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64-421: Chick-O-Stick is currently produced as a naturally-colored stick of varying length and thickness, dusted with ground coconut. The interior of the stick is honeycombed with peanut butter and a hardened syrup/sugar mixture that also forms the shell. When eaten fresh, the candy is dry and brittle, but it has a tendency to absorb moisture and become hard and chewy if left in the open air for an extended period. Formerly

128-414: A database listing "hundreds of thousands of ingredients and formulas" to provide up-to-date information to their mashgichim . The mashgiach / mashgicha makes frequent and unannounced site visits during a production run to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract. If they see something suspicious or have any questions about the ingredients or production process, they immediately contacts one of

192-576: A 2013 estimate, the 135,000 food products then certified kosher contained more than one million food additives. Certification agencies regularly send mashgichim to factories in China , Thailand , and the Philippines to oversee the production of pre-processed ingredients and ensure their kosher status. Many certification agencies accept the use of pre-processed ingredients that have been approved by other agencies. Certification agencies may differ on

256-403: A Jew manipulates any object for a 'holy reason', (which includes eating); however, not all animal products are capable of releasing their 'sparks of holiness'. 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'. Although the reason for kashrut

320-432: A good reputation in the industry. Clients seeking Kosher certification are required to approach individual certifying agencies and endure the application process multiple times, before settling on a suitable agency. To reduce time and effort, the company may wish to contact a Kosher certification broker who will aim to find the best Kosher certifying agency suited to the product and budget. A noted Kosher certification broker

384-420: A practice known as ḥaliṭah ( Hebrew : חליטה ), "blanching." 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 ḥaliṭah in the same pot, they could simply scoop out

448-456: A rational explanation and would probably be enacted by most orderly societies ( mishpatim ), laws that are understood after being explained, but would not be legislated without the Torah's command ( eidot ), and laws that do not have a rational explanation ( chukim ). Some Jewish scholars say that kashrut should be categorized as laws for which there is no particular explanation since

512-476: A registered trademark, that is the property of the agency and can be used only with permission. If certification is withdrawn for any reason, the client must destroy any packaging bearing the agency's symbol, as well as remove the symbol from its advertisements. Agencies are constantly on the lookout for fraudulent use of their symbol. Both agencies and consumer bulletins publicize the names of companies and products from which certification has been withdrawn. If

576-469: A reliable shochet and ensuring that milking was supervised by a Jew . In the kitchen, the housewife observed the strict separation of milk and meat . It was only in the 20th century, with the increased availability of industrially-produced food products aimed at the Jewish consumer, that independent kosher certification became a necessity. The first independent kosher certification agency, OU Kosher ,

640-414: A standalone certification or in addition to kosher certification. In addition to kosher certification, the larger agencies engage in consumer education and industry advancement. Star-K , for example, operates a Kosher Hotline and produces a Passover Directory, Appliance Certification Directory, and a quarterly Kashrus Kurrents magazine. It also staffs an Institute of Halacha, Kashrus Training Programs,

704-463: A symbol is trademarked, unauthorized use is a federal crime in the United States . In addition to the symbol, many agencies indicate whether the product is dairy ("D"), meaty ("Meat"), pareve ("Pareve"), or kosher for Passover ("P"). The letter "K" by itself cannot be trademarked, and therefore can be affixed to a product by anyone. It carries no legal or halakhic significance, and

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768-425: Is Direct Kosher . The next step is for the client to supply a list of all ingredients used in its food product and machinery (such as cleaning agents), which the certification agency will research and trace back to their sources and suppliers to verify their kosher status. If the client later deviates from this list and brings other ingredients into its facility, the agency has the right to demand changes or terminate

832-640: Is kitniyos shenishtanah –kitniyos that has been "changed at the molecular level" (and therefore is no longer kitniyos)–and therefore the OU gives its hechsher to Diet Coke for use on Passover. According to halakha (Jewish law), the following requires kosher supervision: The certification process begins with a request for certification from the client. Large food manufacturers generally seek certification from larger, national and international agencies, while small, local businesses receive certification from rabbis serving that community, or from individual rabbis who have

896-505: Is [...] never mentioned in the Geniza ." Goitein believed that in the early Middle Ages Jewish families kept only one set of cutlery and cooking ware. According to David C. Kraemer , the practice of keeping separate sets of dishes developed only in the late 14th and 15th centuries. It is possible observant Jews before then waited overnight for the meat or dairy gravy absorbed in a pot's walls to become insignificant ( lifgam ) before using

960-649: Is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law . Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( / ˈ k oʊ ʃ ər / in English, Yiddish : כּשר ), from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the term that in Sephardi or Modern Hebrew is pronounced kashér ( כָּשֵׁר ‎), meaning "fit" (in this context: "fit for consumption"). Food that may not be consumed, however,

