Kosher: A Faithful Food or Faulty Fad?
Many that practice the Jewish faith adhere to the Kosher certified food label, which has been developed to match the diet prescribed by their holy book, the Torah. This means no meat from hogs, rabbits, catfish, sturgeons, or shellfish, and meat and dairy can’t be consumed at the same time. There should be no blood in the meat and no insects in the fruits or vegetables. Muslims and Seventh Day Adventists follow similar eating habits, and so many of those people seek out Kosher, as well. To be certified as a Kosher product, the food has to have been produced under a rabbi’s supervision.
However, in the past decade, it has become popular for even non-Jews to search out the Kosher label, because some consumers see the food as “purer” and free from contaminants. Today, more people buy Kosher products because they believe the food is higher quality than those who seek it out because of their religion.
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Photo from www.apples4theteacher.com
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In fact, Kosher Certified foods experienced a 64% boost in sales from 2003-2008. Timothy D. Lytton, an author of a book about Kosher foods, reported that only 8% of people who shop by the label are Jewish. Deborah Kotz, a media contact for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), believes closer to 20% of Jews are the Kosher clientele, but she reported that sales of products with the label are growing 20% every year.
But is Kosher really all it’s cracked up to be?
One claim about Kosher meat is that it’s safer from E. Coli and Salmonella because processers salt the carcasses to sanitize them. Although salt does have some antibacterial capabilities, studies show that Kosher meats are not safer from contaminants:
Temperature Abuse. Journal of Food Protection: February 2009, Vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 304-314.
of Antibiotic-resistant E. Coli in Retail Chicken: Comparing Conventional, Organic, Kosher, and Raised without
Antibiotics."F1000Research. F1000Research, 2013. Web. 30 July 2017.
Poultry Science | Oxford Academic." OUP Academic. Oxford University Press, 01 Jan. 2010. Web. 30 July 2017.
But is Kosher really all it’s cracked up to be?
One claim about Kosher meat is that it’s safer from E. Coli and Salmonella because processers salt the carcasses to sanitize them. Although salt does have some antibacterial capabilities, studies show that Kosher meats are not safer from contaminants:
- “It was concluded that the tertiary model provided valid predictions for survival and growth of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 from a low initial dose on both nonkosher and kosher chicken skin with native flora.”
Temperature Abuse. Journal of Food Protection: February 2009, Vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 304-314.
- “Kosher chicken had the highest frequency of antibiotic-resistant E. coli, nearly twice that of conventional products, a result that belies the historical roots of kosher as a means to ensure food safety.”
of Antibiotic-resistant E. Coli in Retail Chicken: Comparing Conventional, Organic, Kosher, and Raised without
Antibiotics."F1000Research. F1000Research, 2013. Web. 30 July 2017.
- “Klinger et al. (1981) [a study reviewed by the researchers] found no difference in numbers of aerobic bacteria or Enterobacteriaceae from 5 sites sampled on kosher-processed broilers.”
Poultry Science | Oxford Academic." OUP Academic. Oxford University Press, 01 Jan. 2010. Web. 30 July 2017.
In terms of ethics, here is a quote from an Elsevier report that I found very interesting: “The practice has pitched the proponents and opponents of stunning [livestock animals before slaughter] into a dogmatic argument that is surreptitiously turning into a human versus animal rights and/or religion versus science public debate. This detracts from the main issue of the ethical, sustainable and humane production of wholesome meat for its tumultuous lovers around the globe.”
There are many who have criticized Kosher plants for disregarding animal welfare. According to the Jewish faith, they cannot eat products from animals whose bones were broken or muscles or organs damaged. Of course, the way that most cattle are stunned in the developed world is with a captive bolt gun, which penetrates the skull and disables the brain so that the animal is unconscious but its heart is still beating. |
Photo from www.eurojewcong.org/
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Because this is not acceptable under Kosher, different methods have to be used. Although gassing and electrical stunning may work for swine and poultry, cattle are much bigger and have very different body types. For plants that don’t use the captive bolt gun, risk of suffering before death becomes drastically more likely. I struggled to find objective material about the welfare of animals slaughtered in Kosher plants, but consumers should undoubtedly be aware of this controversy.
However, as it stands, the Kosher label is certainly not a bad one, and I definitely wouldn’t categorize it with the misleading labels I’ve discussed so far in this series. For Jews, the peace of mind that could come from knowing every bite was developed under the supervision of a rabbi must be priceless. Still, as with any type of food, it’s just as important to look beyond the Kosher label. Consumers should see for themselves how the animals are raised, crops are cultivated, and products are processed. Don’t rely on the media or even the synagogue to tell you your food is safe or adequate for your beliefs; go visit the farms and decide for yourself.
However, as it stands, the Kosher label is certainly not a bad one, and I definitely wouldn’t categorize it with the misleading labels I’ve discussed so far in this series. For Jews, the peace of mind that could come from knowing every bite was developed under the supervision of a rabbi must be priceless. Still, as with any type of food, it’s just as important to look beyond the Kosher label. Consumers should see for themselves how the animals are raised, crops are cultivated, and products are processed. Don’t rely on the media or even the synagogue to tell you your food is safe or adequate for your beliefs; go visit the farms and decide for yourself.