Kosher Certification Information, Requirements and More!

Kosher Certification – Lucky Jack – Cold Brew Cofee

July 15, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

Organic cold brew coffee made with purified water, 100% organic Arabica beans, all organic ingredients.

EarthKosher provides kosher certification to companies who pride themselves on the care and attention they put into their products, using only the finest quality ingredients that are both good for you and the environment. Lucky Jack, is one of these companies.

Lucky Jack discovered the method for infusing nitrogen in their coffees making Lucky Jack the very first bottled cold brew coffee to pour with a head of foamy and silky smooth nitrogen bubbles.

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WHY ORGANIC

The term “organic” is popping up more and more these days. But what does “organic” really mean? For coffee beans “organic” means the beans are grown and processed without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. This is significant when you consider that coffee is one of the three most chemically treated agricultural crops in the world.

Organic means great care is needed to raise coffee crops by using well proven methods of clean agriculture, biodiversity, soil maintenance and crop rotation, instead of chemicals.

Organic means the people who work every day to bring you your cup of coffee from this miraculous crop can do so year after year without sacrificing their own future quality of life.

EarthKosher is thrilled to provide kosher certification to the following Lucky Jack products: Lucky Jack Double Black, Lucky Jack Espresso Concentrate, Lucky Jack Lean Bean, Lucky Jack Mary Jane, Lucky Jack Old School, Lucky Jack Slow Brew

HISTORY

In 1990 Richard Karno opened the Novel Café, a rare book emporium and coffeehouse in Santa Monica, California. Recognizing the rapidly changing world of both books and coffee in the 1990s, Karno began searching for a coffee roasting system and soon found himself in the Oregon woods trading barbs with a cranky septuagenarian chemical engineer and probable genius, Michael Sivetz, who built near mythical coffee roasters in a converted church located on the main street of tiny Corvallis. Soon Karno was roasting his own organic coffee beans in a Sivetz fluid bed roaster and by 1992, his company, Gourmet Coffee Warehouse was supplying coffeehouses, supermarkets and specialty shops throughout Southern California with certified organic coffees. His was the first and largest certified organic coffee roaster in LA and Karno’s retail stores, operating under the name Groundwork, became synonymous with quality and community outreach.

In 2013, Karno sold Groundwork to focus on developing an innovative line of cold brew coffees, espresso extracts and gourmet coffee concentrates. As a believer in expediency and challenges, Karno decided to locate his production facility in the Nevada desert because, what better place to make and sell cold brew coffee than in the desert.

Enjoy life, with EarthKosher.

Kosher Certification – Fresh Origins

July 10, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

EarthKosher has the unique lens of discovering fresh new innovative companies, that shine from the inside out. Fresh Origins is one of these companies. Fresh Origins combines the sustainability, green thumb skill with a perfectionist eye and highest quality outcome. It’s hard to imagine the creativity and detail, Fresh Origin puts into each package of Flower or Herb Crystals- all naturally beautiful and all with EarthKosher, kosher certification.

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Combining the benefits our great weather with a deep passion for quality and innovation, Fresh Origins has become the number one source of MicroGreens and Edible Flowers to America’s top restaurants and resorts. The farm was founded by David Sasuga, after growing flowering plants for 20 years. David always wanted to grow fresh produce and the opportunity came unexpectedly. Back in 1995, a local chef came to our greenhouse and got excited when he saw some basil seedlings growing there. He wanted to try using them to accent his plate presentations and although it did not make a lot of sense at the time, it was then that David began producing these and other varieties of tiny, fresh-cut seedlings destined for restaurants in Orange County California. Fresh Origins has come a long way since then, and David and his family produce a wide variety of MicroGreens, Petite™Greens, Edible Flowers, and related items for chefs throughout North America.

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David Sasuga and daughter Kelly, of Fresh Origins
Fresh Origins’ MicroGreens have exceptional color, are bursting with flavor and have outstanding keeping quality due to the care and attention we give to our growing, harvesting and packing methods. These MicroGreens are hand harvested daily to order, at the peak of freshness. With Fresh Origins, there is no reason to settle for those lower quality locally grown, stringy Micro-Greens that lack color and flavor, and go bad after just a few days.

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EarthKosher is proud to provide kosher certification for Fresh Origins unique Herb Crystals® and Flower Crystals®. These products are as beautiful to look at as they are to enjoy.
At Fresh Origins, innovation is a way of life. We are continually working to imagine and develop the latest ideas in MicroGreens and edible flowers. Our innovative Herb Crystals® and Flower Crystals® are gaining in popularity with chefs, Mixologists and Chocolatiers. We have several products in development and introduce these new ideas regularly. Our product list is extensive with over 400 items, most are available all year.

EarthKosher Kosher Certified Herb Crystals® and Flower Crystals®

Herb Crystals® and Flower Crystals® are an innovative original concept from Fresh Origins! With dazzling, all-natural colors, an exciting crunch and incredible flavors of fresh flowers and herbs, these are spectacular new flavor ingredients. The pure color and flavor comes only from the fresh whole herbs and flowers with no added flavors or coloring! All are Kosher Certified. We start by growing the most flavorful fresh herbs, and edible flowers. These are carefully hand harvested at the peak of flavor and color content, then combined with pure cane sugar to create these beautiful and flavorful crystals. These taste amazing and will add an enticing and distinctive finishing touch to any culinary creation from desserts to savory dishes and even beverages. They are shelf stable and are best used before 6 months. They can be frozen for longer shelf-life. Very versatile and easy to use. Sprinkle on some magic!

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These crispy granules with their concentrated flavors can be dissolved in any cocktail for a touch of garden fresh taste. They can even be used alone as a kind of instant, all natural “cocktail mixer”: Just mix Crystals with components such as water and vodka to create an amazing drink! Another application is to toss the Crystals into a poured cocktail for the ultimate finishing touch with a sparkling dazzle of color and flavor at the bottom of the glass adding dimension and texture to be savored in the last sip! Of course these flavorful Crystals can be used to brighten up salads, pair well as ingredients for savory dishes, soups, add crunchy flavor to fruit, pastries and other desserts such as sorbet, yogurt and chocolates. No added colors, flavors or preservatives. For Sweetening Tea: These colorful, flavorful Crystals dissolve readily in tea. Sweeten tea in a distinctive and delicious new way.

