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O, U thought it was Kosher - Foods with Rabbinic Certification



Rabbinic "kosher" certification, notorious for its lackadaisical standards, goes beyond incompetence, corruption and the blatant ignoring of the rules of kashrut. It should never be relied upon as an accurate indicator of kosher food. There are several additives that Rabbanite standards approve of that are actually non-kosher. What follows is a list of food additives commonly considered kosher by Rabbanite standards, which are in fact non-kosher. Note as well, that due to the Rabbanite leniencies of Bittul BeShishim, transmogrification (the transformation of one substance into another) and the principle of non-edibles (that permits non-kosher items based on the "fact" that they are non-edible) Rabbinically certified foods that do not contain these items may be non-kosher as well. see: Food Additives You Won't Find on the List and Non-kosher Food Additives.

Know of any additional additives that need to be on this list? Please e-mail them to us: non-kosher additives


BHA - Butylated Hydroxanisole/Butylated Hydroxtoluene. BHA is used as an antioxidant in cereals, stabilizers, shortenings, and potato flakes. It is generally synthesized from corn oil, but may come from other non-kosher sources.

Resinous Glaze/Confectionary Glaze. Lac is the generic name for the natural resin secreted by the lac beetle that thrives on various host trees and shrubs in India, Burma, Indochina, and Siam. The lac beetle converts the sap of the trees into resin which is gathered, crushed, washed, and dried and used in food glaze. This process is very similar to a bee’s production of honey. The process is called transferred nectar. It is definately non-kosher; however certain Rabbinic authorities will permit its inclusion in food because they consider it non-edible, and therefore, not food.

"Kosher" Gelatin - Some Rabbinic authorities will provide certification to products that contain gelatin derived from non-kosher animals on the grounds that the gelatin was first dried. They contend that gelatin in this state becomes "wood."

Tallow, Beef Fat, Animal Shortening - Despite the prohibitions in the Torah of consuming Helev [solid white fat], some Rabbinic authorities will permit the presence of Helev in the foods they certify.