What specifically does *Kosher* mean in terms of food labeling?

[Liz CA]

Does it tell us anything how the animal was fed and raised (for meat products)?

[momofkhm]

It's a Jewish thing and I think it means that all the blood was drained. Ot something like that.

 

I know I've seen it on other non-meat items as well. On those it doesn't refer to draining blood but it still refers to Jewish dietary law.

 

I'm not Jewish so I can't go into what it really means, but I do know it's not how the animal was fed and raised.

[Liz CA]

If a package says 'kosher' on it without having the symbol of one of the agencies which provide kosher certification, it doesn't neccessarily mean anything. [i just deleted a digression on this subject - TMI, I think!]

 

The simplest answer is that kosher food is food which is acceptable according to Jewish dietary Laws.

 

Here's a link to a page with a brief overview, which includes some explanations about what makes meat kosher:

 

http://www.ou.org/kosher/primer.html

 

If you have any more specific question, I can try to to clarify.

 

nt

[Soph the vet]

Actually, it does refer to the way the animal is slaughtered. During veterinary school I was required to tour the local packing plant and it happened to be a "kosher" slaughter plant. Graphically, this means that the cows were led individually into a chute with a head restraint that raised their head. The rabbi, yes, a rabbi, then slit their throat.

If a cow had to be stunned first for any reason, her body was marked in a way to indicate "non-Kosher". Once the carcass was skinned and organs removed, the meat was inspected by USDA inspectors and rabbis. The rabbi inspector would place a Hebrew symbol on the ribs indicating additional approval of the meat as Kosher. The USDA inspectors would either pass or fail all meat as safe and marketable and they would have the final say on whether it ended up at the grocer.

[PariSarah]

Here's a link to a page with a brief overview, which includes some explanations about what makes meat kosher:

 

http://www.ou.org/kosher/primer.html

 

 

I love how personal integrity still matters in this system. "So-and-so should be a person of integrity"--I wish we all had that sort of investment in our food supply.