Kosher chocolate meets Jewish food law requirements, including the processing of the chocolate. It can be difficult to identify, but many manufacturers provide a way to check if their product is kosher.
Simply put, kosher chocolate is chocolate that meets the requirements of kashrut, the Jewish food law. It can be difficult to identify kosher chocolate easily, unless the manufacturer specifically lists and labels the product. The actual ingredients contained in the chocolate are less of a concern than the processing of the chocolate. This is because even foods that meet kashrut requirements are considered non-kosher when processed using equipment that has come in contact with non-kosher food or when the process itself violates kashrut.
Kashrut requirements state that meat and dairy products must be kept separate and not eaten together. Similarly, equipment used for processing and preparing dairy and meat products should also be kept separate. In a manufacturing plant, it is entirely possible that the same equipment could be used to process a product containing animal fat and then one containing dairy fat. This process would actually be non-kosher. Therefore, kosher chocolate must not only contain kosher ingredients, but must also be processed in a kosher manner.
Both large and small chocolate makers have products certified to include kosher chocolate. The Hershey Company identifies its Hershey candy bar as kosher chocolate. This means that both the ingredients and the manufacturing process have been identified to contain no violations according to Kashrut.
Those who are only concerned with consuming kosher foods may want to familiarize themselves with the kosher symbols used on food product labels. There are several different symbols, each placed on the label by the representative organization that oversees the process for each product being prepared. Additionally, if violating kashrut is a concern, you can choose to have your rabbi provide you with a list of acceptable products, or take it directly to the rabbi for a checkup.
Kosher chocolate isn’t hard to find and, in fact, may be easier to obtain than other kosher sweets. Many manufacturers provide a way to check if their product is kosher. In the age of mass-produced and processed foods, it’s not always easy for those following a kosher diet to quickly ascertain whether a product is acceptable, but luckily kosher chocolate isn’t exceptionally hard to find.
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