of some common product names.

====Kosher salt====
Sometimes ''kosher'' is used as an abbreviation of ''koshering'', meaning the process for making something ''kosher''; for example, ''[[kosher salt]]'' is a form of salt with irregularly shaped crystals, making it particularly suitable for preparing meat according to the rules of ''kashrut'', because the increased surface area of the crystals absorbs blood more effectively.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://legacy.mos.org/sln/SEM/ksalt.html |title= Kosher Salt |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151230171127/http://legacy.mos.org/sln/sem/ksalt.html |archive-date= 2015-12-30 }}</ref> In this case the type of salt refers to kosher style salt. Salt may also be kosher certified salt, or both. Certified kosher salt follows ''kashrut'' guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kosher Salt Guide |url=https://seasalt.com/salt-101/about-salt/kosher-salt-guide |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=seasalt.com}}</ref> Sometimes the term "coarse kosher salt" is used to designate salt that is both kosher style and kosher certified.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mortonsalt.com/home-product/morton-coarse-kosher-salt/ |title=Morton® Coarse Kosher Salt |publisher=Morton Salt |access-date=2022-08-24}}</ref> The term "fine kosher salt" is sometimes used for salt that is certified kosher but not kosher style.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.diamondcrystalsalt.com/product/fine-kosher-salt | title=Fine Kosher Salt &#124; Diamond Crystal® Salt }}</ref>

====Pickles====
''Kosher'' can occur as a synonym for ''Jewish tradition''; for example, a ''kosher dill'' [[pickled cucumber|pickle]] is simply a pickle made in the traditional manner of Jewish New York City pickle-makers, using a generous addition of garlic to the brine, and is not necessarily compliant with the traditional Jewish food laws.<ref>
{{cite web
 | url= http://www.nyfoodmuseum.org/_pkwhat.htm
 | title= FROM PICKLE DAY EXHIBITS: What is a Pickle?
 | access-date= February 17, 2019
 | last1= Bowen |first1= Dana
 | last2= Ralph |first2= Nancy
 | publisher= New York Food Museum
 | quote = Kosher Dills are made the same way, but generous doses of garlic are added to the brine at the end. Just because they're called 'kosher dills' doesn't mean they are produced according to Kosher law - you have to check the label to see if Rabbinical supervision certified that particular brand Kosher.
}}
</ref>

==Strictness degrees==
===''Mehadrin''===
''Mehadrin'' is a term most commonly used with the meaning of enhanced or stricter kashrut rules.<ref name=mi>[https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/70846/in-israel-what-is-the-difference-between-lmehadrin-and-badatz "In Israel, what is the difference between l'mehadrin and badatz"] at "Mi Yodeya", 7 December 2009. Accessed 23 October 2023.</ref> Its [[etymology]] is still debated,<ref name=lashon>[https://www.balashon.com/2009/12/mehadrin-and-hadran.html?m=1 "mehadrin and hadran"] at "Balashon: Hebrew Language Detective", 7 December 2009. Accessed 23 October 2023.</ref> but its initial halachic use related specifically to lighting candles on [[Hanukkah]].<ref name=torah>[https://torah.org/learning/yomtov-chanukah-5755-vol1no62/ "Chanukah: Mehadrin – An Understanding of the Concept"], by Rabbi Yehudah Prero for Torah.org. Accessed 23 October 2023.</ref> Later it became widely used in regard to dietary laws,<ref name=mi/> and ended up loosely covering almost every aspect of Jewish observance<ref name=strap>[http://www.5tjt.com/mehadrin-is-relative "Mehadrin Is Relative"] by Mordechai Schmutter for the "5 Towns Jewish Times", 21 September 2023. Accessed 23 October 2023.</ref> (see [[mehadrin bus lines]]).

===''Badatz''===
''Badatz'' is the [[Hebrew acronym]] of ''[[Beth Din]] [[Tsedek]]'' and is used as a name for organisations which supervise the production of  kosher foods. They typically only certify [[#''mehadrin''|''mehadrin'']]-level products, but are not the only agencies specialised in applying enhanced ''mehadrin'' rules, since there are non-badatz agencies also doing so.<ref name=mi/>

==Suriname==
A '''treef''' ([[Surinamese Dutch]], derived from [[Sranan Tongo]] ''trefu'') is a [[Food and drink prohibitions|food taboo]].
In [[Suriname]] certain groups of people have long adhered to belief in treef, especially among people of African descent. The consumption of certain foods is prohibited, in the belief that it could cause major diseases, particularly [[leprosy]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Lichtveld|first=Lodewijk 'Lou'|author-link=Lou Lichtveld|title=Cultureel mozaïek van Suriname|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tNMYAAAAYAAJ|year=1977|publisher=Walburg Pers|page=46|isbn=978-90-6011-073-7 }}</ref> These prohibitions can vary individually, but it is inextricably related to conditions in the family. A treef is inherited from the father's side, but it can be revealed in a dream, often by a woman. In addition, a woman must take into account special food taboos during pregnancy. There is great importance attached to the treef; if a child observes the treef of his father, and yet experiences a skin condition, this is seen as a strong indication that the child was begotten by the woman with another man. Finally treef also be acquired later in life by wearing certain charms that compel you to abstain from certain foods.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lichtveld|first=Lodewijk 'Lou'|author-link=Lou Lichtveld|title=Cultureel mozaïek van Suriname|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tNMYAAAAYAAJ|year=1977|publisher=Walburg Pers|page=255|isbn=978-90-6011-073-7 }}</ref>

