About Us

The Project

CKFSI involves working with food manufacturers to identify the ingredients used in the preparation of foods, ensuring that each ingredient is kosher and then recording the information on specially designed software.

The first step of the CKFSI, which was funded by AAFC - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under Growing Forward, is to evaluate current food safety practices in kosher establishments and create a Canadian kosher council on food safety, in which the different kosher marks are invited to participate.

Specific elements of the project will include:

• The creation of the Digital Kosher Database, which will track ingredient lists, Kosher certificate updates, and certified kosher products to ensure they contain only kosher ingredients.

• On-site inspections and audits where Kashruth supervisors compare the database information to the products and ingredients at the plant, review and assess manufacturing processes, and ensure compliance with the rigorous standards of Kashruth.

Kashrut
Kosher is a method of inspecting and preparing foods according to specific regulations, and many foods can be qualified as kosher if the ingredients and preparation meet strict requirements. Kosher certification respects and enhances food quality throughout the whole food supply chain, including raw and semi-manufactured foodstuffs and final products in all principal segments such as meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables, bread and beverages.

Partners in the Canadian Kosher Food
Safety Initiative

MK
Founded in 1922 by business leaders and leading Rabbis, The Jewish Community Council of Montreal, otherwise known as the “Vaad Ha’ir” has established itself as one of the leading players responsible for the certification of Kosher food products bearing the MK certification mark, the Beth Din of Montreal (Jewish ecclesiastical court), the Ruth Institute (conversion program), and many other aspects pertaining to Jewish life in Montreal.

Food with a Conscience
Food with a Conscience is an independent food services consultancy that aspires to become the brand of reference for food quality, safety, and nutrition for consumers. It works with food service providers and catering companies to develop nutritional guidelines, menu design, first-class recipes, and monitoring processes for suppliers.

All Food with a Conscience endorsed products are balance assessed. This means they are assessed according to the highest standards of nutrition, safety, quality, taste and social and environmental responsibility. This also means that food manufacturers’ processes and practices are authenticated, and that nutritional assessments are validated by independent experts.

Medina Quality Food Assurance Services
Medina Quality Assurance Services is dedicated to partnering with food companies to help protect the health and well being of food consumers and to protect, strengthen and promote our clients' brands.

Medina Quality works with food producers, airlines and large scale food buyers (i.e. supermarkets, hospitality Industry and retail stores) to develop, manage and certify effective and cost efficient food safety and quality assurance programmes and management systems. Medina Quality’s team of dedicated and professional scientists and food service experts are committed to providing up to date scientific and regulatory knowledge to help food companies determine the goals of a food safety or quality assurance programme (i.e. HACCP, regulatory or international compliances, GMPs).

British Columbia Kosher (BCK)
BCK is a not-for-profit kosher agency servicing the domestic and international industries, recognized by all rabbinical associations throughout the world. For over 25 years BCK has been the largest, recognized and accepted, Orthodox kosher certification agency based in Western Canada. Under the leadership of BC Beth Din directed by Rabbi Avraham Feigelstock, BCK provides certification for food giants and products such as Canada Safeway Ltd, Rogers Sugar, Golden Boy Foods Inc, Dan-D Foods Ltd, Bakemark Ingredients Canada Ltd, Canadian Fishing Company and Flora Manufacturing & Distributing Ltd. Operating throughout Canada USA Asia and many other countries throughout the world using its international network of regional rabbinic representatives throughout the globe.

BCK Kosher is very proud to be on the short list of reliable and recognized organizations which are members of the Association for Kashrut Organizations (AKO).

Badatz Toronto
Founded in 2008, The Badatz of Toronto is a nationally and internationally recognized kosher supervision agency that provides kosher level of kashrut standards, business ethics and customer service. It kosher certifies food and beverage companies, industrial food plants, caterers, restaurants and more.

The Ottawa Vaad HaKashrut (OVH)
Since 1934 the Vaad has been serving the religious needs of the Ottawa Jewish community.

All local Synagogues and community establishments work closely with the OVH to ensure a high standard of Kosher at programs and their certified Kitchens.

The OVH also certifies restaurants, bakeries, hotels, and caterers who benefit from the growing Jewish community. Manufacturing facilities, licensed to produce Kosher food, mostly located in the Ottawa Valley, enjoy the use of the OVH Kosher logo to promote their product.

Kosher Facts

Kosher foods are divided into three categories: Meat, Dairy, and Pareve. One of the basic principles of Kashruth is the total separation of meat and dairy products, which may not be cooked nor eaten together. To ensure this, the kosher kitchen contains separate sets of dishes, utensils, cookware, as well as separate preparation areas for meat and dairy; the Kosher facility must be sure not to use any animal derived substances when producing dairy products, and vice versa. A third category, pareve, is comprised of foods that are neither meat nor dairy.

Meat: All animal products and by-products, referred to as Basar (Hebrew) or Fleish (Yiddish), must come from kosher species. The meat or poultry must also have been slaughtered by a pious Jew who is well acquainted with the laws and traditions of this ritual. This is verifiable by the kosher certification found on the package.

Dairy: All foods derived from, or containing, milk or dairy products are considered Chalav (Hebrew) or Milchig (Yiddish). The milk may not come from a non-kosher animal nor contain animal derived substance. Any pasteurized dairy must also have been processed on kosher equipment that has not been in contact with meat or animal bi-products in any way. Kosher organizations may give products the dairy status in certification, though the products may not evidently be so; this is either because the products have been processed on dairy equipment, or they may contain ingredients derived from dairy.

Pareve: Foods that contain neither meat nor dairy are pareve. This also means that they have not been cooked or combined with any meat or dairy foods. The pareve status of a processed food must be indicated by the kosher certification.