In Hebrew, “kosher” means fit. Kosher food is any food fit for consumption by Jewish people.
The laws of kosher define which foods a person can and cannot eat, and also how they should produce and handle certain foods. The laws also state which combinations of foods that people should avoid. The Torah, the first part of the Jewish bible, lays the foundations of kosher dietary laws. Practicing Jews believe that following a kosher diet is God’s will.
For a product to be kosher certified, and to qualify for a kosher certificate, each ingredient, food additive and processing aid used in its production must also be kosher. Additionally, to be kosher certified, the production process must be suitable for kosher requirements and therefore it must be approved by a kosher auditor. Products may be rendered non-kosher if their production lines and equipment are also used to manufacture non-kosher products.
Kosher certificates are requested especially for food: meat (slaughter of animals and salting process), fish, milk and eggs, canned and preserved foods. They also include feed additives (preservatives and dyes) and fiber of animal origin.