Hi -

Someone asked why an item with no milk ingredients on the label would
be listed as dairy by the kosher people.

The answer is twofold.  First of all, there may be hidden ingredients that
contain dairy.  Ie, natural flavors, as discussed previously, may
contain dairy that's not explicitly listed on the label.

Second, the food may have been processed on equipment that also runs
diary food.  The laws of kashrut (koshering) demand that everything a
non-diary food item touches be also non-dairy, and not merely cleansed, but
ritually cleansed.

According to my Lubavitch (VERY orthodox) cookbook, SPICE AND SPIRIT
isbn 0-8266-0238-x) utnsils etc. may be kashered (made kosher for the
appropriate food) by heating the item with a blowtorch, immersing in
boiling water, and of course, reciting the appropriate blessing.  IThere
are more details but my book doesnot go into them.)

Remember that many foods that are completely dairy free will not be
certified kosher because of OTHER ingredients (ie pork or shellfish) or
because the manufacturer didn't go thorugh the process of getting
rabbinical supervision, reciting all the blessings, etc.

I hope this helps.
--Beth Kevles
  [log in to unmask]
  http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic