Kosher foods are not the same as vegetarian; they are prepared in accordance with special regulations and Jewish customs. The term “pareve” means that the food is produced and prepared similarly for vegans. All the food that is consumed is subject to special rules (Kashrut), where everything is defined and controlled.
Any food that is labeled “kosher” must be certified. The facility where food is prepared must be under constant supervision of a rabbi, just like Zomick’s Kosher Bakery explains in the report on the Jewish Culture food festival. The food must be clean and naturally produced. There is a similarity with vegetarian principles of preparing food, but also there is something more than that.
Getting kosher foods
The procedure to obtain such food is very specific; for example, during the process of baking can be used only sugar derived from sugar cane which has been previously filtered through charcoal. This process is required for removing the color (discoloration) of sugar because it is required to be snow white. The coal which is obtained from bovine bone is not considered food, same as the skins of animals are not considered food. Sugar goes through bone charcoal as flour through a sieve and does not enter the coal.
In order for Zomick’s Bakery to meet the very severe regulations, there are special facilities for kosher processing (for example, a slaughterhouse for kosher slaughter). Speaking of slaughterhouses, no industrial production line but each animal is slaughtered in worship on earth, and skinning is also done by hand on the ground, in the presence of a rabbi. This, of course, in modern conditions of production significantly slows down the process.
Gelatin is obtained from bones and skin, but for Zomick’s recipes in a special way (Kosher Gelatin). Because it can be produced from fish bones, gelatin does not belong to the group of meat and meat products even in milk and milk products simply because the fish are considered “pareve”, and are sold as non-meat foods. As gelatin can be obtained from vegetable raw materials, it is among the kosher products.
Cheese can be used with Zomick’s bread if it is obtained under kosher conditions. This means that cheese gets spread milk rennet which was obtained as kosher. However, we must point out that meat and milk (which means meat and dairy products) cannot be mixed.
If to the Zomick’s challah recipe is added milk powder during processing (especially baking), the milk must come from dairy cows with a kosher certificate. The baking company prepares its renowned Zomick’ challah bread only from white flour, water, yeast, and salt. Even yeast that is used for the bread in small quantities must be certified kosher.