What Are The Kosher Food Laws?

Whether you know a lot about kosher foods or you know just a little it is likely that you have heard of the Jewish laws surrounding kosher foods.  These Jewish laws are often referred to as kashrus or the Jewish dietary laws.  The laws are in place to help individuals understand the difference between kosher foods and non-kosher foods.  Many individuals unfamiliar with kosher food consumption or who are interested in following the laws wonder exactly what they are.

One of the most well-known types of kosher food laws concerns the consumption and definition of kosher foods.  These laws detail exactly which type of animal can be used to make kosher food.  Outlined in each law are requirements that must be met by a specific animal for their meat or other derived food products to be considered kosher.

There are certain animals whose meat is not considered kosher food. This is because they do not meet the eligibility requirements.  The requirements include the chewing of cud and spilt hooves.  Animals that do not have spilt hooves or chews their own cud are not considered part of a kosher diet.  Milk and other dairy products are only considered kosher if they come from a kosher animal.  These animals include goats, sheep, antelope, cows, and deer.

In addition to traditional animal meat, there are restrictions when it comes to birds.  Meat and other products, such as eggs, are not considered kosher if they come from non-kosher birds. The slaughter of the birds is often taken into consideration when deeming a specific bird kosher or not.  Domestic duck, domestic geese, and chicken are the most commonly consumed kosher birds.

A trained professional must perform or oversee the slaughtering of all animals.  Slaughtering that is not performed by a professional is automatically disqualified as kosher food.  This process is in place to ensure that kosher food eaters are eating food from an animal that was properly clean and inspected.

In addition to what qualifies as kosher food, there are also kosher food laws that prohibit the consumption of meat and dairy products together.  It states that the items cannot be eaten together in one meal.  There are also laws in place that require separate cooking equipment to be used to prepare meat and dairy products.  Jewish homes are encouraged to have separate pots, pans, and eating utensils for meat and dairy products.

There are also kosher food laws in place that restrict the kosher foods that can be eaten during Passover.  Items that contain a leavening agent are not allowed to be eaten during Passover.  A leavening agent is what causes many food products to rise when heated.  Items that are considered leavened products include wheat, barley, oats, and rye.

The above mentioned kosher food laws are just a few of many.  If your family is interested in adapting and following this Jewish tradition then you are encouraged to learn more about kosher foods and the kosher food laws.  This can be done by obtaining a list of kosher foods and by researching all kosher food laws.  Knowing what is required of you is the best way to follow a kosher food diet the correct way.