Kashrus is the segment of Jewish law pertaining to the food that a Jew may and may not eat and its proper preparation. The word "Kashrus" is derived from the Hebrew word "kosher" meaning it, proper or correct, which describes food that meets these standards. Through the ages, Jewish scholars have studied, interpreted and applied kosher law. Thousands of volumes are dedicated to the intricacies of this topic, dating back as far as three thousand years. This vast array of Biblical and Rabbinic literature comprises the body of kosher law. These laws have been drawn upon to apply modern technology and its relevance to Jewish law. Proper implementation of these rules is achieved only by close consultation with a kosher expert.

The laws of kashrus are derived from the Bible. The rules are fairly simple yet their applications are quite extensive. An abbreviated outline of these laws follows:

Meat
The Bible details the types of meat, fowl, fish and insects which are kosher and non-kosher. These restrictions include all organs and parts of the body as well as eggs and milk. Animals that have split hooves and chew their cud are kosher. Meat and poultry may be eaten provided that they are slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law. Specified Kosherization process insures that all blood is properly drained from the meat. Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten. Only eggs and milk from a kosher animal or fowl are kosher (see parve)

Meat and poultry products may not be prepared or eaten
with any form of dairy products.

Dairy
Only milk products derived from a kosher animal are acceptable for kosher use. All milk and milk products (cheese, whey, butter, etc.) are considered dairy and may not be eaten in combination with meat or fowl. Food items made with dairy products as part of the ingredients or additives or preparatory ingredients are rendered dairy.

Parve
Food items that do not contain meat or dairy ingredients are referred to as "parve"- describing their neutral status. All fruits, grains, and vegetables in their natural state are kosher and parve. Eggs of a kosher species of bird (i.e. chicken, turkey, duck, goose, etc) are also considered parve. Parve items may be prepared with either meat or dairy items. However their neutral status is removed and the food takes on the status of the item with which it is prepared.

Fish
Only fish of species that possess fins and scales are considered kosher. Fish maintains a Parve status although it may not be prepared with meat products. Fish, unlike meat and poultry, does not require ritual kosher slaughter. Fish must be whole with fins and scales in tact or fully supervised or else it looses its kosher status. All crustaceans, shellfish, reptiles, and most insects, are not kosher.

Grape Products
Grapes in their natural form have a Parve status. All grape products (i.e. wine, juice, raisins, jams, flavors and extracts) require additional rabbinic supervision.

Utensils and Equipment
Separate utensils must be designated for meat, dairy and parve use. Utensils may not be interchanged between meat and dairy. Utensils that have come in contact with non-kosher food may not be used with kosher food. A specialized Kosherization process can be applied to many non-kosher utensils and/or kosher meat or dairy equipment to change their kosher status.

The Kosher laws apply to all aspects of food preparation. The food industry is constantly developing new processes and ingredients which must be analyzed and evaluated for any kosher ramifications. These laws will extend beyond the original ingredient to include derivatives, by-products and extracts. Even a small amount of non-approved material may prevent a food from being considered Kosher.

Often, a food product or restaurant will be advertised as "kosher-style". Kosher is not a "style" of cooking. A more appropriate description of this cuisine would be “European Jewish style”. As with all ethnicities, European Jews have a classic style of food preparation. However “Kosher Style” does not verify to the consumer that the food item conforms to Kosher Laws. Traditional Jewish foods like matzo balls, bagels and lox, kishka, and blintzes can be non-kosher if not prepared in accordance with Jewish law. On the other hand, Italian, Oriental, Asian, Middle Eastern and American foods can all be kosher if properly prepared in accordance with Jewish law. When a restaurant calls itself "kosher-style," it usually means that the restaurant serves traditional Jewish foods. However, one cannot assume that the facility is kosher unless it is supervised by a kosher certifying agency.

Kosher Certification
The KOF-K is an organization of Orthodox Rabbis dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the kosher status of foods in accordance to the highest standards of Kosher Law.

Companies that wish to have their product certified kosher utilize the services of an agency such as the KOF-K to design, implement and monitor a program for the production of kosher products. This program covers all aspects of the food's production, including the ingredients used, the equipment on which it is produced, and the manner of production to ensure that all kosher requirements are met. The Kosher seal on a product allows the consumer to identify those products which are indeed certified as Kosher.

Please note: KOF-K Kosher Supervision maintains the strictest confidentiality of all information it receives.

Products bearing the KOF-K registered symbol will also carry one of the following designations:

D: Dairy - indicates products containing dairy or dairy derivatives

DE: Dairy Equipment - indicates that the product is intrinsically Parve but is prepared on Dairy equipment. This product may be served and eaten before or after, but not together with, meat.

P: Parve - products completely void of all milk and meat in any form

Meat/Glatt: Meat – indicates products containing meat or meat derivatives

ME: Meat Equipment - indicates that the product is intrinsically Parve but is prepared on Meat equipment. This product may be served and eaten before or after but not together with dairy.

Kosher for Passover: Indicates products certified Kosher for Passover.

Customer Service
A new area of Rabbinic expertise has evolved from a world moving more and more toward specialization - the Kosher food consultant. The burgeoning field of food technology gives rise to an ever widening, and sometimes bewildering, array of processes unimagined even a few short years ago. Gaining a mastery of these processes and integrating that knowledge into a broad command of traditional kosher law is the responsibility of the Kosher supervising agency. In today's complex world, where technology changes overnight, a program of total integration of the certifying agency and the manufacturer is essential. A well-structured organization will have a staff with the varied experience and individual know-how that can quickly and expertly respond to a client's needs, whether in an arena of new research or an established production requirement. Rabbinic representatives are located in most geographic areas, providing for a quick response to client needs.

KOF-K Kosher Supervision is directed by a staff of kosher food production specialists, each experts in various aspects of the food industry. They are solution oriented and dedicated to quick, efficient and courteous serious of our clients. Always available for consultation are flavor chemists, dairy and bakery professionals, meat processing advisers and computer experts.
The Kashrus policies are governed by a committee of Rabbinic authorities on Kosher Law. They review and decide all questions of Halacha (Jewish Law) that may arise in the course of kosher food production.