New York, NY – Passover Paradox Why So Much Kosher?

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    Rabbi Mutty Grunberg from the OU Mashgiach at a Chinese food factoryNew York, NY – There are 1 million observant U.S. Jews, yet some 45 percent of foods sold at Passover are kosher — a phenomenon U.S. researchers call the “Passover paradox.”

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    An article published in the Chemical & Engineering News says the number of kosher products on U.S. supermarket shelves grew from 3,000 in 1970 to more than 70,000 today.

    Senior editor Bethany Halford says kosher products meet the strict dietary and preparation standards set by Jewish law — a rabbi must know everything that goes into a product to certify it kosher, down to the individual molecules that make up various foods.

    “When there are so many ingredients, obviously just ascertaining the knowledge of which ingredients are kosher and which are not kosher is a massive undertaking,” Rabbi Don Yoel Levy, chief executive officer of OK Kosher Certification, tells Chemical & Engineering News.

    OK Kosher Certification certifies 114,000 products, including more than 10,000 flavorings.

    The article suggests the kosher certification may be attractive to vegans and vegetarians, who do not want to eat animal-based products, as well as to Muslims because kosher food is pork free.


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    26 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The commercialisation of Passover

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    “a rabbi must know everything that goes into a product to certify it kosher, down to the individual molecules that make up various foods”

    That is why it is so important that a mashgiach dealing with processed foods should be either an engineer or biologist or some related advanced degree in food science.
    Simply having semicha from some yeshiva without spcialized advanced degree is no longer sufficient

    genius
    genius
    13 years ago

    There are many Non-observant jews how buy kosher for passover food.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Many people are intolerant to gluten and stock up for the whole year on KFP products, usually made with potato starch.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Lots of people, Jewish or not, stock up on the kosher le’pesach Coca Cola.

    Nebach
    Nebach
    13 years ago

    Good luck to #5 on your exam. I hope you don’t have to spell the word “tomorrow” in order to pass.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Having a mashgiach only increases the probability that the food is kosher. There is NO GUARANTEE. People cheat — Suppliers lie.

    heshy
    heshy
    13 years ago

    “There are 1 million observant U.S. Jews, yet some 45 percent of foods sold at Passover are kosher — a phenomenon U.S. researchers call the “Passover paradox.” ” ??????

    Does that mean that 45% of a supermarket’s sales in Missouri can be eaten by an observant Jew? 45% of what?

    kosher_girl
    kosher_girl
    13 years ago

    To #5 , I’m glad the test was easy. I probably would have answered the Nebach (#13) in not a nice way, but you’re a mentsch with a great sense of humor! Hatzlacha and Gut Shabbos!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    It used to be that if a product was certified as pareve and didn’t contain eggs or fish it could be trusted to be vegan. Now the OU certifies Kolatin, which contains gelatin from the skins of kosher cows as being pareve. I don’t understand this.

    Are the kosher certifying agencies branching out into vegan, vegetarian, and perhaps organic certification? I was amused to find out that Listerine is not only certified as being kosher, but is certified as being pareve pareve, however it is kitniyos(corn alcohol) so Ashkenazim shouldn’t drink it on Pesach. LOL!(No one shouled ever swallow Listerine!)