Kashrut FAQs

Cut off and set aside just over 1% of the product and say the following formula:

“All the separations and redeeming of trumos u’ma’asros shall be in accordance with the formula of the Chazon Ish, and ma’aser sheni and revei should be redeemed on the coin that is set aside in the London Beth Din.”

Wrap up and throw out the separated piece.

Eat and enjoy.

Please note: teruma and ma’aser may not be separated on Shabbat or Yom Tov.

Products containing any of the ingredients listed below should not be purchased unless the product is Rabinically approved. 

Edible Fat, Edible Oil, Fish Oil

Should be avoided as one does not know the source from which they are derived.

Gelatine, Glycerine, Glycerides, Polysorbates, Stearates, Diacetin & Triacetin

May be animal derived and should be avoided.

Casein Milk protein solids.

The manufacturing process is akin to that of cheese and therefore casein is only kosher when made synthetically or under Rabbinical supervision. 

Balsamic Vinegar, Wine Vinegar, Wine & Brandy

Many ingredients of wine origin render a product non-kosher unless the product is manufactured under Rabbinical supervision. Vinegar of unspecified source may be of wine origin. 

Shortening

Shortenings are cooking fats and could contain animal fats. 

Rennet

Rennet is used in cheese manufacture as a clotting agent. Rennet is a concentrated extract of the rennin enzyme obtained from either calves or adult cattle.

FOOD ADDITIVES

Most processed foods nowadays contain food additives, and they are referred to according to a standardized set of EU numbers – E numbers.

Certain E numbers may be derived from animal or vegetable sources. When present in kosher products E numbers will be of vegetable origin and approved by the London Beth Din.

Problematic E numbers

E120	E340i	E422	E430	E431
E432	E433	E434	E435	E436
E441	E442	E470	E470a	E470b
E471	E472a	E472b	E472c	E472d
E472e	E472f	E473	E474	E475
E476	E477	E479b	E481	E482
E483	E491	E492	E493	E494
E495	E542	E570	E572	E1441

E120, Cochineal, Carmine, Carminic Acid This is unique in that it is the only non-permitted colour. It is a naturally occurring red colour, which is derived from the cochineal beetle.

E422 Glycerol Glycerol occurs naturally in many plant cells and is synthesized by the plants themselves, but it is obtained commercially from oils and fats as a by-product of the soap and fatty-acid industry. It is used as a sweetener or to reduce the effects of humidity on food.

E432 – E495, E1441 Emulsifiers & Stabilisers These are derived commercially from fatty acids. Emulsifiers play an important role in the food industry because the manufacture of many foodstuffs involves the formation and stability of an emulsion (eg oil and water), and an emulsifier aids the mixing of these two liquids to form one complete product (eg mayonnaise). Stabilisers help to keep the product in a stable condition, preventing the breakdown of the emulsion.

E542 Edible Bone Phosphate Degreased steam extract of animal bones, used in medicines as an anti-caking agent to prevent particles sticking together.

E570 Stearic Acid Naturally occuring fatty acid found in all animal fats and vegetable oils, used as an anti-caking agent, eg in spices.

E572 Magnesium Stearate Prepared synthetically from commercial stearic acid and used as an anti-caking or release agent, eg in moulded confectionery.

A full list of additives can be obtained from the Food Standards Agency. Helpline number – 020 7276 8829, website www.food.gov.uk.

Our advice is that if you are in an area where there are kosher coffee shops it is better to avoid purchasing drinks from non-supervised establishments. If you are far from kosher facilities, it would be ok to have plain coffee in a disposable cup, provided that the coffee and the water come from a machine which does not dispense any liquid other than water or plain coffee. One may add cold milk or plain soya milk from its original container. Hot water, coffee, and hot or frothed milk from jugs is better avoided.

Smoothies, whipped toppings and beverages such as frappuccinos and hot chocolate etc are not permitted. Starbucks Coffee Syrups are no longer KLBD Certified.

Starbucks Refresha Drinks contain grape juice and are Not Kosher.

Seaweed/Nori should only be purchased when bearing a reliable hechsher. This can be purchased in kosher stores.

Additionally, a number of KLBD licensees specialise in Sushi:

Sushi Counter in Kosher Edge (Edgware)
orders@kosheredge.co.uk

OMi Sushi Restaurant (Temple Fortune)
www.omisushi.co.uk

Sushi Counter in Sababa Restaurant (Borehamwood)

Sushi Haven (counter in Kosher Kingdom, Golders Green)
Sushi Haven (counter in Hadar, Edgware)
Sushi Haven Restaurant (Hendon)
Sushi Haven Restaurant (Golders Green)
www.sushihaven.co.uk

Sushi Counter in Tapuach (Hendon)
sales@tapuach.co.uk

Many other KLBD licensees including caterers, restaurants, bakeries and shops, also make or sell sushi.

You can download the Is It Kosher app for Apple or Android by clicking the buttons on the Kosher Product Search page.

