Home / Guide to Kosher Symbols
Guide to Kosher Symbols
ARTICLE
Products that have been certified as kosher are labeled with kosher symbols.
Kosher symbols
are registered trademarks of kosher certification organizations, and cannot be placed on a food label without the
organization's permission.
Kosher, HALAL and American Law
Virginia Code § 3.2-5124 requires information identifying the authority behind a kosher or halal designation for repackaged or unwrapped food offered for sale. This is a Virginia requirement; check the applicable jurisdiction for another location. Read the current Virginia provision.
Food-label claims and certification checks.
'K': Stay away
A standalone letter K does not identify a particular certifying organisation. Ask who stands behind the claim and verify the exact product with that authority.
Guide to Kosher Food Symbols
Different kosher certifying agencies tend to follow different kosher certification standards, some more strict and
others more lenient. This is because in interpreting ancient dietary laws and adapting them to modern technology,
different rabbis have different views about what exactly passes as kosher.
This guide identifies the kosher certifying agencies behind the most commonly used kosher symbols in the United States,
Europe and Asia. More information about each agency, and the kosher standards it maintains, can be found on each
agency's web site.
Major Kosher Certification Agencies in North America
SYMBOL
RABBINIC AUTHORITY
DENOMINATION
CITY, COUNTRY
OU
Union of Orthodox Congregations
("Orthodox Union")
Orthodox
New York, U.S.
The OU certifies over 2300 companies with 4500 plants in 70 countries with a total of over 300,000 labels.
www.oukosher.org
CRC
Chicago Rabbinical Council
Orthodox
Chicago, U.S.
cRc is the largest regional, not-for-profit, Orthodox organization in North America. It works with close to 800 food
companies in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
www.crcweb.org
KOF-K
KOF-K Kosher Supervision
Orthodox
Teaneck, NJ, U.S.
The KOF-K symbol is the internationally recognized trademark of KOF-K Kosher Supervision, one of the foremost kosher
certification agencies in the United States.
www.kof-k.org
Triangle-K
Triangle-K and Associates, Inc.
Orthodox
New York, U.S.
Triangle-K certification is awarded by a consortium of Orthodox Jewish rabbis who desire to see as wide a range of food
products as possible made available to kosher consumers worldwide.
www.trianglek.org/
Star-K
Star-K Kosher Certification Agency
Vaad Hakashrut of Baltimore
Orthodox
Baltimore, MD, U.S.
Star-K Kosher Certification Agency provides kosher supervision globally. The Star-K kosher symbol is regarded as being
in the top tier of strictness and quality.
www.star-k.org
Star-D
Star-D Kosher Certification Agency
Orthodox
Baltimore, MD, U.S.
Star-D Kosher Certification Agency is affiliated with Star-K, but certifies only dairy products.
OK
The Organized Kashrus Laboratories
Orthodox
New York, U.S.
Operating on six continents and supported by more than 350 of the world’s leading kosher experts, the OK certifies more
than 114,000 products, produced by over 1,500 companies.
www.ok.org
COR
Kashruth Council of Canada
Orthodox
Toronto, Canada
The Kashruth Council of Canada guides the observance of kosher dietary laws in Canada. More than 45,000 products carry
the COR symbol of kashruth certification.
www.cor.ca
Regional Kosher Certification Agencies in North America
ARK
The Association for Reliable Kashrus
Lawrence, NY, U.S.
AKC
Atlanta Kashrus Commission
Atlanta, GA, U.S.
CRC
Beth Din Hameyuchud LInyonei Kashrus of the Central Rabbinical Congress
(Hishachdus Horabbonim)
New York, U.S.
CHK
Beis Din of Crown Heights
(Vaad Hakashrus)
New York, U.S.
California K
California K Igud Hakashrus of Los Angeles (Kehillah Kosher)
Los Angeles, U.S.
CKU
Certified Kosher Underwriters
New York, U.S.
Communidade Ortodoxa Israelita Kehillas Hachareidim Departmento de Kashrus
Orthodox
Brazil
K-COR
Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit
Orthodox
Southfield, MI, U.S.
Dallas Kosher
(Vaad Hakashrus of Dallas)
Dallas, TX, U.S.
Florida K
Florida K and Florida Kashrus Services
Maitland, FL, U.S.
Texas "K"
International Kosher Supervision
J.S.O.R.
Jersey Shore Orthodox Rabbinate
Orthodox
Deal, NJ, U.S.
