The term "kosher foods" came to us from Israel. The life of believing Jews is strictly regulated by a special set of rules and laws - the so-called Halacha. Halakha defines all the foundations of their family, religious, and social life. The concept of "kashrut" means, as far as anything is suitable and allowed from the point of view of Halacha.
The laws of kashrut strictly dictate to believing Jews that they should eat, from what this food should be prepared, and how it should be stored. In other words, the quality of these kosher products is very tightly controlled. Who does it? 170 Jewish organizations (among them - rabbinate and individual rabbis), each of which contains its own seal. All kosher products will necessarily have one of these seals.
What does kosher food mean?
Kosher food is divided into three groups:
- meat products, or "basar";
- dairy products, or "freebies";
- neutral products, or "parve".
Meat products
"Basar" - this is the meat that was obtained from kosher animals. Kosher are considered to be herbivorous ruminant animals that live on land, and whose hooves are bifurcated. In other words - sheep, cows, goats, gazelles, moose, giraffes ... In the Torah animals are indicated that have only one sign of kosherness. These are rabbits, camels and damans (animals that feed on grass but do not have bifurcated hoofs), and a pig - which has bifurcated hoofs but does not chew grass.
To be included in the list of kosher products, meat should have another property, namely, the lack of blood. Kashrut does not allow the use of blood in any form, as food with blood awakens cruelty in a person. It is not allowed to eat eggs in which there are blood clots.
As for the bird, there are no signs of kashrut regarding them, but the Torah lists those birds whose meat can not be eaten. It is a pelican, an owl, an eagle, a falcon and a hawk. In other words, only domestic poultry (ducks, turkeys, geese, chickens) can be included in the list of kosher products, as well as pigeons.
Kosher eggs must necessarily have unequal ends (one should be pointed, the other - more round). Eggs, both ends of which are blunt or sharp, are considered unfit for food, as usually these eggs carry predatory birds or birds that feed on carrion.
Kosher fish has two signs: it should have scales and fins. The rest of the representatives of the seas and oceans (crabs, shrimps, crayfish, octopus, oysters, blackheads, etc.) can not be considered kosher products, since they do not possess either. Snakes, worms and insects are also considered non-kosher.
Dairy
With regard to dairy products ("freebies"), the following principle applies: milk, which was obtained from kosher animals, is considered clean - which means that it can be considered kosher food. Milk, obtained from non-kosher animals, is considered unclean - and, thus, can not be considered a kosher meal.
Neutral products
Vegetables and fruits (parve) can be regarded as kosher products only if they are not wormy, and if they do not come into contact with non-kosher products. For example, a tomato, greased with pig fat, is prohibited.
Kosher products are very common, mainly in the Israeli market.
However, pay attention to the following information. The inscription "kosher" must necessarily be accompanied by the name of the rabbinate (or rabbi) under whose control this product was manufactured. Otherwise - if there is only one inscription - the product can not be considered kosher.