From: "Darlene Vanasco" <[log in to unmask]>

> Here is the question I posed to another list I am on:
> "Are kosher dill pickles really kosher?
> Can a company use the word kosher as a *style* without
> it REALLY being kosher?"
> 
> Answer:
> Not in New York State, where there is a Kosher Law.
> Foods labeled kosher in New York must be kosher and
> there's a state department that follows up.  See http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/KO/KOHome.html

I think that everybody on this list should familiarize themselves with the aspects of kashrut pertaining to dairy-avoidance.

Begging the pardon of those already familiar with the subject, I'd like to reiterate the following:

1) Kashrut is a religious, not dietary, issue.
2) A "hechsher" is given -- and supervised by -- agencies.
3) Different markings may mean different things.

Now, an explanation:

The relevant issue of Kashrut is that it forbids eating meat and dairy together.
Thus, kosher food is marked as such and, where an ambiguity may exist, qualified as meat, dairy or neither (parve/pareveh/...)
However, there are complications:
- The word "kosher" cannot be trademarked so, NY laws notwithstanding, you cannot assume the product is kosher "because it says so".
- According to the Halacha (Jewish religious law), in certain cases, small amounts of diary ingredients may be "nullified" and the food considered parve.
Therefore, one should check the *symbol* to find which agency provides the kashrut supervision and what are its policies.

I found lists of symbols and agencies here:
   http://www.kashrut.com/agencies/
   http://www.kosherquest.org/html/Reliable_Kosher_Symbols.htm
The addition of the letters "D" (dairy) or "DE" (dairy equipement) to the symbol means that the product does (or may) contain dairy ingredients.

The policies of individual agencies can be found on the net or by calling/writing them.
For example, the site of OU (http://www.ou.org/kosher/dairy.htm) says:
"It is important to note that dairy ingredients or dairy residual material often are present in products at very low levels. According to halachah, a dairy component which is less than one part in sixty may be "botel" (nullified). Nonetheless, as a matter of policy, the OU will not imply a product is pareve by printing an OU without a "D" on the label, even though the dairy component is at trace level."

I think that Star-K adopts similar policies.  Other agencies may differ.
When in doubt, read the igredient list!

Here's something I found on the net (http://www.kashrut.org/forum/viewpost.asp?mid=1556):
"Whey starts off as a very bitter substance. We actually tasted whey in powder 
form, which we received from one of the companies we provide a hecsher to.
Even if through processing, the whey is rendered neutral in taste, it still is 
not a milichic problem. The reason is that according to Halacha something that 
is bitter or that has no taste is considered Pogum (not fit to eat by itself) 
and is Botel in whatever it's mixed into. You only need Rov (a Majority) not 60 
parts to effect the Bitul.
This is why Rabbi Abadi considers whey, Pareve."

Also, Kosher markings, just like ingredient lists, may contain errors.
for examples see:
   http://www.capitolk.org/kashrusalerts.html
   http://www.kashrut.com/Alerts

HTH,
Alex.