What Does “KOSHER FOR PASSOVER” Mean?
During Passover, Jewish law forbids the consumption or possession by Jews of all edible fermented grain products (Chametz) or related foods. Therefore, even foods and household products which meet the strict, year-round dietary regulations, and are considered Kosher, are nevertheless, often unacceptable, or require special preparation for Passover use in the Jewish home in order to be Kosher for Passover.
How Can One Tell If A Product is “KOSHER FOR PASSOVER”?
Most processed foods and beverages require special rabbinical supervision for Passover use. They must also be Kosher for year-round use, and prepared in accordance with all of the regular Jewish dietary laws.
Jewish consumers are urged to look for the P or the Kosher for Passover designations as an integral part of the product label, and to be familiar with the rabbi or organization giving the Passover endorsement. The mere mention of Kosher For Passover on the label is not a sufficient guarantee of the product’s acceptability for Passover use.
The largest and most widely respected Kosher supervisory agency is the Kashruth Division of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. Its registered service mark, OU-P, on thousands of consumer and industrial food products, is a guarantee of the highest standards of Kashruth for Passover. Processed foods not carrying any rabbinical supervision should be cleared with a rabbi before Passover use, as should any medicines and vegetables.