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Our farm is certified for food safety by Primus Labs and we are a signatory to the California Leafy Green Handler Marketing Agreement. Fresh Origins is a small family farm that is proud to be accountable for food safety. We are puzzled by the many small, local and organic farmers across the country who are fighting against improved food safety regulations. They feel they should continue to be exempt from having to follow food safety guidelines; instead their preference is not to be accountable for the cleanliness, sanitation and safety of what they produce- they just want you to take their word for it! It just does not make sense; for example, all restaurants large and small must pass health department inspections, nobody should be exempt because of their size. Our small family farm is audited several times a year by third party USDA trained inspectors and major restaurant companies. We hope we are an example to others as Fresh Origins is one small family farm that is leading the way in this area.

We also strive to be efficient and continually improve the way we run our farm. Sustainability is a major buzz-word these days, and a lot of people are trying to profit by greenwashing. The fact is; farming by nature is a sustainable activity and always has been. When farmers do not work hard to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, and maintain the land so that it will continue to be productive, they don’t survive. These days, farmers are pointing out many of the things they have always done, except now it is called sustainable. This makes it suddenly something very special. Fresh Origins can also claim to be sustainable. For insect control, we utilize special screening to exclude pests from our greenhouses. We use miles of sticky tape insect traps to minimize the need for spraying. Whenever spraying is necessary, we choose safer materials such as Garlic, Clove, and Rosemary oils. Our growing medium and growing trays are recycled and re-used.

We carefully hand water over 120,000 trays of greens every day in order to conserve water. An intricate drainage system captures any excess water, including rainwater in our reservoir. We have our own three acre bird and wildlife preserve with dozens of species of native flora and fauna. This area is actually un-level ground and difficult to farm, so we leave it aside purely out of economic reasons, but these days we can proudly proclaim it as part of our green-greatness. Our farm seems to be overrun with honeybees all the time, so they must like what we are doing here. Our flower harvesters get stung a few times every year. Many of our varieties are from heirloom seeds. We don’t grow inside a plant factory warehouse building under artificial lights. Electricity to run those lights, fans, cooling etc., is very expensive, so this kind of production is not sustainable. Because of our mild climate, the need for heating and cooling our greenhouses is greatly minimized. Therefore, our energy usage or “carbon footprint” is significantly less than if we were producing in harsher climates such as the mid-western or north-eastern U.S. where it takes a huge amount of fossil fuel to heat greenhouses.

While it is fashionable these days to claim that we are sustainable, in reality, we do these things out of a common sense need to minimize wasted resources so we can sustain our business now and into the future. It is hard to imagine a farmer who wants to waste expensive fertilizer, insecticides, and water, or
who would ruin the very land they depend on for their crops. Since we don’t do these things, it seems we are now called sustainable! Also, don’t forget, the carbon dioxide that we exhale is used by the plants to keep our planet green and happy, so really, as long as you are breathing, you too are sustainable!

Part of the new halo of so-called sustainability is to say we take good care of employees. At Fresh Origins, our employees are a top priority. We offer good wages and benefits including paid health insurance (we have done this for 20 years, long before it was mandated), life insurance, vacation, and holidays. We provide steady employment all year, there are no seasonal layoffs. We have an excellent facility with excellent working conditions. Our outstanding staff takes great pride in the quality of produce we grow. In reality, it is not easy to find good people, so when we do, it makes sense to do everything we can to take good care of them. If not mistreating our employees makes us sustainable, we are all about it!

Life is beautiful with EarthKosher.

Kosher Certification – Breads from Anna

July 1, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

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Summer is in the air, and with summer comes the sweet scents of fresh fruits, berry picking, farmers markets and fruit pies baking. EarthKosher prides itself on going the extra mile to find and provide kosher certification for health minded companies, that pioneer in the art of good quality food products, suitable for a variety of dietary restrictions that taste as good as they feels. Breads from Anna is one of these amazing companies!

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Anna Sobaski’s passion for helping people enjoy a gluten-free and allergen-free lifestyle led her to create her amazing bread. She is continuously developing her mixes and traveling the country, teaching gluten-free and allergen-free cooking classes and workshops.
Anna experienced first-hand the debilitating discomfort and fatigue associated with Celiac Disease, and the difficulty in finding a tasty and nutritious gluten-free bread. With the double whammy of having type-1 diabetes, and being a lover of all things food, her personal goal was to develop gluten-free bread with both the taste and nutrition of a whole wheat bread.

Breads-from-Anna-Gluten-Free-Baking-Mixes When we say a product is “free from,” we mean it.

We package all of our mixes in our own, dedicated gluten, soy, rice and nut free facility to have the ultimate control. Our facility is USDA and Kosher Certified. To ensure quality and safety we regularly submit our mixes to lab testing.

We source from high-quality ingredient suppliers that do not use equipment shared with wheat/gluten. Because many of us at Breads from Anna are celiac and have severe reactions to gluten (and we love to eat our own products!) we take every possible measure to ensure we are allergen free. We care about our customers and welcome your questions.

All of our mixes are gluten-free, soy-free, rice free, and nut-free. Many of our mixes are also free from corn, dairy, yeast, and potato. We do use corn and dairy in one of our mixes but this mix is segregated from the eleven mixes that do not contain corn and dairy. Please check the specific mix you are interested in for its complete allergen listing.

EarthKosher provides kosher certification to all varieties of Breads from Anna products. We have discovered twelve inspiring mixes: Yeast Free Bread Mix, Pumpkin Bread Mix, Banana Bread Mix, Original Bread Mix, Black Bean Brownie Mix, Dairy & Corn Free Bread Mix, Maple Pancake & Muffin Mix, Pie Crust Mix, Pizza Crust Mix, Apple pancake & Muffin Mix, Classic Herb Bread Mix, and Cranberry Pancake & Muffin Mix.

