kosher/halal gelatin

[monpetitchoux]

Does anyone know where I can order or purchase kosher/halal gelatine? I have dietary restrictions due to religious reasons and cannot eat many desserts that I make. I am in the San Francisco Bay area but would appreciate any sources you may be able to supple. Thank you in advance.

 

[momoreg]

Emes Kosher Products (708-627-6204) and Too Life! (800-317-3449

 

[logose]

Momoreg,
How timely this info is. I have a couple of Jewish students in my class. They were discussing this very thing last week. Now I can give them a couple of sources.
Thank you

 

[shroomgirl]

I was shocked but JELLO has a hecshir..go figure.

 

[mezzaluna]

My God! The world has changed. It used to be so hard to find foods in the store with the kosher symbol (hecshir); Jello and marshmallows were certain not to be kosher when I was growing up. Now there are kosher versions of both. If you kept kosher where I lived, you had to order kosher gelatin and other products from some big city supplier or direct from the manufacturer. We owe it to modern technology, I guess.

 

[momoreg]

Growing up in NY, we had Kojel (which still exists). That was back in the 70's.

 

[monpetitchoux]

Thanks for the reply and sources. I was recently in a kosher store and found that the flavored gelatin products use carageenan as a thickener. I am looking specifically for unflavored gelatin made in the traditional manner but from animals butchered under kosher or halal traditions. Is Kojel or the other products strictly gelatin or another thickener? If it is carageenan, do you know how to make the substitutions so that I can use it in place of gelatin leaves?

 

[momoreg]

I'll have to check the ingredients on the kojel. In the meantime, I should mention that several years ago, I worked in a kosher restaurant, and I briefly used a kosher gelatin (powder), made from the lining of the cow's udder, thus making it dairy. I do not know where we bought it from, unfortunately, and it was so expensive that the owner did not want me to continue using it.

[ May 01, 2001: Message edited by: momoreg ]

 

[monpetitchoux]

I really appreciate everyone's help in my search for gelatin. The pastry chef I work with and I have a halal diet, but kosher products are acceptable. I've been searching for almost a year now and haven't gotten anywhere until I came upon this website just one week ago. Thanks Momoreg for your leads and continued effort to look up the ingredients for Kojel. I will call the sources you suggested to inquire. Awaiting your response on the Kojel.

 

[momoreg]

I just found this. There's an 800# at the bottom of the page:
http://www.vipfoodsinc.com/supermarket.html

 

[momoreg]

I was in the supermarket today, and found the kojel. Here are the ingredients from the pkg. of unflavored:

Vegetable gum (carageenan)
Adipic acid
Tapioca dextrin
Calcium phosphate
Potassium citrate

No clue what most of these ingredients do. Anyone else here know?

 

[monpetitchoux]

Hi there. Carageenan is an alternative thickener derived from seaweed. tapioca dextrin is probably another thickener. But I know from reading labels on pectin boxes that the phosphates and citrates are there to aid in gelling. Gels don't happen unleass there's a sufficient amount of acid.

All your info has been very helpful. I will be ordering some kojel to give it a try. I've already experimented with agar agar, another seaweed derived gelling agent. But I didn't like the results.

It seems that kosher gelatin is vegetable based because Jews are restricted from using the hoofs of the animal. That's where halah gelatin differs. Halal gelatin is gelatin made from an animal slaughtered in the traditional halal manner. I know this product exists in France and other countries with older muslim communities. But it's seems to be unavailable in the US. Sigh.

 

[alabama2010]

I was in the supermarket today, and found the kojel. Here are the ingredients from the pkg. of unflavored:

Vegetable gum (carageenan)
Adipic acid
Tapioca dextrin
Calcium phosphate
Potassium citrate

No clue what most of these ingredients do. Anyone else here know?

thanks for the list this really helps, i have small gathering with my aunties who eat kosher foods only so i'm looking for good thing to prepare. I just need to check if this available at Aviglatt and make a delivery.

 

[chefedb]

KoJell makes aa full line of products including soups and bases

 Kojell contains NO Animal products whatsoever , vegetable gums and stabilizers are used. They also make a passover line of products. They are accepted by the OU(union orthodox rabbis) as well as everyone else. An answer to Alabama the items you describe above are all Parve  and mostly natural.

 

[wideman]

I saw it posted that Jello has Kosher products.  If so what?  and Where?  I have thought that all Kraft gelatin products were not Kosher.  Please advise.

 

[gfcook]

I bought Great Lakes Gelatin-source is beef but listed as Kosher from Amazon.  Their customer service number is 800 232 0328.  Hope that helps you in your search.

 

[wiltoncourse]

They sell it here

http://www.azharacademy.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=2120

If you contact them I'm pretty sure you will find they have a supplier down your end.

 

[chefedb]

Most wholesale food distributors handle KOJELL brand.