rials absorbed in the sides of the pot’s walls from previous cooking.)
Equipment using non-kosher materials is defined as non-kosher and
renders anything made in it, on it or with it (i.e. steel prep tables,
utensils and cutlery etc.) as non-kosher as well.
For example, a facility may produce two kosher tomato sauce
recipes, one with meat and one without (pareve). After the meat sauce
is produced, the kettles, pipes and other equipment used in the
“W“When products are certified kosher, they be-
come a magnet to the millions of kosher con-
sumers worldwide who will not and cannot
(especially in a facility that does both
kosher and non-kosher production,
or pareve and dairy). A forged bond
and trust between certified entity and
certifier is especially important in
those “stress moments” of production—such as when you realize that
the kosher production is to be run at
the end of the week and you forgot to
schedule it with the certifier. Or, you
begin production at 5 a.m. and one
ingredient is not on the approved list.
choose any other source but kosher.”
process are categorized as “meat” (standard CIPs may not change
things either). Prior to production of the pareve sauce, a Kosher Sanitation Process (KSP) is conducted. In this, a kosher inspector verifies
the equipment is clean, and in most cases a boiling-water purge is performed. The KSP extracts any residue absorbed during the previous
meat production. This same process separates equipment designated
as non-kosher from kosher as well.
The kosher certification process may sound daunting but it
shouldn’t be; the professional certifier will be able to smooth out any
confusion. After an analysis is made of your facility, a certifier will explain the kosher protocols that need to be instituted in your facility.
Choosing Certifiers
There are hundreds of reputable certifiers worldwide. While there
is no organization such as the USDA or the National Organic Program
for kosher, you can find an international listing of well-respected
kosher certifiers at kosherquest.org, which is run by the Kosher
Information Bureau.
Today, because of the rise of consumers looking for both organic
and kosher goods, there are kosher certifiers who specialize in organic
and natural foods as well as dual kosher-organic certifiers. Because the
organic and kosher application processes have many parallel steps that
can be done simultaneously, this can save time and money. However,
companies may choose to go with separate kosher and organic certifiers because they have a relationship with a particular certifier or
the certifier has been highly recommended, or because the certifier
offers expertise in a certain area.
No matter what, it’s essential to do your homework on a certifier
before settling on one in particular. Do an internet search and talk to
other companies that work with the certifier, or even do a little field
research—talk to some of your friends or co-workers who are kosher
consumers and ask about which certifiers they trust.
Establishing open lines of communication with your certifier is extremely important to your end goal: a smooth and well-run kosher
program. You will be working with your certifier on an ongoing basis
Costs of Kosher Supervision
Each certification company has its
own schedule of fees. While certifiers
may be able to give you an estimate of
costs over the phone, the more complex a product and manufacturing
system is, the more the likelihood the
certifier will need to make an initial
visit.
An initial visit will allow the certifier to evaluate what protocols will be
needed. Will manufacturing equipment need to go through the KSP
process at every production? How
many inspections will there be
throughout the year? Will there be an
initial KSP to “turn” the facility from
kosher to non-kosher? Only after an
analysis of these factors will you get a
clearer picture of the total yearly costs
of certification.
There are a couple different approaches to kosher certification pricing. Some certifiers offer a flat rate
based on the number of inspections
they estimate they will need to do,
while others charge a yearly fee and
then a separate fee for each inspection. One is not necessarily more cost-effective than the other and thus it is
key to do your homework.
With agencies that charge per inspection, facilities that are completely
kosher-certified (and do not need a
kosher inspection at each production
run) may not know the exact costs of
total yearly inspections in advance.
(Remember, a reputable certifier will
not tell you how many visits they will
