What Does the Jewish Word Kosher Mean?
The word "kosher" means "proper" or "pure," and comes from the Hebrew (the letters kaf, shin and reish). The term "kosher" can be used to describe any person, thing or situation that appears to be proper and correct. In Judaism, it's often used to describe ritual tools and texts. But in most cases, "kosher" describes food that is considered pure or fit to eat according to Jewish dietetic laws.
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What Makes Food Kosher
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There are several criteria for declaring food kosher, from the type of animal and how that animal is raised and slaughtered, to how the food is stored, prepared and served. A kosher food can be made non-kosher simply by preparing, storing or serving it in a non-kosher way.
Kosher Animals
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Farm animals with hooves that chew their cud are considered kosher, as are fish with fins and scales. Pigs, rabbits, birds of prey and shellfish are not considered kosher. Kosher animals must be raised in a humane manner, fed organic food, and slaughtered humanely and according to proper rituals in order to qualify.
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Kosher Food Preparation
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Factory-processed kosher foods must be prepared under a rabbi's supervision in order to be certified kosher. Even in the home there are strict rules for preparing and combining foods to keep them kosher. For example, meat and milk should not be combined in the same meal.
Kosher Food Storage
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Because milk and meat cannot be combined, they are stored on separate shelves in the refrigerator. Some households actually dedicate separate refrigerators and even ovens for milk and meat products.
Special Kosher Rules
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Certain times of year, like Passover, have special kosher rules. The regular rules apply, but there are additional items that are not considered kosher due to the symbolism of the holiday. Leavened bread is one example, and Coca-Cola has a special formula, made without corn syrup, that is kosher for Passover.
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