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From: ayf@erc3ba.UUCP (A.Y.Feldblum)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Caviar oil in kosher salad dressing
Message-ID: <162@erc3ba.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Nov-85 11:59:43 EST
Article-I.D.: erc3ba.162
Posted: Thu Nov  7 11:59:43 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 08:50:29 EST
References: <1267@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Engineering Research Center   Princeton, NJ
Lines: 54


The issue of Kosher or not is what the presence of the symbol of the
rabbinic supervisory organization ( the Union of Orthodox Rabbis in this
particular case) on the product addresses. The symbol says that there
are no nonkosher elements in the product, and there are no problems in
it's manufacture. The next issue is how you, as a consumer, will use the
product. Since it is not permitted to eat meat and dairy together,
products may often have the words {meat, dairy, pareve (neither meat nor
dairy) } on them to let you know with what other things they may be
used. (The UO will sometimes include the letter 'D' to indicate that
something is dairy.) However this is not always done, and it is a good
habit to read the ingredients label to check.

The issue of fish is different. Eating meat and dairy together is a
problem in the laws of Kosher. Fish is pareve and may, with regard to
the laws of Kosher, be eaten with either meat or dairy. As such, items
containing fish are not marked as such. Those who do not eat meat and
fish together, base it on a question of health. The Talmud states that
eating meat and fish together can lead to danger. I have not come
across any authority that extends this danger to fish oils, and to
products that contain some amount of fish oil or by-products. As to
whether there is any such danger in eating fish and dairy, the majority
of the opinions are that there is no danger. There is one major
authority who seems to say that there is, and he quotes someone else as
his source, who does not say that, and the consenses is that an error
crept in here somewhere. There are few however who do extend it. (I'll
recheck and post the details later on). 

I guess the conclusion is that the supervisory organizations tell you
that the product is kosher and "may" tell you if it is dairy, meat or
pareve, but the use of the product in any given meal is your
responsibility.

Avi Feldblum
AT&T Tech - ERC
uucp: {allegra, ihnp4}!pruxc!ayf  or
		      !erc3ba!ayf

> 
>     	While I was eating dinner last night I idly picked up the 
>         bottle of salad dressing and began to read the label. I was 
>         surprised to see one of the ingredients was caviar oil, 
>         especially since there is a "U" on the label. This doesn't 
>         particularly bother me, but many of my Lubovitch friends will 
>         serve fish with separate plates and silverware. They then 
>         clear the table and set it for meat or dairy as appropriate.
>     
>     	Knowing that some people keep fish separate from meat and 
>         dairy, how can the manufacturer of the salad dressing put a 
>         "U" on the label. The brand in question is Ken's Steak House 
>         salad dressing. It may be a local brand.
>     
>     	               Regards,
>     	                      Fred