Ordinary Scotch, English and Welsh whisky, whether Single Malt or Blended, without any mention of the use of sherry, port or other wine casks on the label or marketing literature, can be consumed confidently without any Halachic concerns relating to potential contact with ex-wine casks. No additives to these whiskies are permitted, with the exception of Caramel Colour which is kosher.

As far as Irish Whiskey is concerned, as a direct result of the work of the KLBD with the distillers,  Irish legislation has been changed and it is no longer permitted to add flavour enhancers (including those which are wine based) to Irish whiskey. Therefore all whiskey bottled in Ireland since mid 2009, without any mention of the use of sherry, port or other wine casks on the label or marketing literature, can also be consumed confidently without any halachic concerns.

Whiskey which has been matured in wine casks has been subject to detailed Halachic consideration by major poskim (including Minchas Yitzchok Vol 2, 28 and Igros Moshe Yore Deah Vol 1, 62 and 63) who did not forbid its consumption. There is a new process however, known as Wine Cask Finishes (also referred to as double or second maturation) which is a secondary process in which fully aged and mature whiskey is returned to specially commissioned and primed wine casks for a further period of maturation, a process some claim imparts a recognisable taste of the wine. This new process may not be covered by all the aforementioned heterim and accordingly some may wish to avoid products so labelled.

All KLBD certified whiskies are matured exclusively in non-wine or kosher wine casks. For a list of KLBD certified Scotch Whisky click here and for Welsh Whisky click here.

Those produced overseas (American, Japanese, Norwegian etc) are not necessarily subject to the above mentioned controls and only those kosher certified or approved can be recommended.

KLBD dairy bakeries, caterers and restaurants use only Chalav Yisrael (fully supervised) milk and cheese products.

KLBD meat restaurants use only Glatt meat. Chalak Beit Yosef meat may also be available on request.

Many KLBD caterers use only Glatt or Chalak Beit Yosef meat. For specific enquiries, please contact us.

For more information about KLBD standards, click here.

The term Pas Palter, refers to bread produced in a non-Jewish commercial bakery with kosher ingredients, as distinct from Pas Yisrael which is Jewish baked bread.

According to halacha, one should always buy Pas Yisrael bread – Jewish baked kosher bread – whenever possible. Pas Palter however, may be purchased when no similar Pas Yisrael product is readily available, provided it is kosher certified.
The term Pas Akum, refers to bread baked by a non-Jew in a private capacity, which may not be eaten by rabbinic decree.

Bread which is not kosher certified is not permitted because it may be made with fats, emulsifiers or improvers of animal origin. Release agents used to grease production equipment may be non-kosher and the equipment itself may be used for non-kosher products.

For a list of KLBD supervised bakeries, click here.

For details of commonly available kosher certified breads see www.isitkosher.uk.

A company which is kosher certified has regular factory audits by highly trained Rabbinical Inspectors and they are bound by a legal contract to conform to suppliers and processes agreed with the KLBD. Many certified products bear the KLBD logo on the packaging but there are some certified products which don’t have the logo. This is a decision taken by the company and does not undermine the kosher certification in any way.

Products which are approved for listing in the guide have been investigated by our food technologists and approved based on information received from the manufacturers. The investigations are carried out mainly by correspondence and cover ingredients, processing aids and shared use of manufacturing equipment.

It is preferable, whenever possible, to buy products with a hechsher (certified).

Ordinary plain and fruit flavoured yoghurts are permitted except when they contain gelatine, cochineal (E120), grape juice or other problematic ingredients. For further information, click here. More complex products, such as yoghurt with chocolate, toffee or lemon curd should be avoided unless listed.

Yoghurts should be avoided if they contain whole fruits or pieces of raspberries or other bramble fruits, such as blackberries and loganberries, as these fruits are commonly infested and require careful inspection.

Fromage Frais is only permitted when produced under Rabbinical supervision.

Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments that are red, purple or blue in colour depending on their pH level. They are found in a variety of foods such as blueberries, raspberries, elderflower, black soybean, black carrot, red cabbage and grape skins. Products containing anthocyanin usually do not specify which food type has been used, though grape skins could often be the source. However even when the anthocyanin is derived from grape skin, it is permitted.  The prohibition of Stam Yainam applies to wine or grape juice handled by non-Jews but does not apply to the grapes or indeed grape skins.

All plain dried durum wheat pasta and wheat noodles, including pasta containing egg, is permitted. Pasta which is coloured and flavoured with vegetable extracts such as spinach or tomato is also permitted. Black pasta containing squid ink is not kosher. Fresh pasta is not permitted.

Please note that gluten free pasta often contains emulsifiers which could be of animal origin, and thus should only be purchased if rabbinically approved or bearing a hechsher.

All soft drinks are permitted, unless they contain grape juice or non permitted E-numbers. Drinks containing unspecified Fruit Extract or Fruit Sugar should be avoided unless approved, as these could be derived from grape.

Please note smoothies often contain grape juice and thus even varieties not containing grape juice are generally problematic due to shared use of equipment. 