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Gluten Free Peach Blueberry Prize Pie Recipe – Breads from Anna

Pie Crust Ingredients:

1 package Breads from Anna® pie crust mix
¼ cup milk or water (or non-dairy drink)
¾ cup oil
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten + 2 teaspoons water, for brushing over the crust (optional)
Filling Ingredients:

4 cups peaches
2 cups blueberries
¾ cup sugar organic cane sugar
¼ cup cornstarch or arrowroot (add up to 3T more if the filling is very jucy)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter (optional)
Gluten-Free Pie Crust Directions:

Combine wet ingredients (milk, oil, vinegar) into a large bowl.
Add dry mix and gently stir until well combined. The crust will be oily but do not worry – this is how it should look.
Press bottom crust into standard 9-1/2 inch glass pie dish.
Roll out top onto a cutting board between two pieces of wax paper.
Place crust top in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Once the crust top is chilled it will allow you to remove the wax paper easily.
Filling Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined.
Remove peach skins and pit, and cut fruit into thin slices. Combine peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice, and stir into dry ingredients until well combined.
Pour mixture into the pie shell.
Remove wax paper from rolled out top crust and place on top of pie. Seal around the edges and cut small slits in the center to allow steam to escape.
Brush egg wash all over the top crust.
Bake for 15 minutes, then place pie ring or foil around the edges to prevent over browning.
Bake an additional 60 -70 minutes or until bubbly and crust is golden.

EarthKosher

Enjoy summer with EarthKosher.

Kosher Certification – The Story of Food from the Tree

June 30, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

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The Story of Food from the Tree

Many Jewish laws pertain to the Kosher status of the fruit of the tree. However, the tree itself also provides us with several useful food products with interesting Kosher certification implications; these products are the subject of this discussion.

Maple Syrup

Perhaps the most powerful symbol of a non-fruit food derived directly from a tree is maple syrup. Aside from using the maple leaf to declare its own national identity, Canada manufactures a great deal of maple syrup derived from the sap of the sugar of maple tree. Although tree sap poses no particular Kosher certification concern, the method by which it is processed may.

Maple tree sap contains sugar and other chemicals that contribute to its unique flavor. However, their concentration is too low for it to be useful as a sweetener. The sap is therefore concentrated to produce syrup, a process that involves boiling the sap for the time necessary to allow much of the water to evaporate.

However, as the water is heated, small pockets of steam are created and the sticky syrup forms a coating around the pockets of vapor bubbles because of the surface tension of the syrup constituents. This undesirable side effect is called “foam,” and although these bubbles eventually break and release the vapor, the thicker the syrup, the greater the surface tension—and more the foam that is produced.

Historically, this problem was addressed by hanging a piece of pork fatback over the boiling kettle. The heat from the steam slowly melted the lard and allowed it to drip into the syrup. Just as the old adage recommends pouring oil on water to calm it, this small amount of fat is sufficient to reduce the surface tension of the syrup and thus allow the bubbles to break more quickly, solving the foaming problem but creating a Kosher certification concern.

Maple syrup processors today have generally sworn off pork, replacing it with modern antifoam agents. Antifoams are essentially mixtures of different types of silicon, glycerin, and, possibly, fatty acids (emulsifiers), and pose their own set of Kosher certification concerns. Both glycerin and fatty acids can be made from animal fats, and although antifoams are used in very small amounts, ensuring that only Kosher certified ingredients are used is important.

Turpentine and Oleic Acid

Other food products from the forest had more direct Kosher certification—and historical—ramifications. Colonization of the new world required a strong, well-equipped navy, and until modern times the fleet was made of wood. An adequate supply of naval stores—those products needed to keep the ships of a navy well maintained—was critical to the erstwhile projection of military superiority by the British Empire, and the pine forests of North America proved to be a treasure trove of wood rosins to make turpentine and pitch.

Although the supply of rosin may no longer herald the underpinnings of world military superiority, it does supply several interesting Kosher products. A fatty acid called oleic acid is used in many food products, including flavors and emulsifiers, and is usually derived from animal fat. Some companies now process a derivative of pine trees called tall oil (from the Old Norse thöll—young pine tree) into oleic acid, creating a Kosher source for this important raw material.

Wood Rosin and CMC

A chemical called glycerol ester of wood rosin is used in many soft drinks to allow the flavors to remain in suspension and not settle. The glycerin used in making this product may come from animal, vegetable, or petroleum sources and is therefore another wood product that requires a reliable Kosher certification. Even the wood fiber itself is processed into CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) and is used as a thickener in many food products, including ice cream, dressings, sauces, and puddings.

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Sugarcane

Wood is also a major source of sucrose (table sugar) and has played a role in both international intrigue and Jewish law discourse. Sucrose is a naturally occurring sugar found in dates, sugar beets, and sugarcane. Commercial large-scale production of sugar began in the seventeenth century with sugarcane, which became the primary crop in the Caribbean colonies of the European powers. The control of sugarcane production—and the islands that produced it—became part of the strategic balance of power among the world powers of the time, but sugar also posed a Halachic question as to its appropriate B’rachah (blessing). (Tosafos (B’rachos 36b) considers sugarcane to be a tree, reasoning that it is the subject of the phrase Ya’ari im Divshi (“… my forest with my honey”) in Song of Songs (5:1); thus, the proper B’rachah for sugar is Bo’rei P’ri ha’Etz. However, the Rambam (Hilchos B’rachos VIII:5) discusses the process for making sugar from cane and concludes that because it is made from a juice extracted from the cane, the proper B’rachah is she’Hakol. On the other hand, Rabbeinu Yonah rules that it is Bo’rei P’ri ha’Adamah. The Shulchan Aruch rules according to the Rambam, but many people consider the B’rachah for sugar to be less than a settled issue and eat it only together with other items whose B’rachah is clear.)