1024-413: Is available in 0.35-ounce (9.9 g), 0.70-ounce (20 g), 1.0-ounce (28 g), and 1.6-ounce (45 g) sizes, as well as bags of individually wrapped bite-sized pieces. The size of the largest variant has been reduced by 20% since 2022, when it was 2.0-ounce (57 g), according to the history of this document. Chick-O-Sticks are Kosher , gluten -free, and " vegan friendly" and are one of

1088-537: Is called tevel ); the fruit of the first three years of a tree's growth or replanting are forbidden for eating or any other use as orlah ; produce grown in the Land of Israel on the seventh year obtains k'dushat shvi'it , and unless managed carefully is forbidden as a violation of the Shmita (Sabbatical Year). Some rules of kashrut are subject to different rabbinical opinions. For example, many hold that

1152-445: Is deemed treif ( / t r eɪ f / in English, Yiddish : טרײף ), also spelled treyf ( Yiddish : טריף ). In case of objects the opposite of kosher is pasúl ( / p ə ˈ s u l / in English, Yiddish: פָּסוּל). Although the details of the laws of kashrut are numerous and complex, they rest on a few basic principles: Every food that is considered kosher is also categorized as follows: While any produce that grows from

1216-568: Is generally not kosher, as well as any animal that has been partially eaten by other animals. Meat and milk (or derivatives) may not be mixed in the sense that meat and dairy products 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. The milchig and fleishig (literally "milky" and "meaty") utensils and dishes are

1280-435: Is grilled over an open flame. 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. 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 unnecessary suffering , but many animal rights activists view

1344-694: 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 masorah because it possesses all the signs ( simanim ) in Hebrew. Fish must have fins and scales to be kosher. Shellfish and other non-fish water fauna are not kosher. (See kosher species of fish .) Insects are not kosher, except for certain species of kosher locust . Any animal that eats other animals, whether they kill their food or eat carrion ,

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1408-611: Is not a substitute for government or private food safety testing and enforcement. As of 2014, there are more than 1,100 kosher certification agencies. These include international, national, regional, Israeli, specialty, and non- Orthodox agencies. Specialty agencies endorse ethical business practices , animal welfare , and environmental awareness on the part of the food producer. Non-Orthodox agencies accept leniences in certain aspects of food production and business operation (such as operating on Shabbat ) that Orthodox agencies do not. The largest kosher certification agencies in

1472-473: Is prepared or served. This certification verifies that the ingredients, production process including all machinery, and/or food-service process complies with the standards of kashrut (Jewish dietary law) as stipulated in the Shulchan Arukh , the benchmark of religious Jewish law. The certification agency employs mashgichim (rabbinic field representatives ) to make periodic site visits and oversee

1536-604: 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 . In 1953, David Macht , an Orthodox Jew and proponent of the theory of biblical scientific foresight, conducted toxicity experiments on many kinds of animals and fish. His experiment involved lupin seedlings being supplied with extracts from

1600-464: Is therefore, with few exceptions, not a guarantee of kosher status. The mashgiach / mashgicha , or rabbinic field representative, is the kosher certification agency's "eyes and ears" at the point of production or distribution. They must ensure that kosher and non-kosher production runs are kept completely separate. They must be familiar with all ingredients and the way they are produced to ensure kosher status. Most large certification agencies maintain

1664-447: The Shulchan Arukh , ruled that the pieces of meat can be "very thick" when salting. The Yemenite Jewish practice, however, follows Saadiah Gaon , who required that the meat not be larger than half a "rotal" (i.e. roughly 216 grams (7.6 oz)) when salting. 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,

1728-660: The Kashrus Council of Canada , Kosher Australia , and Rabbi Mordechai Rottenberg . MK Kosher is the leader in Kosher Certification in Canada . MK Kosher is a leading kosher certification agency providing kosher certication for over 75,000 products worldwide. Before the advent of industrially-produced foods, Jewish families prepared their own meals at home and ensured the kashrut of raw ingredients themselves by taking chicken and meat to be slaughtered by

1792-608: 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 kashrut laws, some suggest that they are only tests of obedience, while others have suggested philosophical, practical, and hygienic reasons. Over the past century, many kashrut certification agencies have started to certify products, manufacturers, and restaurants as kosher, usually authorizing

1856-632: The United States , known as the "Big Five", certify more than 80% of the kosher food sold in the US. These five agencies are the OU , OK , KOF-K , Star-K , and CRC . While the OU , OK , Kof-K , and Star-K have deep international reach, there are kosher agencies on all six habitable continents. Particularly prominent among the various international kosher supervisors are the London Beit Din ,

1920-422: The hare because they have no cloven hooves, and the pig because it does not ruminate) are specifically excluded. 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,

