![]() ![]() Notwithstanding the cited logic, halachic authorities are loath to rely on it. ![]() Perhaps the dehydrated insect is nothing more than the equivalent of an inedible piece of wood 15 or dry bones 16 that, once mixed into a kosher product, can be permitted according to the rule of inedible food? 17 14 For the sake of simplicity, we refer to these collective principles as “the rule of inedible food”. 13 However, should such inedible food subsequently be cooked into kosher food, the mixture would be permitted. 12 That said, such inedible food remains prohibited at the Rabbinical level to anyone who ventures to consume it, since the act of consuming something inedible designates it, albeit artificially, as an edible. Non-kosher food that sours or spoils to the point of inedibility is no longer Biblically prohibited. It is entirely clear that the Torah prohibition of non-kosher food applies to food in its edible state. 10 While use of carmine as a dye for materials in the Mishkon is not necessarily indicative of its kosher status, 11 perhaps we can consider it kosher for another reason. 7 This particular wool was coloured red with a dye referred to in early sources as karmaz 8 and kochanilya 9 and was identified as being extracted from an insect. In fact, the first instance of carmine appears in the Torah under the name Tola’as Shoni, loosely translated as scarlet wool, which was one of the dyed materials donated for use in the Mishkon. You may be surprised to learn that carmine is not a “new-world” discovery. 6 Presumably, the consumption of carmine should be strictly prohibited, since it is tantamount to consuming crushed insects or should it? Use of added chemicals causes the colouring and animal matters present in the liquid to precipitate into a red pigment. The powder is then boiled in water which serves to extract carminic acid which is present in the powdered insects. Carmine is produced by heat-drying cochineal insects until they are completely dehydrated and subsequently crushing them into powder. Ingredient labels on products containing carmine refer to it as either carmine, cochineal extract or may even code it as “natural red 4”. ![]() Carmine is also a common ingredient in candy, ice cream, and cosmetics. Both products are coloured with a distinctive red dye called carmine which is extracted from crushed female cochineal beetles. If you are not a follower of either faith and simply want gelatin that is free of pig parts, you can definitely enjoy both types of gelatin products.In January 2006, the Wall Street Journal 5 published an investigative article revealing the presence of “a bug” in Tropicana Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice and Dannon Boysenberry Yogurt. ![]() However, I am sure that religious leaders of both faiths would recommend sticking to either kosher or halal foods as per religious rules and customs. And the way the animals are butchered are similar. For example, both kosher and halal gelatin is devoid of pig parts. They are similar in the sense that some of the regulations are the same. Halal gelatin is gelatin prepared according to Islamic regulations. Kosher gelatin is gelatin prepared according to Jewish regulations. That's why shoppers of kosher products must make sure that the label of a product says kosher. There is someone overseeing every step of the process, from the first to the last, to make sure that everything is done properly. These certifications are not just given out. There are committees that analyze and determine whether a product is prepared completely according to kosher regulations.
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