Xylose and Xylitol

Wood is also the source of a nonsugar sweetener that is used in many candies and chewing gum. When hydrogen is attached to a molecule of sugar (hydrogenation), a sugar alcohol is created. (The suffix for an alcohol is –ol.) Sugar alcohols have properties that differ significantly from those of the sugars from which they are derived.

For example, when glucose is hydrogenated, it is converted into sorbitol, a sweetener that has fewer available calories than glucose, is safer for diabetics, and does not promote tooth decay. When xylose (wood sugar) is hydrogenated, a refreshing, low-calorie sweetener called xylitol is created. The Kosher certification concern with these products stems from the fact that lactose (milk sugar) can be processed into lactitol using the same equipment, which can compromise the Kosher and/or Pareve status of the xylitol and sorbitol.

Torula Yeast

Wood also serves to resolve one of the basic concerns with respect to Passover ingredients. Yeasts are microorganisms that are traditionally grown on Chometz (fermented grain), and such yeasts are prohibited on Passover.

However, yeast and yeast extract (the material found within the cell walls of yeast) are used as a nutrient in the growth of cheese cultures and as a flavoring, both of which are useful in the production of Passover foods.

The search for a Kosher for Passover yeast finally ended with the help of the timber industry. A great deal of water is used in processing wood and paper, and much of the xylose is washed out of the wood into the processing water. A specific type of yeast called torula grows on xylose, and companies have developed yeast products and yeast extracts from torula yeast that are completely Kosher for Passover.

Vanillin

Another commonly used wood product is vanillin or imitation vanilla flavor. Natural vanilla is produced from the unripe fruit of one of several types of tropical climbing orchids of the genus Vanilla. The fresh fruit has no flavor or aroma. However, as the fruit is cured and dried, an enzymatic process coverts some of the natural chemicals in the fruit into vanillin.

Although very popular as a flavoring agent, vanilla beans are quite expensive, and alternative sources for the active flavoring component—vanillin—have been developed. At first, synthetic vanillin was produced by the oxidation of a chemical called eugenol, extracted from cloves purchased from the sultan of Zanzibar. With the development of the paper industry, however, scientists noted that vanillin could be produced from the eugenol and other chemicals found in the lignin, the waste material from wood pulp production. However, although wood was indeed the main source of vanillin for many years, most vanillin manufactured today is made from eugenol derived from clove oil and cinnamon leaf.

Rubber

One more strategic resource from the forest also plays an interesting role in food products. Latex (or sap) from specific trees has certain desirable properties, yielding the product to which we refer as rubber. When Santa Anna invaded Mexico in his attempt to defeat the Republic of Texas, his troops enjoyed chewing chicle, the latex of the South American sapodilla tree.

We might remember the Alamo for many reasons, but one might be the introduction of chewing gum to this country. Although the Kosher status of the natural rubber poses no Kosher certification concerns, the glycerin, fats, and emulsifiers used in the manufacture of chewing gum certainly do. Thus, chewing gum and bubble gum require Kosher certification from a reliable agency.

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Heart of Palm

Although this text has been discussing the use of wood derivatives as foods, wood has managed to become a food itself. The Talmud (Sukkah 45b) notes a homiletic relationship between the palm tree and the Jewish people. The palm has a straight trunk without branches—figuratively configured with one “heart.” Just as it has but one “heart” so, too, do the Jewish people have but one heart for their Heavenly Father.

This heart of palm, however, has been co-opted as a specialty food that was the subject of a discussion in the Talmud itself (B’rachos 36a). The tender center of the palm trunk is harvested and eaten as a vegetable, and the question involved is the blessing appropriate to it. The Shulchan Aruch, following the conclusion of the Talmudic discussion, rules that the appropriate blessing is she’Hakol because palm trees are generally not planted with the intention of harvesting the wood food. Owing to the modern environmentalist movement, however, this position can now be questioned. Great concern has been created over deforestation and the loss of the rainforest where these trees are grown. Consequently, producers of hearts of palm now plant and cultivate special species of palm that are particularly suited for this product and that are a renewable resource just as any other crop is. One can therefore argue that the ecological movement has succeeded in changing the B’rachah that we make for this product.

The Bottom Line

Maple syrup is produced by boiling the sap from the maple tree to evaporate much of the water and produce concentrated syrup.
Antifoams are typically used to reduce the frothing during this process, and may contain non-Kosher fats.
Kosher oleic acid may be obtained through the fractionation of tall oil from pine trees.
Glycerol ester of wood rosin is based on wood rosin and glycerin.
The glycerin component requires reliable Kosher certification.
CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) poses little Kosher certification concern.
Sugarcane is a primary source of sucrose. Xylose—wood sugar—is also used as a sweetener and may be hydrogenated into xylitol.
Torula yeast is often grown on wood liquor rich in xylose and may be Kosher for Passover.
Vanillin (imitation vanilla flavor) was traditionally produced from wood as a byproduct of the paper industry. Today, most vanillin is produced from other sources.
The original “gum” base used in chewing gum was derived from the latex sap of the chicle tree. Today, most gum base is made from synthetic rubber.

Kosher Certification – Doc’s Tea

June 23, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

EarthKosher kosher certification agency is always excited to discover new products that are as good for your health as they are for your taste buds. EarthKosher provides kosher certification to many companies that pride themselves on using the finest ingredients, not only feeding your body with nourishment, but also feeding your soul. Doc’s Tea is one of these amazing companies.

Doc’s Tea is healthy tea created by a health professional and micro-brewed with your health in mind. We blend Rooibos tea leaves with only the finest organic ingredients we can find. Each flavor has its own unique flair; from Organic Coconut water in our Island Coconut Tea to Organic Lemongrass blended into our Lemongrass Tea. We deliver on the promise of a healthy tea that is good for you and tastes good too!

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Naturally Caffeine Free
There is a new super-beverage in town, and its name is Rooibos. The herbal tea called Rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss), also referred to as “red tea”, is becoming quite popular in Western countries, particularly among health-conscious consumers. The Rooibos plant is a South African flowering bush used to make a mild-tasting tea that is naturally caffeine free, has very little tannin and significant amounts of polyphenol anti-oxidants. We crave research on exotic superfoods and rooibos met our needs. No caffeine and no calorie herbal tea met the strict guidelines we require at Doc’s Tea.

