In a message dated 2/12/99 11:05:38 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< >So it seems to me that the Kosher mark alone is meaningless.

 That's the conclusion I'm coming to.  My understanding is that if there
 is no "modifier", then the default is Parve unless it is OBVIOUSLY dairy
 or meat.  Hence the reason I went on faith that jelly beans would not be
 obviously dairy or meat.  Also, since the chocolates right next to them
 had the Dairy modifier (same company, same Kosher mark) I figured they
 did use it when appropriate.

 My other peeve is that a bunch of things we had been eating (Triscuits,
 Vienna Finger, Hydrox) are now marked Kosher-Dairy although there is no
 change in formula or manufacturing.  What good is it if I still have to
 stand and read the ingredients on every label every time I shop anyway?
  >>

I have done quite a bit of general research into the Kosher labeling and my
conclusions are these (that work for me).  Kosher labeling is done by a large
number of organizations, and some are much more reliable than others.  The OU
is very reliable -- I emailed them and a very nice rabbi explained that the OU
without a modifier is Pareve, but that some food manufacturers don't like
extra words on their products that might confuse people.  The OU people have
an online letter you can subscribe to announcing new kosher products and
alerting people to products falsely or incorrectly labeled.

Beyond that, with experience you find out which ones are reliable as far as
dairy and non dairy.  At our nearby hospital gift shop, I saw carrot cake with
cream cheese icing labeled kosher without the modifying D or Dairy and of
course there was dairy in the ingredients.  That company appears not be be
using the kosher labeling correctly for those living by strict kosher rules.
There are also a lot of products labeled with a plain capital K, and that is
absolutely meaningless -- not officially kosher at all.

And it is ALWAYS important to read the ingredients on every single product one
buys (even each product if you buy more than one of the same), because (1)
recipes can change without notice and (2) kosher labeling can be accidentally
mixed up, e.g. the D is left off of something with dairy.

What good is kosher labeling?  For me, I can read the labels of ONLY those
products marked Kosher non-dairy or kosher pareve, instead of checking every
single product on the shelf.  It does help save time, but I stil have to read
the ingredient labels.

If in doubt, contact the company of the product you are interested in to find
out what organization does their kosher inspections and certifications, then
contact that company to find out exactly what their labeling means.  Or go by
the ingredients only, or don't buy the product if in doubt.  Many products,
like the new Triscuits, are labeled OU-D because their equipment no longer
meets the strict standards of the OU people for no possible contamination with
dairy.  If you aren't that sensitive, then you might call the company that
makes a Kosher-Dairy product that appears to NOT contain dairy and find out if
it's a mistake or due to equipment that isn't strictly dairy, and then make
your own decision about eating it.


Kris