Overview of Kosher (Jewish) Confectionery 1 - Kosher Issues Arising from Candy Ingredients

Everyone loves eating candy, but most of us do not regard candy as a food. Because candy is a completely artificial food, the other ingredients it contains raise many Kosher issues.

Why does candy need Kosher certification?

Most processed foods go through many steps on their journey from primary product to market. The tankers that initially transport raw materials may have problems. Tankers are used to transport both Kosher and non-Kosher products and may not be adequately cleaned between uses. In addition, production lines need to be properly cleaned, because many factories produce both Kosher and non-Kosher products on the same equipment. Even if all the products made by a food factory are Kosher, dairy and pareve products (Jewish foods containing no meat or dairy) may be processed on the same equipment.

Kosher issues arising from ingredients in candy:

1. Fats

Reading the ingredient label of a processed product can determine that some ingredients are non-Kosher, but cannot confirm that certain ingredients are Kosher. Many chemicals used in the food processing industry, especially in candy, are derived from, or at least partly from, fats, animals, or plants. However, the ingredient label may not tell you this fact. For example, magnesium stearate or calcium stearate is used in the production of block candy to prevent the product from sticking and clumping. Their sources are animals and vegetables. Stearic acid is also used as a lubricant, dispersant, and anti-caking agent, forming a coating on the surface of candy blocks, and is also used in the production of glycerides and polysorbates.

In addition, mono- and diglycerides are used as emulsifiers in many foods to prevent bread from staling and to reduce the stickiness of convenience foods such as pasta, cereals, and dehydrated potatoes; they may also come from animal sources. Glycerin may be extracted from fats or oils, may come from animal or plant sources, and may also be extracted from petrochemical products.

2. Flavors and fragrances

In foods, especially candy, some essential ingredients may be non-Kosher. Many candies contain artificial or natural flavors. Because flavors provide indispensable taste, they cannot be ignored using the one-sixtieth rule. The one-sixtieth rule derives from the idea that if a product contains 1/60 of a non-Kosher substance, it will not affect the product's Kosher status.

Some important compounds used in the flavor and fragrance industry are inherently non-Kosher but can be listed in the ingredient list as "natural flavors." For example, civet comes from the Ethiopian cat, musk comes from cattle, castoreum comes from beavers, and ambergris comes from whales. These are all natural but not Kosher. Cognac oil and fusel oil from wine, derived from wine and other grape derivatives, are also widely used in the flavor and fragrance industry, especially in chocolate. The flavor and fragrance workshop mixes many compounds together to achieve the effect they or their clients want. Pepsin comes from the digestive juices of pigs and cattle and is used as a flavoring agent in chewing gum.

3. Food coloring

Food coloring has become a major Kosher issue in the food industry, especially in the candy industry. Factories are trying to abandon F.D.&C. Red #40 and other artificial colors that have been proven to be carcinogens, which are expected to be banned like F.D.&C. Red #3. Companies are also trying to avoid artificial colors because consumers consider natural colors better than artificial ones. FDA regulations state that "food additives and color additives need to be listed as ingredient information... flavors, fragrances, and colors may contain special materials that cannot be named, but any artificial colors and flavors, as well as certain coal-tar colors, must be named with a clear name."

Unfortunately, the best red dye that can replace artificial colors is carmine. Carmine is extracted from the dried bodies of female cochineal insects, which parasitize cactus plants and are found in South America and the Canary Islands. Carmine is an extremely stable red dye used in many types of products, including soft drinks and soft mixed drinks, as well as fillings, icing, fruit syrups (especially cherry), yogurt, ice cream, baked goods, jelly, chewing gum, and junket.

Kosher (Jewish)-source colorants may use non-Kosher mono-glycerides or propylene glycol during processing to improve their function. Because these additives are considered processing aids, they do not need to be listed on the label. Grape juice or grape skin extract is also used in beverages to provide red to purple coloring.