Are products that use animal extracts such as cochineal (carmine), isinglass and gelatin during processing or as food colouring considered non-kosher?
A. There are a number of products that are clarified using gelatin and/or isinglass. The very nature of these processing aids is that they attract and trap the impurities that otherwise would pass through filters and once the impurity is attached to the gelatin/isinglass the whole mass is now easy to filter out. The gelatin/isinglass is thus filtered out completely (this is its whole purpose of being added in the first place) so that literally none remains in the final product. As such the finished product does not have any non-Kosher product left in it. While we would not allow this for a properly certified product it is permitted by almost all authorities for the purpose of “approving’ otherwise uncertified whiskeys, beers, fruit juices etc post facto – once they have been made for the general market this way. Carmine/cochineal are not permitted in products certified by most responsible authorities (including Kosher Australia). -RMG Q. Can you drink the juices, lemonades/sodas and ho
