The term “kosher” originates from the Hebrew word “kasher” which simply means proper or fit. In recent times, the word “Kosher” refers to the foods that fall under Jewish dietary laws as outlined in the Torah. These laws dictate what ingredients can be used,  how the food needs to be prepared, and consumed. 

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What is the Kosher Law? 

Kosher law is a set of dietary principles that covers all aspects of food preparation and consumption. The key principles of Kosher law are as follows: 

1. Animals: Land animals that have cloven hooves and chew their cud are kosher. Fish must have fins and scales to certify as kosher. Birds except for predators and scavengers are kosher. 
2. Slaughtering: Animals need to be slaughtered in a specific manner, which is done with an aim to minimize animal suffering. 
3. Prohibition of blood: Meat must be thoroughly drained of blood by soaking and salting at regular intervals. 
4. Dairy products: Diary and meat products cannot be consumed together or prepared with the same utensils. 
5. Fruits and vegetables: All fruits and vegetables must be free of any processing and must not include any non-kosher additives. 

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Your food products need to be compliant with the above rules to become Kosher. Kosher certification is essentially a mark of reassurance for customers that the food product they are consuming and its production process have a rabbinic agency’s stamp of approval.

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Who are the agencies certifying the Kosher Law? 

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There is not just a single authority for Kosher certification. There are several independent Kashrut agencies that employ individuals who are well-versed in Kosher law and help provide this certification. Here are a few agencies that offer Kosher certification: 

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1. Orthodox Union, represented by a U within a circle. 
2. OK Kosher Certification, represented by a K within a circle. 
3. Kosher Certification of America (KSA), represented by KSA within a square
4. Kosher Supervision, also known as KOF-K, represents the letter K inside a Hebrew letter. 
5. Star-K, represented by a K, inside a star-shaped figurine. 
6. Chicago Rabbinical Council, represented by the word CRC inside a triangle. 

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Every food product or beverage that is Kosher certified must show any one of the following symbols. 

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However, these symbols vary since each certifying organization has a different symbol. Some of the common Kosher symbols include a “K” within a circle given by the Orthodox Union or a “U” within a circle given by OK Kosher Certification.

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What are the products that fall under the Kosher Law?

The Kosher Law applies to all the following products: 

1. Meat and Poultry 
2. Diary 
3. Fish 
4. Fruits and Vegetables
5. Grains and Baked Goods 
6. Beverages

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What does a Kosher certified product look like? 

Kosher certified products usually include an icon marking that the products are Kosher. 

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What are the common requirements for Kosher certification?

The Kosher Law requires that the companies comply to these standards: 

1. Ingredient verification: All ingredients used must be Kosher-certified or inherently kosher.
2. Production process: The entire production process must comply with kosher laws, including the use of separate equipment for dairy and meat products.
3. Facility inspection: Kosher certification will involve inspection of the production facility to ensure compliance with Kosher standards. 

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How can ComplyAI check for Kosher-compliant imagery?

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ComplyAI is an AI-native label review and compliance tool that can help you review your labels and make them compliant with regulatory standards. ComplyAI is made for packaging, design, and regulatory teams to create labels that are regulatory and brand compliant. ComplyAI helps you automate your label compliance from start to finish seamlessly. With the help of ComplyAI, you can build your own rulebooks, address regulatory guidelines, scan and verify barcode labels, review your copy, verify your labels, and go to market faster. 

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While Kosher certification needs to be given by certified agencies, label compliance can be easily automated with ComplyAI. 

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Here’s how it works.  First, you simply upload the label of your food product onto the platform. 

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 Then, upload your specific Kosher certified logo as a rule to ComplyAI to ensure that your labels are compliant to Kosher labeling standards. 

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Within just a few seconds, our AI engine will quickly scan your label against the rules you set and flag the label for any errors accordingly. 

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How ComplyAI detects Kosher symbols certification on food products

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How ComplyAI helps flags errors in your Kosher food labels

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Are you ready to get Kosher compliant? 

While a majority of your Kosher certification depends on ingredient sourcing, food production, and manufacturing, labeling plays a huge role too. Having Kosher symbols on your products is mandatory for all products that are sold in the US. Manufacturers need to get their Kosher certification on all their products before they hit the shelves. Want to take your Kosher compliance to the next level?  Book a demo and see how Comply AI can help with Kosher label compliance. 

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