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.

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.

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.

The Story of Olives and Olive Oil

Styles and tastes seem to come in cycles. Foods that have been with us for centuries wax and wane in their popularity, emerging from relative obscurity of yesterday to become the epicurean’s delight of today. Olives were once the food for all seasons, serving as source of food, cooking fat, illumination—even as a depilatory . The olive is deeply rooted in history.

However, just as ancient foods reappear on the gastronomic forefront, new Kosher certification issues that relate to them can be similarly intriguing. The purpose of this article is to explore the Kosher certification concerns this age-old food can present.

Types of Olives

Olives are sold in many forms—green, black, stuffed with pimento, and pickled in vinegar. Each can pose distinct Kosher certification concerns. However, to understand these issues, we must first understand something about the olive itself. Both green and black olives are the same fruit; the difference is based on their level of ripeness when they are picked. Green olives are essentially unripe fruit, their higher acidity giving them their characteristic piquant flavor. Black olives are allowed to mature on the tree and have a more mellow flavor. Green olives are grown in many parts of the world, such as California, Greece, Italy, or Israel.

Olives from Israel pose special concerns of T’rumos u’Ma’asros (tithes) and Sh’mitah (the Sabbatical Year). However, even olives from other countries can raise Kosher certification concerns. Olives are generally not eaten as a fresh fruit; they are usually sold in jars or cans.

Brining

To preserve the fruit until eaten, various chemicals are added to the olives. Green olives are usually packed in brine, which can be made with salt, acetic acid, or vinegar. Vinegar has historically been made from non-Kosher wine and is sometimes used in the production of olives to impart a specific flavor.

In some countries, low-grade wine vinegar is preferred because it is far cheaper than other chemicals. In addition, a number of specialty olives have recently gained popularity, generally known by the locale from whence they hail. Kalamata olives, for example, come from a particular area in Greece and are often packed in vinegar. Unfortunately, much of the vinegar used in Greece is wine vinegar, and even white vinegar may be produced from wine alcohol, creating significant Kosher certification concerns.

Even white vinegar can pose a problem because in many parts of the world the ethanol from which the vinegar is produced can be derived from wine (not Kosher) or, in more recent years, lactose (dairy). Acetic acid may also suffer from the same concern. Although acetic acid is the active component in vinegar (vinegar is defined as acetic acid derived through fermentation), when acetic acid is used as an ingredient it generally refers to glacial acetic acid that is derived from petroleum. This distinction is not universal, however, and an ingredient declaration of acetic acid does not guarantee that it is actually not vinegar.

To compound the concern, olives imported from other countries are shipped in brine blended overseas, which is then replaced with different brine when subsequently packaged. Ensuring that the initial brine, not just the brine to make the finished product, is Kosher is critical.

Additives

Several other ingredients may also be used in the processing of olives. Lactic acid is often added to green olives. Etymological connotations notwithstanding, this ingredient is produced through the fermentation of sugar or corn syrup and is generally of concern only for Pesach (Passover). (One commercial attempt in the United States to produce lactic acid from lactose was a technological success but failed in the marketplace, in no small measure because of the fact that the food industry did not need a dairy lactic acid!)

Ferrous gluconate is an iron salt of gluconic acid and is added to black olives to maintain their firmness and color. Gluconic acid is produced by the fermentation of sugars and requires a Kosher certification.

Stuffed Olives

Olives, however, are not just “green” and “black.” Green olives are often stuffed with pimento. The word pimento is Spanish for pepper and was generally a small piece of a particular type of red pepper. Today, this condiment is often prepared from minced pimento, to which a gelling agent is added to form a solid stuffing. Although this ingredient may be an alginate derived from sea-weed, it may also be non-Kosher gelatin.

Olive Oil

The versatility of olives is not limited to the fruit itself. Indeed, its use to produce olive oil has historically been one of its most important applications. In the era before today’s common vegetable oils (such as soybean, canola, and corn) were available, olive oil served as the primary Kosher oil. Olive oil, however, differs significantly from other cooking oils. Although other cooking oils are designed to have as little flavor as possible, high-quality olive oil is prized for a particular flavor. In that respect, olive oil is treated somewhat as a fruit juice instead of a source of fat, which is why olive oil is divided into three major grades—extra virgin, virgin, and pomace.

