Kof-K kosher symbol

How to read it

Kof, or kaf, is the 11th letter of the Hebrew alphabet and the first letter of kasher, the Hebrew word for kosher, so the symbol pairs a Latin K with a Hebrew one. According to Rabbi Yosef Bitton, Kof-K is one of the foremost kosher certification agencies in the United States, its policies are set by a rabbinic committee that decides questions of Jewish law arising in food production, and its symbol is protected under federal law against unauthorized use.

Also searched as: Kof-K.

What certification checks

As OU Kosher describes it, kosher certification is a rabbinic agency checking a product’s ingredients, the facility and the production itself. For meat and poultry, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service allows the word “kosher” only on products prepared under rabbinical supervision.