Guides What Does Treif Mean? Non-Kosher Foods Explained
Treif is any food that is not kosher. The word covers pork and shellfish, a cheeseburger that mixes meat and dairy, and even a candy that hides pork gelatin in the fine print. Here is what makes a food treif, and how to catch it on a label.
Certifications What Is a Hechsher? Kosher Certification Explained
A hechsher is the small symbol a recognized kosher agency prints on a product to show a rabbi supervised how it was made. It is the difference between real certification and a brand simply calling itself kosher. Learning to spot and read one is the single most useful habit for any kosher shopper.
Ingredients & E-Codes Kosher E-Numbers List: Which Additives Are Kosher?
Kosher E-numbers depend on their source, not the code itself. Most additives on a label are plant based or synthetic and pose no problem, but a short list, including E120, E441, E471, E904 and E920, can be animal or insect derived and needs a certification to be sure.
Travel Keeping Kosher While Traveling: A Country Guide
Keeping kosher while traveling comes down to three habits: plan your shopping and dining before you go, learn the local certification symbols, and read every label carefully. Kosher availability, and even product formulas, change from one country to the next. With a little preparation, you can eat well almost anywhere.
Certifications Kosher Certification Letters: What D, M and P Mean
Kosher certification letters are the small characters next to a symbol, and each one names the product's category. D means dairy, DE dairy equipment, M meat, F fish, and P is the one people misread, because it means Passover and not pareve.
Ingredients & E-Codes Is Gelatin Kosher? What the Label Tells You
Gelatin is kosher only when it comes from a kosher source and carries a reliable hechsher. Most of the gelatin on supermarket shelves does not, because it usually starts with pork or non-kosher beef. The good news is that a label tells you most of what you need in a few seconds.
