Kosher Updates and Products

Ingredients & Additives — What “Natural Flavoring” May Be Hiding

Many ingredients are hidden by manufacturers through legal loopholes. “Natural flavoring” may simply mean a product tastes like the original source. “Artificial flavoring” often means it is not the way HKBH made it—hence, artificial. Grape juice used for flavoring or sweetening is often hidden inside a label’s “natural flavors.”

(Continued from last week)

Main Ideas

“Natural flavors” can conceal animal-, dairy-, or grape-derived ingredients.
Some additives are kosher and pareve (sometimes needing supervision), while others are not kosher.
Always check ingredient sources and look for reliable kosher supervision on processed foods.

INGREDIENTS & ADDITIVES (many listed simply as “Natural Flavoring”)

Acetic Acid — Source: plant juices, milk, oil, petroleum, sometimes muscles; final product of many aerobic fermentations. Status: when from petroleum, kosher, pareve (with supervision).
Agar Agar — Source: seaweed. Use: substitute for gelatin (in creams and confectionery). Status: kosher, pareve.
Albumin — Sources: blood (serum albumin), milk (dairy), eggs. Use: coagulant and stiffener in baked goods. Status: requires supervision.
Alginate — Source: seaweed. Forms: calcium alginate, alginic acid, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate. Uses: thickener/stabilizer in pastry, jelly, ice cream, cheese, candy, yogurt, canned frosting, whipped cream, beer. Status: kosher, pareve.
Alginic Acid — See: alginate.
Alpha Amylase — Source: hog pancreas. Use: in flour (breaks down starches) and in medications. Status: not kosher.
Alum (Aluminum Sulfate) — Source: earth; also called cake alum/patent alum. Use: clarifying oils and fats. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Ambergris — Source: whale intestine. Use: flavoring; also in perfume. Status: not kosher.
Anise — Source: fruit of an herb (parsley family). Use: flavoring foods and beverages. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Argol — Source: sediment in wine casks during fermentation/storage. Use: manufacture of tartaric acid and malt vinegar. See also: cream of tartar; tartaric acid.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) — Source: synthetic or corn. Use: nutrient. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Ascorbate Palmitate — Source: synthetic and palm oil. Use: preservative. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Benzoic Acid — Source: synthetic. Use: preservative. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) — Source: synthetic. Use: antioxidant in cereals, stabilizers, shortenings, potato flakes/granules. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision when in corn oil).
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) — Source: synthetic. Use: antioxidant in beverages, desserts, cereals, glazed fruits, dry drink mixes, potato flakes/granules. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision when in corn oil).
Calcium Alginate — See: alginate.
Calcium Carbonate — Source: limestone. Use: tooth powders; reduces wine acidity. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Calcium Chloride — Source: synthetic. Use: canned goods; preservative in cottage/cheddar cheeses. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Calcium Disodium (EDTA) — Source: synthetic. Use: flavor retention in canned soda/white potatoes; preservative in dressings, egg products, margarine, potato salad, lima beans, mushrooms, pecan pie filling, spreads. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Calcium Propionate — Source: synthetic. Use: preservative. Status: kosher; supervision preferred.
Calcium Stearate — Source: compound of calcium and stearic acid (see Stearic Acid). Use: anti-caking in some spices (esp. garlic/onion salt); widely in tablets. Status: requires kosher supervision.
Calcium Sorbate — Source: synthetic. Use: preservative. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Calcium Sterol Lactylate — Source: milk or soybeans. Use: instant mashed potatoes. Status: requires kosher supervision.
Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate — Source: reaction of stearic acid and lactic acid. Use: dough conditioner; whipping agent; conditioner in dehydrated potatoes. Status: requires kosher supervision.
Caprylic Acid — Sources: palm oil, coconut oil. Use: preservative and flavoring. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).
Carbon Black — Source: synthetic. Use: black coloring in confectionery. Status: requires kosher supervision.
Carmine / Red 4 (Cochineal) — Source: insect (coccus cacti). Use: red coloring in apple sauce, fruit cocktail, jams, confections, baked goods, meats, spices. Status: not kosher.
Carrageenan — Sources: seaweed and fresh moss. Use: emulsifier/stabilizer/thickener; substitute for gelatin. Status: kosher, pareve (no supervision).

Key Takeaway: “Natural flavors” aren’t always simple. Check sources and supervision—some additives are pareve and fine, while others (e.g., ambergris, carmine, hog-derived enzymes) are not kosher.

“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.