[569] in Vegetarian_Support_Group
using kosher symbols to deduce vegetarian-nes
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (flmoss@MIT.EDU)
Tue May 16 15:39:47 1995
From: flmoss@MIT.EDU
To: vsg@MIT.EDU
Date: Tue, 16 May 1995 15:38:39 EDT
>if jello has a k on it, (i am assuming that means k-pareve because it
>does not say k-meat) then does this mean the gelatine is not
>animal-derived? What about if it is an O-U or O-U-pareve?
>analogous question for the rennet in kosher cheese? is it not
>animal-derived if it has a k-dairy? an o-u dairy?
A "K" by itself does not mean kosher, although it is widely interpreted and used
that way. This is because a letter cannot be trademarked, so just about
anyone can use it on their package for any purpose. The only POSSIBLE exception
is in New York (and maybe New Jersey) where they have kosher-misrepresentation
laws and "k" might be recognized as a symbol of kashrut.
However, there are many symbols that have the letter k in it that do mean that
it is kosher, such as a k with a circle around it, a k with a triangle around
it,...
According to the Orthodox movement (and all kashrut symbols are orthodox at the
moment), gelatin as it is usually made is not kosher, as it is often made from
non-kosher animals. It is possible to make kosher gelatin, though, and I have
been told that it is made from fish, but I am not certain of the accuracy of this.
I know of no kosher cheese that uses rennet, though it is possible to make
kosher rennet from a cow, instead of a pig.
I believe the Conservative movement accepts gelatin and rennet, considering them
far enough removed from the source.
