WHAT MAKES A PRODUCT KOSHER?
Kosher standards are rooted in Jewish law, found in the biblical books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. These standards stem from a commitment to maintain cleanliness and discipline in consuming only foods considered clean according to Jewish dietary laws. Being kosher goes beyond a simple blessing from a rabbi; it involves a more intricate process, including professional kosher supervision at all stages of production, handling, and labeling.
The Hebrew term “kosher” translates to “right” or “proper.” Kosher foods fall into three main categories: meat (fleishig), dairy (milchig), and pareve (neutral). Each category has specific rules governing its handling and consumption. Nevertheless, any product labeled as kosher indicates that it meets the basic food product standards set by Jewish dietary law.
The kosher laws are diverse and intricate, especially concerning the suitability of animal-based products for human consumption. When it comes to flavor chemicals used in foods, it becomes crucial to ensure that they are free from any animal-based ingredients or starting materials. This can present challenges in producing kosher-certified chemicals since many food-starting materials are derived from animals. For instance, glycerin, oleic acid, and stearic acid are often sourced from animal-based components. Additionally, modern food ingredient chemicals produced via fermentation may involve animal-derived products like beef extract and peptones.
Secondly, kosher classifies all foods into three types: meat, dairy, and pareve (neutral). Pareve refers to foods that neither contain any meat nor dairy derivatives and have not been cooked or mixed with meat or dairy. Thirdly, in the context of bubble tea, only fruit teas can meet the requirements of kosher. According to kosher laws, some rules prohibit consuming different foods on the same day; therefore, fruit teas without milk would be more compliant with kosher standards. However, there are also specific requirements for fruit teas: they must consist of pure fresh fruits, not frozen ones, as the additives in frozen fruits may not align with kosher guidelines. Additionally, the ingredients in fruit teas should be simple, ideally comprising only fruits, tea, and sugar. A common recipe includes fresh fruits combined with jasmine green tea or four seasons oolong tea. Thus, consuming a pure fruit bubble tea can fully meet kosher requirements.
Fourthly, if you seek kosher products, it’s best to connect with tea factories like ours, as only factories undergo kosher certification and provide materials that comply with kosher standards.