Doc’s Tea, is also made with Monk Fruit. Monk Fruit, otherwise known as
Louhan guo, is grown in Asia within it’s mountains. This special fruit provides low- calorie and delicious sweetness to the tea.

Better tea = Healthier for you

Doc’s Tea (Formerly Doctor B’s Tea) is handcrafted to be the best possible beverage. Our great-tasting, good-for-you tea is made fresh in small batches at the craft microbrewery Dr. Kenneth Banks had custom-built.

Doc and his family – including his son, fellow dentist Christopher Banks, and daughter, dental hygienist Sarah Langford – take care to use only premium, wholesome ingredients, starting with heart-healthy Roobios tea (high in antioxidants and minerals, and naturally caffeine-free), monk fruit (a natural, low-calorie sweetener) and filtered water from local organic springs.

You’ll find real flavors in our teas too, from the lemongrass in our lemongrass variety to real coconut water in our Island Coconut.

You can rest easy knowing this drink is made by health professionals with your good health in mind. Free of artificial colorants, naturally low in calories (just 10 calories per bottle!), Doc’s Tea is certified organic, with nothing genetically engineered added. We’re also gluten-free and certified kosher.

Doc’s Tea is naturally the perfect choice for the whole family.

Handcrafted for you
We have no interest in making a mass-produced drink where quality is not a concern. Instead, we’ve enlisted many of the tools and techniques that are standards of the microbrewery industry to make Doc’s Tea your new favorite.

We hand-brew our tea in small batches at the facility we had custom-built. There’s no co-packer, no outside bottling company, no middlemen handling any part of the process.

From start to finish, we oversee every step of the work to make sure Doc’s Tea is the best possible drink.

Our standards are strict and unwavering, from taking time to filter our local spring water with a double charcoal system to brewing our tea at the perfect temperature.

For best taste, we brew our tea in stainless steel tanks and keep our batches just the right size to make sure every drink tastes fresh. (We’re a small operation but our methods are streamlined and efficient, so if we need to make a lot of tea quickly – no worry, we can do that. We just don’t want a single drop of Doc’s Tea languishing away in a warehouse).

Doc’s Tea has kosher certification from EarthKosher, is Certified Organic, Non GMO and available in six tantalizing flavours: Pomegranate Acai, Island Coconut, Lemon Grass, Mango, Orange ginger and Apple Cinnamon.

L’chaim from EarthKosher!

Kosher Certification: Emulsifiers

June 23, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

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The Story of Emulsifiers in Kosher Food

One of the most commonly asked questions in the Kosher world is “Why can’t I look at the ingredient list of a food to determine whether it is Kosher?”

Because most modern processed foods bear an “ingredient statement,” a legally mandated list of the ingredients used in its production, one may often wonder whether this information is sufficient in making a Kosher determination.

In truth, many reasons make the true Kosher certified status of a product impossible to be divined from reading the ingredient list. First, although many ingredients may be derived from both Kosher and non-Kosher sources, their sources are not obvious from the legal name of the ingredient.

Second, the Kosher certified status of a food depends not only on the ingredients but also on the equipment on which it is produced. A third reason is that certain “minor” ingredients need not be listed at all, even if their use would indeed compromise the Kosher certified status of a product. And fourth, the nomenclature used in ingredient declarations often obscures the true nature of an ingredient and its potential Kashrus implications.

Generic names such as “emulsifiers” and “stabilizers” may sound innocuous, but their Kosher certification implications are far from harmless. The purpose of this article is to offer the reader an understanding of some of the Kosher certification issues relating to these hidden ingredients that blend so seamlessly into the foods we eat.

Emulsification

Many of the foods we eat contain mixtures of different types of liquids, such as water and oil. Often, these liquids tend to separate even after they have been mixed well, such as when blending vinegar and oil to make salad dressing.

Under certain circumstances, however, the repulsion of such liquids from each other may be overcome. Milk contains a certain amount of fat and, indeed, that fat did at one time tend to separate after a while. Those who remember milk before the days of homogenization can recall that when a bottle of milk was delivered to the home, a layer of cream had floated to the top. However, the milk and cream were originally mixed together when the milk came out of the cow and by simple mixing they could be recombined, albeit not permanently.

The term emulsion, from the Latin emulgere (milk), was coined to describe this phenomenon. It was later understood that milk contains a number of natural emulsifying agents, and as science began to understand the nature of these chemicals, many types of emulsifiers were developed to address a varied list of food and chemical requirements. Today, we augment these natural emulsifiers by homogenizing milk, which involves breaking the oil droplets into such small particles that they can remain suspended much longer in the milk without separating.

The problem with mixing oil and water is that each liquid tends to attract molecules that are similar to it and repel those that are different. Fats are part of a category of chemicals called esters, complex chemicals produced by the reaction of an acid and an alcohol. (The term was coined by the German chemist Gmelin as a contraction of the German Essig (vinegar) and Äther (ether).) In the case of a fat, the major ester is composed of three fatty acids and glycerol (glycerin), and is known as a triglyceride.

The structure of the three ester bonds is nonpolar, which means that electrical charges are evenly distributed. Water, on the other hand, is polar, which means that some positive and negative charge are always found separated, with the positive at the two ends (hydrogen molecules) and the negative in the “middle” (oxygen molecule) of the molecule (of H₂O). Therefore, when triglycerides and water are mixed, they quickly separate.

A long-recognized fact, however, is that triglycerides can be treated with chemicals to allow them to mix with water; this is the process used to make soap, a classic emulsifier. In this process, lye (sodium hydroxide) creates a mixture that is predominantly sodium stearate (soap) and glycerin. One end of the soap molecule is attracted to water (hydrophilic, water loving) whereas the other end is attracted to oil (lypophilic, fat loving, or hydrophobic, water hating). By providing a bridge between the two materials, both the oil and the water can remain mixed together. Food emulsifiers function in essentially the same way.