Some brands of Exotic Fruit Juice blends (e.g. Pineapple & Coconut) may contain milk. You are advised to check the ingredients declaration for dairy or grape derived ingredients.

Provided the food is packaged according to the following guidelines issued to KLBD licensed restaurants, then it is fine.

1)   The food container should be placed within a paper or plastic carrier bag which should be folded at the top and taped closed with Restaurant or KLBD tape or labels.

2)   This bag should then be placed within a second plastic carrier bag and once again folded at the top and similarly taped closed.

(If your food does not arrive packaged as described, you are advised to complain to the restaurant and also to notify the KLBD, including full details of the order and delivery, with photos if possible.)

Why are the guidelines necessary?

The requirement to use one bag within another is because of the possibility, when using a service such as Deliveroo, of there being a hot non-kosher meal within the same delivery box. Otherwise a double seal or its equivalent, would be quite sufficient.

Does it have to be taped?

It can be stapled but should also carry a seal with the restaurants tape or label or KLBD label. The label or tape should go over the seal or staple.

My order came with a sticker on the bag but it was not fully closed, is that ok?

The bag needs to have been sealed in a way that if it were tampered with you would notice.

I’ve seen restaurants fold over the top and staple their receipt to it, is that acceptable?

Yes, that would be ok.

If it comes un-taped or only in one bag for example, is your advice not to eat the food?

Provided that the inner bag is sealed and there is no obvious leakage on the packaging, we would allow it.

What are the guidelines for milky deliveries or sushi platters?

The guidelines provided are for meaty, milky or parev.

Generally, all plain nuts are approved and do not require certification. We would not expect a problem with plain roasted nuts provided there are no added ingredients other than vegetable oil and salt. For a list of products which have been checked and formally approved, click here.

The tradition of the London Beth Din is to not permit quail’s eggs. Birds and their eggs can only be eaten when there is a continuous tradition of them being kosher. It is also unclear whether the common translation of the Hebrew word slav is actually the modern day quail.

Flour and rice are less of an issue in the cooler UK climate and therefore do not require checking.

Cereal bars are compressed cereals and other ingredients and therefore are not considered pas at all. They are not bishul akum either because they are a snack food, like crisps, and are not oleh leshulchan melachim.

Due to allergen labelling regulations, you will notice this sort of warning on many kosher Parev products. Companies have to include an allergen warning if there is the slightest risk of cross contamination, even by airborne particles, however from a kashrut perspective this presents no problem. KLBD always takes into account shared use of equipment and clean down procedures when determining the kosher status of a product.

Warning: Products listed as Parev may not be suitable for those with dairy or lactose intolerance.

Eating in anything but a supervised kosher restaurant can be fraught with problems and could even result in non-kosher food being consumed. Even if one were only to order fish, there are of course many varieties of fish that are not kosher. Fish stock made from non kosher fish could also be used to flavour kosher fish. In a regular restaurant it is also not unknown for vegetable soups to be boosted with the chef’s stock or bouillon containing all sorts of non-kosher meat and bones.

Most processed foods and ingredients nowadays contain food chemicals such as emulsifiers E471, glycerol monostearate, calcium stearate, gelatine and many others all of which often have an animal origin. Customers are often unaware of these ingredients which could be used in vegetarian dishes.

Many vegetables also require checking for infestation since their consumption is strictly forbidden according to Torah law. At a kosher restaurant, a kosher supervisor will spend many hours checking all the vegetables used. A non-kosher restaurant may serve the vegetables with much of the insect life still present if not actually alive and kicking!

At both a ‘kosher style’ and vegetarian restaurant the pots and pans being used may well have had non-kosher food cooked in them at some point. A well known principle in Kashrut, borne out by scientific evidence, is that utensils absorb and exude previous substances cooked in them.

A further problem is that ordinary wine, wine vinegar, cheese and cheese derivatives are all strictly prohibited in Rabbinic law. The inclusion of any such items would make a “kosher-style” or vegetarian meal thoroughly non-kosher!

Finally, true kosher cuisine requires Bishul Yisrael – some “Jewish input” to the cooking, for example, that all cooking equipment has been switched on by a Jew. This of course will only happen at a supervised kosher restaurant.

Margarine is only kosher when made under rabbinical supervision. Only supervised brands can be relied upon, as non-supervised brands may contain emulsifiers and other ingredients of animal origin. In addition, they are often produced on equipment used for animal, fish or dairy products.

Due to an industry-wide honey shortage, companies are supplementing regular honey with Honeydew Honey (also referred to as Forest Honey or Pine Honey). Whilst regular honey is produced by bees collecting nectar from flowers, Honeydew honey is made by bees collecting a sweet substance secreted by aphids (tiny insects that live on tree branches). The Kashrut status of such honey is subject to Halachic debate.

Because of this concern, KLBD recommends that honey should only be purchased with a reliable hechsher. 

To check which Honeys are KLBD certified click here.

Requirements for a product to be considered kosher are more stringent than for a product to be classified as vegan. For example, vegan products may contain non-kosher grape juice or there could be shared use of production equipment with non-kosher products.