This post continues our series on the Nishmablog that features responses on JVO by one of our two Nishma Scholars who are on this panel. This week's presentation is about one of the questions to which Rabbi Wolpoe responded.
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Question: Is gelatin kosher?
At first glance, any Gelatin made with strictly Kosher ingredients would be considered as Kosher by almost everyone.
However, Gelatin made from Unkosher ingredients falls into a certain Gray Area.
Unkosher ingredients usually cannot make for a Kosher Product. The
exceptions could include when the Unkosher ingredient has been
completely "denatured" beyond being edible. At the point that it is no
longer edible, it is no longer considered to be food. Later on this
product, having lost its identify can be reconstituted as Kosher.
Thus, Gelatin - made even from Pork Products - may indeed become
acceptable by this logic, namely that its original form has been lost
or destroyed.
The problem with this approach is that one is not allowed to
purposefully make a non-Kosher product into a Kosher one. Thus, if a
result of an accident, a "denatured" product could indeed be used, but
it is problematic to make this happen intentionally. So a plant
carrying supervision could well fall into this category of intentionally
making Unkosher Products Kosher.
On the one hand, the leading rabbinic authorities in North America EG R
Moshe Feinstein, have opposed using Gelatin derived from Non-Kosher
sources. On the other hand, many mainstream rabbis in Israel are
inclined to permit it.
1
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_gelatin_kosher#page2
«Normally Gelatin is not considered Kosher but certain Kosher companies produce specially made Kosher
Gelatin.According to Rabbi Dr. David Sheinkopf, Gelatin IS kosher. »
2
«How is gelatin made?
"The production of the gelatin starts w/refinement of collagen-bearing
tissues of ANY ANIMAL that has raised and slaughtered for food
purposes. ....These materials are carefully soaked in alkalies and/or
acids and washed in clean water to remove almost all non-collagen
constituents, including meat. During this soaking period the collagen is
converted to gelatin. The treated materials are then cooked gently in
pure water to extract the gelatin, which is further refined by
filtration....(Contrary to common belief, gelatin is not manufactured
from horns or hooves or meat of animals, for these do not contain the
necessary collagen).
"It is interesting to note that during manufacture of gelatin, chemical
changes take place so that, in the final gelatin product, the
composition and identity of the orignal material is completely
eliminated. Because of this, gelatin is not considered a meat food
product by the United States government..."»
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