Eggs—Cholesterol and Lecithin

The French arguably gave us one of the earliest applications of the use of natural food emulsifiers. Mayonnaise is a blend of vinegar (acetic acid and water) and oil, a trick that seems to defy the conventional rules regarding the mixing of oil and water. However, necessity is the mother of invention—in this case, the use of lecithin (and cholesterol) as an emulsifier.

The story is told that, in 1756, the French chef of the Duke of Richelieu was preparing a victory feast to celebrate his master’s defeat of the British at Port Mahon. His creation called for a sauce made of cream and eggs, but realizing that he had no cream in the kitchen, he improvised, substituting olive oil for the cream.

A new culinary masterpiece was born and the chef named it “Mahonnaise” in honor of the duke’s victory. Although he succeeded in keeping the vinegar and oil mixed together, he probably did not realize that it was the lecithin and cholesterol in the eggs that allowed this feat to be accomplished. Lecithin is an ester of glycerol with one of the fatty acids ending with a phosphoric acid derivative that can attract water, while the rest of the molecule can attract fat. Cholesterol is a complex molecule that has both hydrophilic and lypophilic regions.

Both attract both fat and water; that is, they function as emulsifiers. Although mayonnaise continues to be made with egg yolks, virtually all the lecithin used as a food emulsifier in other food products comes from soybeans. Soybeans are inherently Kosher. However, fatty acids are often added to lecithin to improve its consistency, so the source of these fatty acids is a major Kosher certification concern.

Lecithin can also be treated with certain enzymes to enhance some of its properties, and such enzymes are often derived from non-Kosher animal tissue. An additional concern relates to Passover. Many foods, notably chocolate and margarine, use lecithin as an emulsifier, so such products must be reformulated for Passover use.

Monoglycerides

Another major category of emulsifiers is called monoglycerides. Fat molecules (triglycerides) are composed of three fatty acids connected to one molecule of glycerin. A monoglyceride is produced by splitting off one of these fatty acids and combining it with another molecule of glycerin, or by splitting off two fatty acids.

Monoglycerides are excellent emulsifiers and may be used alone, further reacted with other chemicals, or used in combination with other emulsifiers to achieve the desired results. (The diglycerides that are a by-product of this process have no active emulsification properties and may be left in the product, creating a product called mono– or diglyceride, or removed to leave purified distilled monoglycerides.)

In addition to emulsifying oil and water, mono- and diglycerides offer an additional advantage to the food industry. Although these products are derived from fat, a quirk in labeling law makes them no longer considered fats and foods that contain them may be labeled “fat free.”

The production of this type of emulsifier poses a number of Kashrus concerns. First, the source of the original fat must be Kosher. Unfortunately, animal fat is often significantly less expensive than vegetable fat, and both produce an equally functional monoglyceride.

An economic incentive therefore exists to use animal-based monoglycerides, especially because the animal-based version may be added to a “vegetable oil” product without being declared an animal derived. (These emulsifiers are permitted in 100 percent vegetable oil without further labeling.) In addition, even if all the ingredients of a given emulsifier are vegetable based, many emulsifier manufacturers produce both animal- and vegetable-based versions on the same equipment.

These facilities therefore require careful cleaning and Kashering to produce Kosher products. An additional concern stems from the glycerin that is added to produce such emulsifiers. Synthetic glycerin is produced from petroleum and poses no inherent Kashrus concern. However, as noted in the description of the production of soap, the splitting of a triglyceride results in the production of glycerin, and commercial glycerin is produced from both animal and vegetable fat sources. Care must therefore be taken that the glycerin used in the production of Kosher emulsifiers come from Kosher sources.

Tartrates

Certain emulsifiers have properties in food production in addition to allowing the mixing of oil and water. Monoglycerides can be reacted (esterified) with tartaric acid to produce a chemical called DATEM (diacetyl tartaric ester of monoglyceride) that reacts with both starch and protein and is especially useful in the production of bread.

By binding with these components of flour, it allows for easier processing of the dough and makes the dough rise better. In addition to the Kosher certification concerns raised with the monoglyceride component, tartaric acid poses another area of potential concern. Tartaric acid has historically been derived from the sediment that crystallizes in wine casks in the form of argol, which remains the major commercial source for this chemical. Virtually all such tartaric acid is produced from non-Kosher wine and grape juice, raising a question as to its Kosher status.

SSL

Another emulsifier commonly used in the baking industry is called SSL, sodium stearyl lactylate, which is produced from lactic and stearic acids plus other chemicals. By binding to starch, it has the ability to retard the staling process in baked goods, thus increasing their shelf life.

Although the lactic acid poses no dairy concerns (it is produced through the fermentation of various types of sugars and should not be confused with its linguistic cousin “lactose”), the source of the stearic acid is a significant issue. Stearic acid is a fatty acid produced by splitting fat molecules, and even if the fat itself is Kosher, if the facility also processes animal fats, care must be taken that the equipment on which it is produced is properly Kosherized from non-Kosher fatty acid production.

Polysorbates

Another common class of emulsifiers is called polysorbates, which is produced by the esterification of sorbitol and a fatty acid. In addition to the Kosher certification concerns regarding the status of the fatty acids, the use of sorbitol opens new vistas in the Kosher certification concerns regarding emulsifiers. Sorbitol is produced by the hydrogenation of glucose and usually poses no year-round Kosher concerns.