Kashrus Council of Lakewood N.J.
Lakewood, NJ, U.S.
K’hal Chizuk Hadas of Flatbush
New York, U.S.
K-WI
Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI, U.S.
Montreal Vaad Hair
Montreal, QC, Canada
NK
National Kashrus
Monsey, NY, U.S.
BC Kosher, BC-K
Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia
Orthodox
Vancouver, Canada
Orthodox Vaad of Philadelphia
Orthodox
Philadelphia, PA, U.S.
Rabbi Nuchem Efraim Teitelbaum
(Volover Rav)
New York, U.S.
RCC
Rabbinical Council of California
Los Angeles, U.S.
Scroll K
Scroll K / Vaad Hakashrus of Denver
Denver, CO, U.S.
ORB
South Palm Beach Vaad
Hollywood, FL, U.S.
United Mehadrin Kosher
St. Paul, MN, U.S.
Vaad Hakashrus of Buffalo
Williamsville, NY, U.S.
Vaad Hakashrus of K’hal Machzikei Hadas of Belz
New York, U.S.
Vaad Harabanim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway
Cedarhurst, NY, U.S.
Vaad Harabanim of Flatbush
New York, U.S.
VHM
Vaad Harabonim (Vaad Hakashrus) of Massachusetts
Boston, MA, U.S.
Vaad Harabanim of Greater Seattle
Seattle, WA, U.S.
Vaad of Lancaster / Cong. Degel Israel
Lancaster, PA, U.S.
K-W
Young Israel of West Hempstead
West Hempstead, NY, U.S.
Kosher Certification Agencies (
Vaad Hakashrut
) in Europe, the Middle East
Adas Yereim of Paris
Rabbi Y.D. Frankfurter
Paris, France
Bais Din Tzedek of Agudath Israel, Moetzes HaKashrus
Agudath, Israel
Beis Din Tzedek of the Eidah Hachareidis of Jerusalem Binyanei Zupnick
Jerusalem
Beis Din Tzedek of K’hal Machzikei Hadas - Maareches Hakashrus
Jerusalem
Chug Chasam Sofer
Bnei Brak, Israel
Dayan Osher Yaakov Westheim
Salford, England, G.B.
Kashrus Department of the Beth Din of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Kedassia - The Joint Kashrus Committee of England
London, England, G.B.
K’hal Machzikei Hadas Edgeware
Middlesex, England, G.B.
London Beth Din Kashrut Division
London, England, G.B.
Manchester Beth Din
Manchester, England, G.B.
Rabanut Hareishit Rechovot
Rechovot, Israel
Rabanut Yerushalayim Mehadrin
Israel
Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelik
Italy
Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Landau
Bnei Brak, Israel
Rabbi Mordechai Seckbach
Strasbourg, France
Rabbi Shmuel Yaffa-Shlessinger
Strasbourg, France
Some Terms you might see on Foods Bearing Kosher SymbolS
Cholov Yisroel
חלב ישראל
Refers to all dairy products, including cheese and non-fat dry milk powder, which have been under the supervision of a
Jew.
D, Dairy
Dairy
Indicates products containing dairy or dairy derivatives.
DE
Dairy Equipment
Indicates that the product is intrinsically Parve but is prepared on Dairy equipment. This product may be served and
eaten before or after, but not together with, meat.
D-P
Dairy-Passover
Indicates a dairy product which is kosher for Passover and all year round.
F
Fish
Indicates the product is kosher and contains fish ingredients.
F-P
Fish-Passover
Indicates a fish product which is kosher for Passover and all year round.
Glatt
, Meat, M,
גלאַט
Meat
Indicates products containing meat or meat derivatives. "Glatt" literally means "smooth", referring
to the smooth lung tissue of an animal free from disease.
Glatt
-P
Meat-Passover
Indicate a meat product which is kosher for Passover and all year round.
Kosher for Passover
Indicates products certified Kosher for Passover.
ME
Meat Equipment
Indicates that the product is intrinsically Parve but is prepared on Meat equipment. This product may be served and
eaten before or after but not together with dairy.
P,
Pareve
,
Parev
,
Parve
Parve
Products completely void of all milk and meat in any form.
Pas Yisrael
Jewish baked goods
Yashan
Not from current grain crop
Related Topics:
U.S. Laws concerning kosher and
halal
Kosher v. Halal: What are the differences and similarities of kosher and
halal
?
