What is Kosher certificate?
A label of K alphabet on food items or written as Kosher certified at any food business means
it is a Kosher certified food or identity. Kosher Certification is a well-known certification in the
food and beverage industry. Primarily Kosher is a practice where food companies ensure that
their food is Kosher certified and it meets all the food safety standards. Modern food production
practices are so complex and it is tough to make sure that the foods you eat are Kosher
certified. That's why the system of certifying Kosher is in place. Kosher certified food features a
label on their packing representing that they’ve met all of the needed requirements.
Ancient roots of Kosher
Kosher is derived from the Hebrew word "kashГ©r". Hebrew word Kasher has a meaning of
being clean, appropriate, or suitable for eating. As per traditional Jewish law, "Kosher" is a word
used to define food that conforms to the firm dietary standards. These laws decide which food
may be consumed and how it must be prepared, made and processed.
Why Kosher certificate is required?
More and more businesses in the food industry are following an industry trend of having their
products certified as Kosher. Many groups of consumers including observant Jews, vegetarians,
Muslims, Buddhists, lactose intolerants and others look for kosher certified products. According
to the data of 2016 and 2017, Kosher products and the ingredients are a billion-dollar industry in
the USA itself and almost 80% of all ingredients used in (any) USA food production are Kosher
certified. People all around the world prefer Kosher-certified food not just for their religious
beliefs but also for health reasons. Kosher is a scientific way of preparing, making and
processing any food and it makes food healthy. Apart from Jewish people, Muslims, vegetarian,
Vegan and few other also believe in Kosher and they look for Kosher certified food when they
shop groceries. The emerging demand for Kosher food is creating the requirement of Kosher
certification.
What is Kosher food?
If you see a K label on any packed food or it is indicated as Kosher
certified means that food is Kosher. Kosher is a precise food that does not have any forbidden
ingredients like pork or shellfish in meat or mixtures like dairy and meat together. Natural fruits
and vegetables are always considered Kosher. On the other side processed foods are
considered Kosher if their production method has been supervised to make sure they have no
forbidden ingredients or mixtures. According to Kosher law, the food is divided into five category
and all types of food have different norms from the preparation to the final stage
- Meat products – according to Jewish law meat is only Kosher if it comes from a specific
animal like chicken or beef, but not pork. According to Kosher law, it must come from
ruminant animals such as sheep, lambs, goat, cows and deer who has split hooves or
cloven. Some birds like turkey, geese, chicken, dove and quail can be also eaten. To be
considered Kosher the blood must be completely drained before cooking. Meat has to be
butchered following the laws of Jewish slaughter. The utensils used to slaughter or prepare the meat must be Kosher and designated only for use with meat and meat products
- Dairy Food – As per Jewish law, any dairy product which comes from Kosher animals such as milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt is consumable. Another rule for the dairy product is it must come from a Kosher animal. The utensil for meat products and dairy products should always be separate and the dairy product must be prepared by using Kosher utensils and equipment
- Fish and egg (Pareve food) –
It is a third food category and according to Jewish law fish and eggs are both considered as pareve and they must meet the Kosher food norms. . Fish such as tuna, mackerel salmon, halibut is Kosher because it has fins and scales. Fish and eggs can be cooked and eaten alongside meat or dairy products. Although eggs must be supervised separately and can be eaten only if they are from Kosher birds.
- Fruits and vegetables –
Fresh fruits and vegetables are mostly considered Kosher but there are some guidelines for fruits and vegetables as well. Before eating washing of fruits and vegetables is required to make sure that they do not have any insects. If the Kosher ingredients and equipment are used during the processing of canned or frozen food, they will be considered Kosher.
- Other Kosher foods –
Grains are Kosher and the Jewish people use grains to bake the bread and other bakery items. Not all bread is Kosher as there are some useful ingredients like oil, enzymes during the baking process. If all ingredients and equipment are Kosher in the baking procedure then only the bread can be certified as Kosher. Seed, oil and nuts are also kosher if these are not processed and being consumed form. But if they’ve been processed, the processing guidelines of Kosher food must be followed.
How Kosher is different from Halal?
Every so often Muslim consumers assume 'Kosher is similar to 'Halal'. Although there is a resemblance in slaughtering rituals of Jewish and Muslims but kosher and halal are two different entities. Kosher carry a different meaning as per Jewish law and Halal food is also different. Kosher and halal foods are two common eating patterns founded on the principles of Jewish and Islamic laws. Both kosher and halal diets set strict guidelines regarding which foods are allowed and restricted based on their religious traditions. Kosher is a word used to define foods prepared as per traditional Jewish dietary laws. Few specific food combinations are restricted on a kosher diet, and only certain animal products may be eaten. On another side, halal foodstuff is used to define any foods that are acceptable under Islamic law or by the Quran. Halal foods set strict rules regarding how livestock (animals such as goat, beef and other cattle) is raised, slaughtered, and prepared before consumption. If any food is labeled as certified kosher or certified halal, which means not the same but they adhere to the rules set by each diet.
How much Kosher Certificate cost $3000 USD to $5000 USD
The cost of a Kosher certificate is not a specific amount and it depends on the various factors. For example, A street shop or storefront is always less expensive as compared to a big restaurant with multiple kitchens. There are a few components that can help to determine the cost of kosher certification.
- The size and location of your business identity
- Are you a manufacturer of or buy an ingredient for your product from a contract manufacturer.
- how many visits are being done including the initial gathering of your facility
- There is an annual fee that is little negotiated between the certifying agency and the establishment.
- There will also be a fee applicable to Kasher( inspection) of the premises. Some. Sometimes new food establishments purchase used equipment and anything used before has to be cleaned as per Kosher standards.
Fees of Kosher certification
KCJ is committed to providing you Kosher certificate at reasonable fees. For the cost of Kosher, we always try to keep the fees affordable. If you applying for Kosher through KCJ, we make sure you save some money and get the best service.
- KCJ Certification fees are always lower than the other certification agencies in the market.
- We review your application for no cost and offer a free quote for the kosher certification
- Once you go forward for certification the fees are applicable and we offer a discount as well
- Kosher fees also depend on other factors such as business size, location, etc.
- KCJ keeps the transparency and uniformity while giving you the quotes for the certificate.