Kosher Professionals

Food Service Hashgacha

There is a common misconception that being a mashgiach in a food service establishment is a simple job, and that the mashgiach in such establishments has minimal responsibilities. In reality, the food service industry, which includes restaurants, caterers, hotels, hospitals, yeshivos and nursing homes, has always been a challenging area for kashrus organizations and the onsite mashgichim that perform the actual supervision. Demands on a food service mashgiach are multiple, unpredictability is the norm, and evaluations have to be executed immediately. To help appreciate the above, I am sharing with the reader some of the intricacies that must be dealt with in a food service establishment.

Salad Days For The OU

A survey of the challenges and opportunities for the Kosher supervision of salad dressings.

“Korn” Syrup And The Real Thing

The inside story of sugar and other sweeteners from the Kosher perspective.

Carnauba: The Wax Which Does Not Wane

The manufacture of Carnauba Wax and its role in different industries.

Just Another Eggsample

Possible Kosher Concerns with Raw Eggs

Fatty Thoughts

An introduction to fatty acids and their role in food manufacture.

What Could Be Wrong With…Gum Arabic

Potential Kosher issues with Gum Arabic

Food Ingredients Label: A Primer on Regulations

Should salmon raised on feed that artificially keeps its flesh pink be labeled as containing “color additives”? That question is the subject of a class action lawsuit in Seattle against major supermarkets there. It is one of a number of lawsuits brewing across the country that center on food labeling, and it brings into focus […]

Starch

A discussion of how changes in food production caused some ingredients to no longer be inherently kosher.

Vanilla

An exploration of the vanilla industry and its implications for Kosher.