Kosher Cough Syrup – Necessity Or Simply Business?

According to the New York Times, the OU is now supervising cough syrup.

Aside from the very questionable reasons for needing supervision proffered by the OU, we find this telling excerpt:

For observant Jews who eschew foods and beverages with the slightest trace of animal derivatives, the seal means they can ease their children's scratchy throats and stuffy noses without any sense of religious conflict, said Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, the Orthodox Union's senior rabbinical coordinator.

But the kosher certification is also expected to appeal to non-Jews, including vegetarians, people who are lactose intolerant and Muslims whose own dietary restrictions, known as halal, are similar to those of Jews. With consumers scrutinizing ingredients more carefully than ever, Rabbi Safran said, many seek out a kosher label as an additional assurance of quality control.

"They know another vigilant pair of eyes are inspecting and verifying," he said.

An estimated 15 million to 20 million Americans buy kosher products, Rabbi Safran said.

"Kosher is hot," he said. "The kosher market has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last decade. There's been more and more demand from kosher consumers, and big companies have been responsive."

… Bringing kosher Triaminic to market took about two years and mainly involved vetting each of its 50 or so raw materials for any trace of forbidden derivatives - or possible contact with taboo items through machinery or packaging. First, Rabbi Safran's staff checked the Orthodox Union's vast database in its Lower Manhattan office to see which ingredients were already deemed kosher, either by the organization itself or another kosher certifier. Then letters were sent out to suppliers of noncertified ingredients and packaging, to see if they were willing to comply with kosher standards, go through a review and submit documentation of certification.

A field rabbi for the Orthodox Union was dispatched to Novartis's plant in Lincoln, Neb., to supervise the production of all eight flavors of liquid Triaminic, from orange to grape to berry and bubble gum. New equipment was not necessary because the plant's machinery was already being cleaned on a regular basis at temperatures high enough to meet kosher standards of sterilization.

According to the Times, we can soon look forward to enjoying kosher Maalox as an aperitif in the near future, perhaps with a Pepto Bismol chaser.

Comments

[Yudel Shain]

It is a positive step forward.
Many are unaware that health foods & vitamins etc that are not kosher supervised are for all practical purposes manufactured non-kosher.

Why shoud one consume a non-kosher medicine if a kosher one is available?

Yudel Shain

[Jothar]

http://www.kashrut.com/articles/med/

[Lumpy Rutherford]

>Why shoud one consume a non-kosher
>medicine if a kosher one is available?

I'm with you on that.