“You Are What You Eat” — But Do You Really Know What’s Inside?
“You are what you eat.” This may be fine if you know exactly what you’re eating and all the ingredients are straightforward. For the kosher consumer, however, the situation is very different. Many people would be surprised if they knew what they were really eating.
Hidden Ingredients in Food
Most mystery ingredients fall under the category of food additives. Long ago, the FDA established laws allowing certain amounts of contaminants in government-approved foods.
- Frozen broccoli: Legally permitted to contain up to 60 aphids, thrips, or mites.
- Shellac (resinous glaze): A shiny coating derived from the female lac insect, commonly used on candies and other foods.
These examples show how little the public often knows about the source and origin of many additives. Reb Moshe Feinstein wrote a Teshuva (responsum) about ways some additives might be made acceptable.
Colorings and Flavorings
- Carmine (Red Dye 4, cochineal): Derived from crushed cochineal bugs; still used in products like fruit cocktails to keep cherries red. Some companies have pledged to stop using it.
- “Natural flavorings” can mask non-kosher origins:
- Ambergris — derived from sperm whales; used in perfumes, cocktails, and medicines.
- Civet absolute — from civet cat scent glands; appears in frozen dairy desserts, baked goods, candies, puddings, and gelatins.
These additives are technically “natural,” but they are not kosher.
What Might Be in a Simple Breakfast?
A breakfast of coffee, tomato juice, cereal, and toast could legally include:
- Tomato juice: Up to 10 fly eggs per 100 grams.
- Cereal: Up to 9 mg of rodent excreta and 50 insect fragments per 50 grams.
- Non-dairy creamer: May contain casein, a milk-derived product.
- “Natural or artificial flavorings”: Could come from hundreds of sources — animal, vegetable, or synthetic.
Health Risks and Allergies
For some, hidden ingredients are not just unpleasant — they can be life-threatening.
- Non-dairy creamers and dessert toppings often list casein (milk-derived).
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein in tuna is sometimes derived from whey (dairy).
A person with severe dairy allergies could unknowingly consume these products and suffer a dangerous reaction.
The Role of Proper Supervision
The best safeguard is kosher supervision (Hechsherim). Before certifying a product, agencies check ingredients, sources, and equipment:
- If a product contains dairy derivatives, labels carry a “D”.
- If produced on dairy machinery, labels may say “DE” (Dairy Equipment).
Real-world example: A seemingly harmless can of tuna once threatened the life of a 3-year-old who was highly allergic to dairy. The parents didn’t realize the tuna contained a dairy-based ingredient. Recognizing the small letter “D” could have prevented the near-tragedy.
A Model for Full Disclosure
Today, many recognize that kosher supervision often provides more reliable disclosure than standard labeling. As ingredients grow more complex, the FDA and manufacturers could learn from the kosher supervisory system, which verifies every ingredient and its source — and the equipment used.
Bottom line: Ingredient lists aren’t enough. Learning kosher symbols — and how to interpret them — helps consumers make safer, healthier choices.
