i know the subject of gelatin is complex/confusing/controversial but i was wondering if you could/would address this since in the pesach list you approve edy’s rocky road ice cream which lists gelatin as one of its ingredients. thank you for all you do
There has been much debate regarding gelatin ever since the Achiezer permitted it years ago.
The basic concept is this:
Gelatin does not enhance the taste of the food. Therefore even if it is derived from a non-kosher animal, it is considered kosher for consumption. It is added for texture…
This is similar to the Halacha that states that horns and hooves of a non-kosher animal may actually be combined with kosher meat to deem non-kosher meat Batel. Same concept here. If it doesn’t taste good, it’s not Assur.
Please clarify the horns & hooves Halacha. Are you saying the horns/hooves are only permitted to be eaten if mixed into kosher meat, but forbidden to eat as is? They don’t taste good, do they?
Gelatin today is not edible on its own. It’s like eating cardboard. If you want to eat cardboard, you can too. Not to be confused with some brands of Matzah at $25/Lb
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It is forbidden to eat something that isn’t kosher even if it has a bad (or no) taste. However when dealing with Ta’aroves - a mixture, it isn’t considered not kosher.
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Are Yisrael and Aaron in agreement or disagreement regarding eating straight gelatin?
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I will double check later today, but I’m pretty sure this is how it works.
Something that has zero taste - or completely inedible is not even considered food, and it’s permitted. Gelatin may fit into that category (need to double check). We like to say it’s “like eating wood”.
The point I was making is that something that IS edible, even if it isn’t kosher, is Batel if it doesn’t enhance the taste of the food that it got mixed into. With this in mind, even if gelatin would be considered food, it still wouldn’t render the food not kosher.
(BTW do people eat plain gelatin?)
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Yes. Just confirmed. Gelatin is not considered edible, and therefore you can eat it raw if you like. The same is with gum base which all the years we said you can swallow it if you like, even if it’s made from animal, since it’s not an edible food.
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The key we learned in the Rabbi’s Kollel was: “Ta’am Issur”= the taste of the issur
Edible or not edible, if the substance has no taste of pig (or beef) meat, you can eat it straight, even without Bitul.
If something is like wood or cardboard, as Arnie and Yisrael have compared gelatin to, then it definitely has no Taam Issur and consuming it is permitted even by itself. I believe horns/hooves to be in this category, which leaves me with the query, “Can i eat pig hooves, horns, or any other body part that has no taam issur” ??
Is Yisrael saying that hooves have A TAAM ISSUR, but that taam just doesnt do anything for a mixture to improve the flavor, and therefore it’s Batel? (and if we have “no-sayn taam li-fgam”=damaging the taste of the mixture, then the mixture is permissible without bitul…am i remembering this right?)
I just finished discussing with Rabbi Abadi and @aaron.abadi.
Bottom line is: gelatin and others things that have no taste at all are like eating dirt. No problem.
Regarding horns and hooves, there are variations in halachah. The Achiezer and Dagul Mervava explain that when the shulchan aruch mentions that it’s forbidden to eat these items by themselves, it’s referring to soft (edible) bones. These are Assur to be eaten plain, but permitted when mixed. Hard bones, gelatin, cardboard, dirt… aren’t food and can be eaten plain.
Hope this clarifies things
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Jello gelatin is plain gelatin, with sugar and favoring added. Also, some people drink plain gelatin in water, in the beleif that it helps to grow stronger finger nails.
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I recently saw an ingredient as follows: gelatin (porcine). I realize that your view is that gelatin is allowable. Is this also allowable?
I guess so. It’s gelatin
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(BTW do people eat plain gelatin?)
Teenaged girls used to eat plain gelatin to make our hair and fingernails strong and shiny.
Interesting. Although if it’s sold as a supplement then the kashrut question doesn’t even begin.
@ypemgm please post discussions on gelatin after Pesach. We are very busy now with Pesach items and we would have more time to give you the full attention.
@ypemgm
Here is a page from my father’s teshuvos that relates to gelatin, gum base, and similar that are inedible.
Hi,
I was interested in learning more about the Kashrut of items with gelatin, and read up on this current thread. I also pulled something from OU Kosher whereby they provide a reason as to why it is not in fact Kosher. Curious to hear what your response to the below is:
"Non-kosher rennet causes milk to solidify into cheese or non-kosher yeast causes dough to rise, the effect of the issur is so dramatic, that it’s impossible to view the issur as being “insignificant” and therefore ( mid’rabannan ) it isn’t batel. Issur which has this type of effect is called a davar hama’amid and isn’t batel even though it’s used in tiny proportions. It is generally accepted that the thickening which gelatin causes in foods is significant enough, for the gelatin to be considered a davar hama’amid which cannot be batel b’shishim "
This site aims to answer questions based on the psakim of Harav Yitzchak Abadi Shlita. The Rabbi holds that gelatin is not an issue. If you’d like like sources regarding the understanding behind this psak feel free to see the following:
Achiezer vol. 3, Yoreh Deah tesuvah 5
Yabia Omer vol. 8 Yoreh Deah tesuvah 11
If you have a specific question regarding gelatin please start a new thread. Thank you.
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