1984-530: The laws of Shabbat , Yom Tov , Passover , and certain Jewish fast days . The agency and client sign a one-year contract which is renewed automatically, unless either party notifies the other of its desire to end the relationship. Upon approval, the client receives permission to display the kosher certification agency's symbol, or hechsher , on its product packaging or on a certificate displayed in its food-service venue. Each agency has its own symbol, usually

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2048-420: The sages . First, a 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 zefek ( crop ), and a korkoban ( gizzard ) with a peelable lumen . However, individual Jews are barred from merely applying these regulations alone; an established tradition ( masorah )

2112-646: The Chick-O-Stick was candy or a chicken-flavored cracker. The Atkinson Candy Company's website states that one of their sales representatives just "came up with the name one day, and well, it just stuck." The company had once written in correspondence that they felt the Chick-O-Stick resembled "fried chicken" and that contributed to the name. Kimmerle, Beth (2003). Candy: The Sweet History . Collectors Press, Incorporated. pp. 78–79. ISBN   1888054832 . Kosher Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus , כַּשְׁרוּת ‎ )

2176-650: The OU's staff of around 40 mashgichim (rabbinic field representatives) certified 184 products for 37 companies; by 1972, the OU had more than 750 mashgichim certifying over 2,500 products for 475 companies. In the late 20th century, the increasing use of pre-processed ingredients – such as artificial flavorings , emulsifiers , and preservatives – further broadened the scope of kosher certification. A product produced in one country can contain ingredients and flavorings produced in other countries; these ingredients and flavorings must be tracked to their point of origin to verify their compliance with kashrut laws. According to

2240-567: The Torah does not provide a reason, it has been suggested that the practice was perceived as cruel and insensitive. Hasidic Judaism believes that everyday life is imbued with channels connecting with Divinity , the activation of which it sees as helping the Divine Presence to be drawn into the physical world; 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

2304-412: The agency's rabbinic coordinators, who is the decision-maker for issues of compliance and certification. For a food-service event, a mashgiach / mashgicha must be on hand at all times to ensure that kosher standards are enforced. Kosher certification agencies charge different fees based on the services they provide. There is generally an annual fee for the certification itself, which takes into account

2368-411: The animal non-kosher. It is forbidden to consume certain parts of the animal, such as certain fats ( chelev ) and the sciatic nerves from the legs, the process of excision being done by experts before the meat is sold. As much blood as possible must be removed through the kashering process; this is usually done through soaking and salting the meat, but the liver , as it is rich in blood,

2432-846: The application of a blowtorch. Food prepared in a manner that violates the Shabbat (Sabbath) may not be eaten; although in certain instances it is permitted after the Shabbat is over. 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 chametz . This prohibition is derived from Exodus 12:15. Utensils used in preparing and serving chametz are also forbidden on Passover unless they have been ritually cleansed ( kashered ). 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

2496-415: The color of Chick-O-Stick candy was a rather bright-orange color produced by artificial red and blue coloring ingredients, however, in 2019, Atkinson announced that the Chick-O-Stick recipe would be simplified to utilize vegetable juice and turmeric root for the new, natural light-brown color of the candy, and to replace artificial preservatives and hydrogenated oils with healthier alternatives. Chick-O-Stick

2560-491: The commonly referred-to Yiddish delineations between dairy and meat ones, respectively. 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. Shelomo Dov Goitein writes, "the dichotomy of the kitchen into a meat and a milk section, so basic in an observant Jewish household,

2624-402: The contract. Next, the agency's rabbinic representatives walk through the entire food production or food-service process with the client, noting equipment, production processes, packaging techniques, storage systems, and transportation arrangements that may compromise kosher status. If non-kosher food is being produced in the same plant (or if meat and dairy products are both being produced ),

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2688-547: The cost of the product to the consumer, the fees are absorbed into the client's regular operating costs. The client recoups the fee many times over due to the increased sales that result from kosher certification. However, the client may incur additional expense if it must make changes in its machinery or production process to accommodate the kosher certification. Some certification agencies, most notably EarthKosher Kosher Certification offer additional certifications such as Organic , Paleo , non- GMO , and/or Halal either as

2752-626: 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 and produce of the Sabbatical year , impact their permissibility for consumption. Most of the basic laws of kashrut are derived from the Torah 's books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy . Their details and practical application, however, are set down in

2816-512: The few full-size products that Atkinson Candy Company makes. Most other products made by this company come only in individually-wrapped bite size or Halloween size portions. Chick-O-Stick's original wrapper design featured a stylized cartoon of a chicken wearing a cowboy hat and a badge in the shape of the Atkinson logo. The chicken is absent from the more recent wrapper; some commentators have indicated that it contributed to confusion over whether

2880-437: The film, froth and scum that surface in the boiling water. Ḥaliṭah is not required when roasting meat over a fire, as the fire constricts the blood. 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