The word is derived from [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], due to influence of [[Sephardi Jews]] who came to Suriname in the 17th century. This is also the source of Sranan ''kaseri'' 'ritually clean, kosher'.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wexler|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Wexler (linguist)|title=Jewish and Non-Jewish Creators of "Jewish" Languages: With Special Attention to Judaized Arabic, Chinese, German, Greek, Persian, Portuguese, Slavic (modern Hebrew/Yiddish), Spanish, and Karaite, and Semitic Hebrew/Ladino; a Collection of Reprinted Articles from Across Four Decades with a Reassessment|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ic5Kth7aiusC&pg=PA475|year=2006|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-05404-1|page=475}}</ref>

==Other uses==
Although the term ''kosher'' relates mainly to food, it sometimes occurs in other contexts. Some Orthodox retailers sell [[Kosher phone|kosher cell phones]]—stripped-down devices with limited features.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-01-26/orthodox-jews-united-kingdom-offer-kosher-certified-cell-phones|title=Orthodox Jews in United Kingdom offer 'kosher' certified cell phones|date=January 26, 2012|agency=PRI|access-date=November 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Joselit |first1=Jenna Weissman |date=4 May 2007 |title=Kosher Tech |url=https://forward.com/culture/10616/kosher-tech/ |website=The Forward |quote=In much the same way that the designations 'kosher' and 'treyf' are used to refer not only to ritually acceptable foodstuffs but also to socially acceptable or unacceptable forms of behavior, these designations are now being publicly applied to the latest forms of technology as well. Advertisements placed recently in ''Der Yid'' and ''Der Blatt'', two of the Satmar community's Yiddish newspapers, made clear in strong and unequivocal language that only certain cell phones were acceptable: those that bore the rabbinic endorsement, the hekhsher, of the Vaad Harabanim Le Inyenei Tikshoret, the Rabbinic Commission on Communications. [...] On the rabbinically approved phone, there's no Internet, no camera, no text-messaging options. A 'kosher cell phone' is one that resembles nothing so much as, well, a phone. What's more, calls are limited to those within the network of other 'kosher cell phone' users who, as it happens, are readily identifiable by the sequencing of their phone numbers.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Judaism|Animals}}
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Abomination (Judaism)]]
* [[Ahimsa]] (non-violence to living beings)
* [[Buddhist cuisine]]
** [[Buddhist vegetarianism]]
* [[Christian dietary laws]]
* [[Comparison of Islamic and Jewish dietary laws]]
* [[Diet in Hinduism|Hindu dietary laws]]
* [[Islamic dietary laws]]
** [[Halāl]]
* [[Jewish cuisine]]
** [[Eco-Kashrut]]
** [[Israeli cuisine]]
** [[Jewish vegetarianism]]
** [[Jewish Veg]]
** [[Kosher certification agency]]
** [[Sabbath food preparation]]
* [[Jhatka]]
* [[Kosher tax]]
* [[Kosher tax conspiracy theory]]
* [[Products without kosher certification requirements]]
* [[Taoist diet]]
* [[Treef]]
* [[Trefa banquet]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* Guy Darshan, [https://www.academia.edu/83670204/Pork_Consumption_as_an_Identity_Marker_in_Ancient_Israel_The_Textual_Evidence_JSJ_53_4_5_2022_ "Pork Consumption as an Identity Marker in Ancient Israel: The Textual Evidence"]. ''Journal for the Study of Judaism'' '''53''':4-5 (2022)
* {{cite book| author = Samuel H. Dresner| author2 = Seymour Siegel| author3 = David M. Pollock| title = The Jewish Dietary Laws| year = 1982| publisher = United Synagogue Book Service| isbn = 978-0-8381-2105-4| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/jewishdietarylaw0000unse}} [[Conservative Judaism]]'s guide to kashrut, published by the [[Rabbinical Assembly]] & [[United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism|United Synagogue]]
* {{cite book| author = Isidor Grunfeld| title = The Jewish Dietary Laws: Dietary laws regarding plants and vegetables, with particular reference to the produce of the Holy Land| year = 1982| publisher = Soncino Press| isbn = 978-0-900689-22-2 | author-link = Isidor Grunfeld}}
* [[Isaac Klein]], ''A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice'', JTSA, 1992, pp.&nbsp;302–378 (for laws of kashrut in general) & 110–117 (for [[Passover]])
* [[David C. Kraemer]], ''Jewish Eating and Identity Throughout the Ages'', Routledge, 2008
* James M. Lebeau, ''The Jewish Dietary Laws: Sanctify Life'', [[United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism]], New York, 1983
* Yacov Lipschutz, ''Kashruth: A Comprehensive Background and Reference Guide to the Principles of Kashruth''. New York: Mesorah Publications Ltd, 1989
* Yasir Qadhi, [https://muslimmatters.org/2012/06/22/is-kosher-meat-%E1%B8%A5alal-a-comparison-of-the-halakhic-and-shar%CA%BFi-requirements-for-animal-slaughter/ "Is Kosher Meat Halal? A Comparison of the Halakhic and Shar'i Requirements for Animal Slaughter"]
* Jordan D. Rosenblum, ''The Jewish Dietary Laws in the Ancient World''. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
* {{cite book| author = Jordan D. Rosenblum| title = Food and Identity in Early Rabbinic Judaism| date = 2010-05-17| publisher = Cambridge University Press| isbn = 978-0-521-19598-0 }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kosher}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikibooks|Cookbook:Kosher}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/113424/jewish/kosher.htm/ Chabad.org: Kosher]
* [http://www.oukosher.org/ OU Kosher]
* [https://www.aish.com/jl/m/48958906.html Aish.com: ABCs of Kosher]
* [http://www.kashrut.com/ Kashrut.com] (a food scientist's site on kashrut)

{{Kashrut}}
{{Jewish life}}
{{Diets}}
{{Jews and Judaism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kashrut| ]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law]]
[[Category:Ritual slaughter]]