The Bottom Line

Certain liquids tend to repel one another and do not naturally remain together as a mixture. Emulsifiers are chemicals that allow for the mixture of certain liquids that would otherwise separate.
Many foods depend on the emulsification of their ingredients to make a stable product. Mayonnaise, for example, relies on the natural emulsifiers in egg yolk to prevent the oil and vinegar from separating.
Chocolate uses lecithin derived from soybeans for the same purpose. Egg yolks and lecithin are readily available as Kosher certified products.
As a soybean derivative, lecithin is considered Kitniyos and generally not approved for Passover use.
Monoglycerides are esters produced from fat when the fat triglyceride is reacted with additional glycerin or two of the fatty acids are removed. Kosher certification is critical for this product because animal fats are the traditional, and less expensive, sources of both triglycerides and glycerin.
Even “100 percent pure” vegetable shortening may contain emulsifiers of non-Kosher animal origin.
Monoglycerides may be reacted with tartaric acid. Although many Kosher certification agencies accept tartaric acid derived from non-Kosher grape juice, this position is not universally accepted.
Sodium stearyl lactylate (SSL) is produced from lactic and stearic acids. Stearic acid may be derived from non-Kosher animal fat and must be certified to be of Kosher vegetable origin. (The product is Pareve (dairy free); the term lactylate is unrelated to lactose.)
Polysorbates are produced through the reaction of sorbitol and a fatty acid. The fatty acid requires a reliable Kosher certification.

Kosher Certification – Earth Mama Angel Baby

June 2, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

EarthKosher kosher certification agency believes in nourishing the body and the soul. EarthKosher provides kosher certification for small, grass roots, mind and body conscious companies all over the world. Earth Mama Angel Baby, is one of these dynamic companies.

Earth Mama Angel Baby offers EarthKosher, kosher certified, organic herbal teas for pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding and beyond. Each Earth Mama Angel Baby tea is USDA Certified Organic, certfied Kosher, and Non-GMO Project Verified, and formulated to safely and naturally address the discomforts of the entire journey of pregnancy and childbirth, and even monthly “female troubles.” In easy-to-brew tea bags, and eco-conscious packaging, effective and delicious, with the safety that you expect from Earth Mama Angel Baby. Trusted by doctors, midwives, lactation consultants and, most importantly, mamas.

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Who Is Mama?

Mama is not just a marketing logo. She’s Melinda Olson, a nurse, herbalist, and real mother who believes mamas, babies and families have a right to safe, herbal, zero toxin products. Mama’s mission is to constantly research, test and refine her products, and educate people about the safe use of herbs and ingredients in personal care products.

Melinda began formulating organic herbal remedies for friends in her Oregon kitchen many years ago. Her love of organic gardening, passion for herbs and desire to find safe products for mamas and babies led to founding Earth Mama Angel Baby, an industry leader in safe, natural and organic herbal products. Melinda is an expert in the benefits of plant medicine, and continually balances her trust and care of traditional herb wisdom with evidence-based research. Since 2002 Earth Mama Angel Baby has been supporting mamas and babies through the entire miraculous birth process, offering nature’s perfect solutions to perfectly natural pregnancy discomforts.

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Earth Mama believes in the natural process of birth, and the healing power of nature. Our mission is to provide safe, herbal alternatives for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and babies of all ages, and to help educate people about traditional plant medicine and safe personal care. We manufacture natural and organic products that work, combining generations of women’s wisdom and traditional plant medicine with the safety and assurances of contemporary evidence based research. If it doesn’t measure up to Mama’s standards, it doesn’t leave the building.

The next time you are looking for an EarthKosher– kosher certified, beautifully healing, peaceful tea- look no further than Earth Mama Angel Baby.

Life is naturally beautiful, with EarthKosher.

Kosher Certification – TESSEMAE’S All Natural

May 19, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

Earthkosher Kosher Certification Agency provides kosher certification for some of the finest natural foods companies all over the world. Earthkosher provides small grass roots and family oriented companies with affordable and reliable kosher certification.

One of these exceptional companies is Tessemae’s All Natural.

As the mother of three athletic boys, Tesse had to figure out a way to get them to eat their veggies while staying healthy. Because serving a dressing full of artificial ingredients was not an option, she created and perfected her own all-natural recipe. When her oldest son, Greg, realized how great it was, he said, “Mom, let’s go into business together and make this for the world!” As Tessemae’s All Natural grows its product line around the globe, the commitment to healthy eating and healthy living remains the core of the company’s mission.

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Tessemae’s All Natural is a family owned company, producing some of the finest sauces and dressings available in the natural food market. In addition to so many organic and natural choices of sauces and dressings- Tessemae’s All Natural offers a special Paleo Pack– these six carefully crafted creations all natural, vegan, certified organic, dairy free, gluten free, sugar free and of course certified kosher by Earthkosher kosher certification agency! Imagine having so many sauces at your fingertips, pleasing taste buds with every meal: Organic Southwest Ranch, Organic Zesty Ranch, Organic Lemonette, Organic Cracked Pepper and Organic Ketchup. There is nothing better than knowing that the food you prepare for your friends and family is filled with love and healthy mindful ingredients. The next time you reach for a special sauce to accompany your meal preparation, think no further than Tessemae’s All Natural’s.

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Two things… make dressings with only the highest quality ingredients and always deliver phenomenal taste. As we New to the paleo lifestyle or just looking to spice up your current shopping list? We’ve picked our top Paleo approved sellers and bundled them together.

Life is about growing, with Earthkosher.

Kosher Certification – Laughing Giraffe Organics

March 23, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

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EarthKosher Kosher Certification Agency is proud to have it’s Kosher certification logo on organic and family run businesses such as LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS.

The LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS Mission is to provide quality nutritional snack foods that actually taste great. In doing so, we use only the purest organic ingredients that are nutrient dense and minimally processed. We make foods that we believe will both satisfy your hunger without detracting from the quality of your life. We want you to EAT WELL and LIVE BETTER!

LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS is a family run business that is owned by the Gilmour family, who live in the San Francisco Bay Area. They entered the health food business out of a desire to learn about healthy eating and how it might improve their own well-being.

Chelsea Marshall – President: Chelsea is the daughter of the Gilmour’s. She is married and has 4 children in grade school. She is an outdoor enthusiast, loves music and is never without her yellow lab. Chelsea, who works closely with our broker and retail partners, is located at the company’s Lafayette, CA headquarters.

LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS was originally founded in 2006 by Justin Baumgartner, who remains the Chief Chef and General Manager of our production facility in Phoenix, AZ. Justin learned his craft primarily from working as a chef in vegan restaurants in New York, NY. He started the business in his home in Phoenix and soon attracted venture funding from Whole Foods Markets, and with its help, was able to develop national distribution.

snakaroons

LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS has created so many delightful products that are satisfying to your senses as well as your soul. One of our favorite LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS treats are the Snakaroons! They come in so many flavors- It will be impossible to have just one favorite: Vanilla, Chocolate, Lemon, Aztec Chocolate, Salted Caramel. Matcha, Coffee Bean, Banana, and Goji Maca. These EarthKosher Kosher certified organic treats come in the regular 6 oz bag, 10 oz Family Packs as well as packs of 8- 1.25 oz Snack Packs Snakaroons.

Snakarola is another scrumptious snack choice from LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS. LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS has created three delightfully different varieties of Snakarola, using only the finest and most inspiring flavor combinations: Cranberry Orange, Curry Cashew, Cherry Ginger!

snakarola

Snakarola is our take on the classic granola besides serving as food for breakfast and/or snacks, granola is also often eaten by those who are hiking, camping, or backpacking because it is lightweight, high in calories, and very easy to store. Our Snakarola is easy to take with you in our convenient resalable package and is easy to take with you for a healthy snack anytime.

LAUGHING GIRAFFE ORGANICS products are raw & vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free, USDA Organic and have Kosher certification from EarthKosher.

Happy snacking with EarthKosher!

Kosher Certification – Beaujolais Granola

March 12, 2016 by EarthKosherCEO

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EarthKosher Kosher Certification Agency provides Kosher certification for many companies that believe in good healthy food, family oriented business practices and environmental awareness. One of those companies is Beaujolais Granola.

With all great companies, comes beautiful stories of small, but grand beginnings. The original flavor of Granola- Cashew & Coconut- was served at Café Beaujolais in the small coastal town of Mendocino, California. The granola became a favourite with the diners and the rest is history.

David LaMonica acquired the restaurant and inherited this much loved granola recipe along with its devoted following. David, an accomplished chef, perfected the recipe to make it his own. Followers conveyed that this honeyed granola was the real deal and requested that David create more flavors. His delicious new flavor combinations inspired us to build a commercial kitchen from the ground up in Sonoma wine country.

Inspired by your desire for variety and quality, Beaujolais Granola was born. We granted your wishes and made you happy, our intention the start. Our purpose is to connect with others like you who share our passion for quality. We promise to deliver exceptional handcrafted products and pledge transparency in our ingredients and process. We’re devoted to our craft and to you.

David & Diane LaMonica and Tony Murphy are the proud family of Beaujolais Granola. David, our CEO, is an amazing chef and perfectionist with limitless creativity and energy. Diane, our director of sales and customer relations, forever in the restaurant and hospitality business, equally values great food and great people. Tony, our CFO, experienced in the field of marketing, loves healthy food and family.

Beaujolais Granola not only has Kosher certification from EarthKosher, but they are Non-GMO Project Verified and worthy of the Whole Grain Council Stamp. Their granola is low sodium, high in protein and fiber and dairy free.

Beaujolais Granola uses only the finest quality natural ingredients – chosen with you in mind – for their health benefits. Warmed organic wildflower honey, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and luscious fruits are brought together by hand to create our delicious offerings. Perfectly toasted, never overly sweet and always wonderfully satisfying.
Fresh from the oven and left to cool, honeyed aromas evoke memories from our childhoods, arriving home to the comfort and delight of freshly baked goods from those who nurtured us. Our baking satisfies your nostalgic yearning for traditionally prepared granola. It’s our pleasure. We’re honored to be in your home, to nurture your body and your life, to be shared and enjoyed with those you love. Beaujolais Granola – Handmade in beautiful California wine country.

All five delightful and decadent recipes of all natural Beaujolais Granola boast the EarthKosher, Kosher certification logo. Each recipe with tantalize your taste buds with different textures and flavors, be sure to try them all!

Cherry and Cacao Nib Granola

Tart whole cherries paired with superfood cacao nibs and toasted wide flake coconut are a delectable and irresistible combination.

Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Organic Honey, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Dried Tart Cherries (Cherries, Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Wheat Germ, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Coconut, Cacao Nibs, Pure Vanilla Extract (Water, Alcohol, Vanilla Bean Extractives), Sea Salt.

Wildflower Honey & Hazelnut Granola

Wildflower honey and toasty hazelnuts joined together to create clusters of crunchy indulgence fit for a king (or queen!).

Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Organic Honey, Hazelnuts, Wheat Germ, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Pure Vanilla Extract (Water, Alcohol, Vanilla Bean Extractives), Sea Salt.

Cashew & Coconut Granola

A winning combination of whole toasted cashews along with toasted wide flake coconut makes this granola a favorite among those looking for a taste of paradise.

Ingredients: Organic Oats, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Organic Honey, Organic Wheat Germ, Raw Cashews, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Sesame Seeds, Coconut, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt.

Apricot & Almond Granola

Whole toasted California almonds providing energy paired with bits of tart apricot are proof that no matter what the season, it’s always sunny in California!

Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Organic Honey, Almonds, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Wheat Germ, Freeze Dried Apricots, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Pure Vanilla Extract (Water, Alcohol, Vanilla Bean Extractives), Sea Salt.

Six Seed Sensation Granola

A blend of toasted pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax, hemp, & sesame make our six seed blend the perfect combination of healthy, toasty, creamy and crunchy all-in-one amazing granola.

Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Organic Honey, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Wheat Germ, Pumpkin Seed, Sesame Seed, Sunflower Seed, Flax Seed, Hemp Seed, Chia Seed, Pure Vanilla Extract (Water, Alcohol, Vanilla Bean Extractives), Sea Salt.

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Food with good intentions. Food with nothing to hide. It’s our goal at Beaujolais Granola to help you to take care of yourselves so that you may in turn take care of others. Eat well to live well!

Enjoy life with EarthKosher, L’chaim!