2944-567: The food-production or food-service process in order to verify ongoing compliance. Each agency has its own trademarked symbol that it allows manufacturers and food-service providers to display on their products or in-store certificates; use of this symbol can be revoked for non-compliance. Each agency typically has a "certifying rabbi" ( Rav Hamachshir ) who determines the exact kashrut standards to be applied and oversees their implementation. A kosher certification agency's purview extends only to those areas mandated by Jewish law. Kosher certification

3008-404: 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. Non-kosher birds are listed outright in the Torah, but the exact zoological references are disputed and some references refer to families of birds (24 are mentioned). The Mishnah refers to four signs provided by

3072-417: 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. 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. Some theologians have said that

3136-529: The kosher status of foods based on the p'sak (halakhic ruling) of their rav hamakhshir (rabbinic authority). For example, aspartame , a key ingredient in Diet Coke , is considered to be kitniyot by the Kashruth Council of Canada (COR) and therefore that agency does not give its hechsher to that product for use on Passover . In contrast, the OU relies on poskim who rule that the additive

3200-443: The laws of kashrut are symbolic in character: kosher animals represent virtues , while non-kosher animals represent vices . The 1st-century BCE Letter of Aristeas argues that the laws "have been given [...] to awake pious thoughts and to form the character". This view reappears in the work of the 19th-century Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch . The Torah prohibits "cooking the kid (goat, sheep, calf) in its mother's milk". While

3264-418: 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." The laws of kashrut can be classified according to the origin of the prohibition (Biblical or rabbinical) and whether

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3328-411: 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 (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. Turei Zahav ("Taz"), a 17th-century commentary on

3392-402: 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. These conditions ( treifot ) include 70 different categories of injuries, diseases, and abnormalities whose presence renders

3456-532: 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. 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 have hygiene as their basis. Although some of

3520-415: The number and frequency of on-site inspections by mashgichim and related administrative costs. If the agency is for-profit, it may levy an annual fee as well as request a percentage of gross annual sales. The agency may also require a one-time "set-up fee", a per-shift fee for special production runs, and a fee for kashering equipment and utensils. While critics contend that kosher certification raises

3584-403: The pot for the other foodstuff (meat or dairy). Mammals and fowl must be slaughtered by a trained individual (a shochet ) using a special method of slaughter, shechita . Shechita slaughter severs the jugular vein , carotid artery , esophagus , and trachea in a single continuous cutting movement with an unserrated, sharp knife . Failure to meet any of these criteria renders

3648-446: The process as cruel, claiming that the animal may not lose consciousness immediately, and activists have called for it to be banned. When an animal is ritually slaughtered ( 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

3712-406: The prohibition concerns the food itself or a mixture of foods. Biblically prohibited foods include: Biblically prohibited mixtures include: Rabbinically prohibited foods include: Only meat from particular species is permissible. Mammals that both chew their cud ( ruminate ) and have cloven hooves can be kosher. Animals with one characteristic but not the other (the camel, the hyrax , and

3776-448: The rule against eating chadash (new grain) before the 16th of the month Nisan does not apply outside the Land of Israel. Kosher certification agency A kosher certification agency is an organization or certifying authority that grants a hechsher ( Hebrew : הכשר , "seal of approval") to ingredients, packaged foods, beverages, and certain materials, as well as food-service providers and facilities in which kosher food

3840-549: The rules of kashrut , such as not eating kitniyot , gebrochts or garlic . 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. For produce grown in the Land of Israel a modified version of the biblical tithes must be applied, including Terumat HaMaaser , Maaser Rishon , Maaser Sheni , and Maasar Ani (untithed produce

3904-649: The two systems must remain completely separate, including the avoidance of heat transfer by boilers servicing the two production lines. If non-kosher food is being produced on the same machinery as kosher food, albeit in separate runs, all equipment and utensils must be intensively cleaned and then treated with boiling water before being used for the kosher run. The client must also agree to specific documentation and record-keeping systems in order to track raw ingredients coming in and processed foods going out, as well as production schedules. A food-service venue must comply with additional halakhic requirements, such as respecting

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3968-429: The use of a proprietary symbol or certificate, called a 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 Islam ) expect adherence to a similar set of dietary laws, people with allergies to dairy foods, and vegans, who use

4032-469: 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 Yeshiva § Jewish law and Semikhah § Varieties of ordination . And numerous scholarly and popular works exist on these topics, covering both practice and theory. Jewish philosophy divides the 613 commandments (or mitzvot ) into three groups—laws that have

4096-498: Was founded by the Orthodox Union (OU) in 1923. Its director, Abraham Goldstein, left OU Kosher to establish a second certification agency, OK Laboratories , in 1935. Kosher certification expanded in the 1930s as major brands such as Coca-Cola sought certification to expand their market. The proliferation of factory-produced foods following World War II saw a concomitant rise in kosher certification. In 1950, for example,

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