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olive, contains the lowest level of free fatty acids, and has the lightest color and flavor. Virgin oil comes from additional pressings of the olives but has a higher level of free fatty acids and thus a stronger taste. Both of these types of oil are generally not refined. Pomace oil is extracted from the olive “cake” that is left after the initial pressings. The oil is removed from the cake by pressing or with petroleum solvents, and is the lowest quality olive oil.

Because of the impurities and flavors inherent in this grade, it is generally refined. Refining, a process used in the production of most vegetable, marine, and animal oils, involves heating and filtering the oil to purify and standardize it. Unfortunately, vegetable oils (including olive oil) are often refined in the same equipment as non-Kosher animal and marine oils, rendering otherwise Kosher vegetable oils to be non-Kosher.

Today, olive oil has enjoyed a resurgence in the market, owing both to its perceived health value as a highly monounsaturated oil and to its unique flavor profile. This newfound popularity—and higher price— has not been without its pitfalls. Although it had been assumed that all extra-virgin olive oil was free of refining and contamination concerns, recent research has indicated that olive oil—including extra-virgin—is susceptible to adulteration. The outlying areas in the many countries where it is produced further complicates our ability to monitor the purity of the product. Extreme vigilance is therefore required of the Kosher certification agencies to ensure that Kosher olive oil is indeed exactly that.

Passover

Olive oil has always enjoyed a special place in Pesach foods. It has historically been the vegetable oil universally accepted as being free of any concerns of Kitniyos. (Many otherwise Kosher oils, such as soy, canola, and corn, are avoided by Ashkenazic Jews during Passover.) In addition to concerns of possible adulteration with less expensive non-Passover oils, modern technology has created complications for this erstwhile paradigm of Kosher for Passover oils.

Olives (as do many fruit) yield the greatest amount of juice when they overripe. During the ripening process, certain enzymes are produced naturally that break down the pulp of the olive, allowing the oil that is entrapped to come out more easily during pressing.

Today, these enzymes (cellulases and pectinases) are produced commercially and added to ground olives, allowing olives to be pressed without such a delay. Many of these enzymes may be considered Chometz (leaven). Verifying that any enzymes used are indeed Kosher for Passover is therefore important.

Another Pesach concern involves the use of citric acid. Minute amounts of metal ions occur naturally in all vegetable oils, which can affect the color and flavor of the oil. Citric acid is often added to bind to these ions and render them harmless (chelation), and the Passover status of the citric acid must be verified if it is used. It has also been reported that chlorophyll preparations have been added to fortify an “olive green” color, the Kosher status of which should also be verified.

Advances in food technology are an ever-present challenge to Kosher food. Even products that have been with us for thousands of years can and do change.

The Bottom Line

– Black and green olives are essentially the same fruit, differing only in their level of ripeness.

– Olives, as well as all other produce, grown in Israel are subject to special laws unique to the Holy Land. Unprocessed olives from all other countries are inherently Kosher.

– Most olives, however, are soaked in a brine to preserve them. This brine may contain vinegar or acetic acid. Vinegar may be produced from non-Kosher wine and must therefore be carefully monitored.

– Even if a product lists acetic acid as an ingredient, it may first be soaked in non-Kosher vinegar and then in acetic acid. Lactic acid is often added to green olives, and may pose a Passover concern. Ferrous gluconate is often added to black olives to maintain their firmness.

– As with all fermentation products, the gluconic acid used in its production requires a reliable Kosher certification.

– Green olives are often stuffed with pimento. Although the original version of this material was a strip of red pepper, this product is now generally prepared from minced pimento and a gelling agent.
Although this gelling agent often used is carrageenan, it may also be non-Kosher gelatin.

– Olives are also the source of olive oil, one of the most ancient sources of oil for both food and fuel. Olive oil is prized for its flavor and is graded for quality according to the freshness of its taste. Extra-virgin and virgin oil refer to oil that is squeezed from ripe fruit. This grade of olive oil is typically processed without refining or other heat treatment, and many authorities permit its use without Kosher certification.

– However, concerns of adulteration or storage with non-Kosher oils remain a concern. Pomace grade refers to oil that is extracted from squeezed olives, in much the same manner as oil is extracted from soybeans. Such oil is typically refined and may be processed on equipment that is also used for non-Kosher oils. Kosher certification of this grade of oil is certainly required.

– Olive oil is acceptable for use on Passover according to all opinions.

However, Chometz pectinase and cellulase enzymes are often added to increase the yield during pressing. Citric acid may also be added to olive, all of which may pose a Passover concern.