Civil laws regarding kashrut (Jewish religious standards, mainly concerning food) are found in several countries. Advertising standards laws in many jurisdictions prohibit the use of the phrase "kosher" in a product's labelling, unless it can be shown that the product conforms to Jewish dietary laws; however, the legal qualifications for conforming to Jewish dietary laws are often defined differently in different jurisdictions.
For example, in some places the law may require that a rabbi certify the kashrut nature, in others the rules of kosher are fully defined in law, and in others still it is sufficient that the manufacturer only believes that the product complies with Jewish dietary regulations.
In several cases, laws restricting the use of the term "kosher" have later been determined to be illegal religious interference.[1]
- ^ See Mark A. Berman, Kosher Fraud Statutes and the Establishment Clause: Are. They Kosher?, 26 COLUM. J.L. & SOC. PROBS. 1, 28 (1992)