KOSHER: Certification

Products that have been certified as kosher are labeled with kosher symbols. Kosher symbols are registered trademarks of kosher certification organizations ("vaad haboronim," "poskim"), and cannot be placed on a food label without the organization's permission.


Kosher, HALAL and American Law

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

In the U.S., there can be no legal definition of kosher or halal, therefore, no legal mechanisms to regulate the standards used by food manufacturers. Legally, manufacturers can use either word on product labeling. They can call their products 'kosher' or 'halal' simply if they believe that their food meets these standards. This practice of labeling a food or ingredient like gelatin as 'kosher' is effective in attracting a significant portion of the "kosher consumer" most of whom are Muslims.

-- Read more about U.S. Laws concerning halal and kosher foods here. --


'K': Stay Away
A single 'K' is sometimes used as a symbol for kosher, but as a letter, it cannot be trademarked (the method by which other symbols are protected from misuse). In many countries, it only indicates that the company producing the food claims it is kosher. 'K' is often used by manufacturers to attract kosher consumers when the product cannot be certified by a rabbinical certification agency.

Guide to Kosher Food Symbols
Different kosher certifying agencies tend to follow different kosher certification standards, some more strict and others more lenient. This is because in interpreting ancient dietary laws and adapting them to modern technology, different rabbis have different views about what exactly passes as kosher. 

This guide identifies the kosher certifying agencies behind the most commonly used kosher symbols in the United States, Europe and Asia. More information about each agency, and the kosher standards it maintains, can be found on each agency's web site.

[ Our Guide to Halal Certified Food Symbols ]

