May 20, 2021
A Guide to Understanding Kosher Transport
The global kosher food market has been growing in leaps and bounds, and it’s expected to attain a 4.16% CAGR increase by 2028. This growth is both boon and bane to kosher manufacturers. On the one hand, it means the demand for kosher products will increase – while on the other hand, it means stricter kosher-food processing regulations.
Understanding kosher transport now is the key to ensuring your kosher transport solutions are up to par with the relevant laws.
How are Kosher Products Transported?
Kosher food is transported in two main ways:
As Packaged Kosher Products
Packaged kosher foods come in disposable boxes, plastic bottles, and other single-use forms of packaging. Regardless of the mode of transport used, packaged kosher products have no kashrus concerns.
As Unpackaged Kosher Products
Some kosher ingredients are nowadays transported in bulk and unpackaged to factories and storage facilities via tankers. For instance, kosher ketchup manufacturers may transport the liquid sugar and vinegar used in production through liquid tankers.
Depending on the contents, these tankers can either be heated, refrigerated, or tuned to the proper transportation conditions. For instance, when the product only needs to be transported a short distance, the ingredients are heated in the plant first before transit. But when the product is in for a long haul, it’s transported via a truck with heating coils embedded in its shell to maintain its temperature.
Unpackaged kosher transport is where kashrus concerns come in. According to kosher rules, all equipment used in kosher food processing must remain kosher. Unfortunately, there are so many ways for kosher and pareve products transported in tankers to lose their integrity. A kosher product may become non-kosher if:
- It’s transported in a non-kosher tanker
- A dedicated kosher tanker holds a cold non-kosher product for 24 hours(the non-kosher taste is absorbed by the tanker’s vessel)
- A heated kosher tanker holds a non-kosher product
How to Maintain the Integrity of Unpackaged Kosher Products in Transit
Although unpackaged kosher products are at a high risk of becoming non-kosher while in transit, it’s possible to maintain their integrity. Here’s how:
A Kosher Upgrade Wash
A kosher upgrade wash is the easiest way to turn a non-kosher tanker into a certified kosher tanker. The wash is typically conducted under the guidance of a Jewish rabbi. Although the process varies from one place to another, it generally goes as follows:
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- Standard Clean: All the liquid is removed, and a standard wash is done to remove all the dirt, rust, and debris that might be stuck to the walls. A thorough interior cleaning is performed using specific cleaners (the rabbi guides the tank cleaners). The tank is then left empty for the next 24 hours before any other step.
- High Heat Rinse: For a proper kosher wash, the tanker should be boiled while it’s full of water. In the past, manufacturers would fill the vessel with water and then inject live steam to heat it. Not only was the process expensive, but it was also unsafe and time-intensive. For an efficient high heat rinse, 1/3 of the tanker is filled with water and then boiled to over 2000F using live steam from a high-pressure steam hose. After the rinse, the tanker may be sanitized under the supervision of a rabbi.
Wash facilities that offer kosher tank upgrade washes are required to use only freshwater. This is because there’s a probability that recycled water may have been used to rinse a non-kosher tanker. They’re also required to wash heat exchangers, steam hoses, pumps, and any other equipment used in the process.
Kosher Certified Tankers
Another excellent way to prevent non-kosher tankers from compromising the integrity of kosher food is by dedicating tankers to kosher food transport. That means getting kosher certification for the tanker and using it to transport kosher products specifically. If it had already transported non-kosher products, it will need a high heat washer to become a certified kosher tanker.
Kosher Tanker Certification
Trucks and tankers usually get kosher-certified after an inspection conducted by a rabbi from a reputable kosher agency. In both scheduled and unscheduled inspection, the rabbi reviews the truck’s records, such as kosher wash tickets and truck logs, to confirm the kosher readiness of the tanker. To ensure they uphold kosher transport standards, manufacturers must regularly submit truck log records and all the relevant documentation to their kosher agency.
Outsource Your Kosher Transportation Needs to Kan-Haul
With so many rules to keep up with, kosher food transportation can get quite complicated. It becomes even more challenging if you have limited transport tankers, as it means you either have to conduct regular high heat washes or dedicate one to the job.
On the bright side, you don’t have to do it on your own. Kan-Haul offers reliable kosher bulk food transportation solutions countrywide. We boast an extensive fleet of fully inspected, kosher certified tankers, and our solutions can be tailored to fit individual needs.
Contact us today for more inquiries on bulk transportation options for unpackaged kosher food transportation.