Major Kosher Certification Agencies in North America
SYMBOL		RABBINIC AUTHORITY	DENOMINATION	CITY, COUNTRY
	OU	Union of Orthodox Congregations ("Orthodox Union")	Orthodox	New York, U.S.
	The OU certifies over 2300 companies with 4500 plants in 70 countries with a total of over 300,000 labels. www.oukosher.org
	CRC	Chicago Rabbinical Council	Orthodox	Chicago, U.S.
	cRc is the largest regional, not-for-profit, Orthodox organization in North America. It works with close to 800 food companies in North and South America, Europe and Asia. www.crcweb.org
	KOF-K	KOF-K Kosher Supervision	Orthodox	Teaneck, NJ, U.S.
	The KOF-K symbol is the internationally recognized trademark of KOF-K Kosher Supervision, one of the foremost kosher certification agencies in the United States. www.kof-k.org
	Triangle-K	Triangle-K and Associates, Inc.	Orthodox	New York, U.S.
	Triangle-K certification is awarded by a consortium of Orthodox Jewish rabbis who desire to see as wide a range of food products as possible made available to kosher consumers worldwide. www.trianglek.org/
	Star-K	Star-K Kosher Certification Agency Vaad Hakashrut of Baltimore	Orthodox	Baltimore, MD, U.S.
	Star-K Kosher Certification Agency provides kosher supervision globally. The Star-K kosher symbol is regarded as being in the top tier of strictness and quality. www.star-k.org
	Star-D	Star-D Kosher Certification Agency	Orthodox	Baltimore, MD, U.S.
	Star-D Kosher Certification Agency is affiliated with Star-K, but certifies only dairy products.
	OK	The Organized Kashrus Laboratories	Orthodox	New York, U.S.
	Operating on six continents and supported by more than 350 of the world’s leading kosher experts, the OK certifies more than 114,000 products, produced by over 1,500 companies. www.ok.org
	COR	Kashruth Council of Canada	Orthodox	Toronto, Canada
	The Kashruth Council of Canada guides the observance of kosher dietary laws in Canada. More than 45,000 products carry the COR symbol of kashruth certification. www.cor.ca
Regional Kosher Certification Agencies in North America
	ARK	The Association for Reliable Kashrus		Lawrence, NY, U.S.
	AKC	Atlanta Kashrus Commission		Atlanta, GA, U.S.
		Badatz Mehadrin
	CRC	Beth Din Hameyuchud LInyonei Kashrus of the Central Rabbinical Congress (Hishachdus Horabbonim)		New York, U.S.
	CHK	Beis Din of Crown Heights (Vaad Hakashrus)		New York, U.S.
	California K	California K Igud Hakashrus of Los Angeles (Kehillah Kosher)		Los Angeles, U.S.
	CKU	Certified Kosher Underwriters		New York, U.S.
		Communidade Ortodoxa Israelita Kehillas Hachareidim Departmento de Kashrus	Orthodox	Brazil
	K-COR	Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit	Orthodox	Southfield, MI, U.S.
		Dallas Kosher (Vaad Hakashrus of Dallas)		Dallas, TX, U.S.
		Debracin		New York, U.S.
	Florida K	Florida K and Florida Kashrus Services		Maitland, FL, U.S.
	Texas "K"	International Kosher Supervision
	J.S.O.R.	Jersey Shore Orthodox Rabbinate	Orthodox	Deal, NJ, U.S.
		Kashrus Council of Lakewood N.J.		Lakewood, NJ, U.S.
		Khal Adath Jeshurun
		K’hal Chizuk Hadas of Flatbush		New York, U.S.
	K-WI	Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin		Milwaukee, WI, U.S.
		Montreal Vaad Hair		Montreal, QC, Canada
	NK	National Kashrus		Monsey, NY, U.S.
	BC Kosher, BC-K	Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia	Orthodox	Vancouver, Canada
		Orthodox Vaad of Philadelphia	Orthodox	Philadelphia, PA, U.S.
		Rabbi Nuchem Efraim Teitelbaum (Volover Rav)		New York, U.S.
	RCC	Rabbinical Council of California		Los Angeles, U.S.
	Scroll K	Scroll K / Vaad Hakashrus of Denver		Denver, CO, U.S.
	ORB	South Palm Beach Vaad		Hollywood, FL, U.S.
		United Mehadrin Kosher		St. Paul, MN, U.S.
		Vaad Hakashrus of K’hal Machzikei Hadas of Belz		New York, U.S.
		Vaad Harabanim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway		Cedarhurst, NY, U.S.
		Vaad Harabanim of Flatbush		New York, U.S.
	VHM	Vaad Harabonim (Vaad Hakashrus) of Massachusetts		Boston, MA, U.S.
		Vaad Harabanim of Greater Seattle		Seattle, WA, U.S.
		Vaad of Lancaster / Cong. Degel Israel		Lancaster, PA, U.S.
	K-W	Young Israel of West Hempstead		West Hempstead, NY, U.S.

Some Terms you might see on Foods Bearing Kosher SymbolS

Cholov Yisroel חלב ישראל		Refers to all dairy products, including cheese and non-fat dry milk powder, which have been under the supervision of a Jew.
D, Dairy	Dairy	Indicates products containing dairy or dairy derivatives.
DE	Dairy Equipment	Indicates that the product is intrinsically Parve but is prepared on Dairy equipment. This product may be served and eaten before or after, but not together with, meat.
D-P	Dairy-Passover	Indicates a dairy product which is kosher for Passover and all year round.
F	Fish	Indicates the product is kosher and contains fish ingredients.
F-P	Fish-Passover	Indicates a fish product which is kosher for Passover and all year round.
Glatt, Meat, M, גלאַט	Meat	Indicates products containing meat or meat derivatives. "Glatt" literally means "smooth", referring to the smooth lung tissue of an animal free from disease.
Glatt-P	Meat-Passover	Indicate a meat product which is kosher for Passover and all year round.
Kosher for Passover		Indicates products certified Kosher for Passover.
ME	Meat Equipment	Indicates that the product is intrinsically Parve but is prepared on Meat equipment. This product may be served and eaten before or after but not together with dairy.
P, Pareve, Parev, Parve	Parve	Products completely void of all milk and meat in any form.
Pas Yisrael		Jewish baked goods
Yashan		Not from current grain crop

Related Topics:
Halal Certification Symbols
Halal, Kosher: A comparison
Market for Halal Products & the Muslim Consumer