Sign of the messiah? Kosher Tootsie Rolls

By Michelle Boorstein

OK, I admit it's a stretch for me to put this on a politics and policy blog, but can't food regulation be considered sort of a Washington-ish topic? Bottom line: Tootsie Rolls have gone kosher.

Yup, yesterday the Orthodox Union, the world's largest group certifying food as kosher, announced that its experts had been working with Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc., to make sure that its ingredients and production comply with strict Jewish dietary standards.

This was cause for celebration by some in the D.C.-area Orthodox Jewish community, including my cousin, who called the Tootsie Roll "the elusive missing link" of candies for Jews who seriously observe kashrut, the Jewish dietary law. The Orthodox Union press release yesterday called the candy "the much sought after Tootsie Roll."

The new stamp, which will begin rolling out nationwide in the next few weeks, also applies to Tootsie Fruit Rolls, Frooties and DOTS. The Orthodox Union, which gives its stamp to hundreds of thousands of products around the world, says the kosher marketplace is growing, which could explain why a company like Tootsie Roll would bother changing its manufacturing process.

By

Michelle Boorstein

 |  December 3, 2009; 8:39 AM ET  |  Category:  God in Government Save & Share:                 
Previous: Ex-Seminarian wants gay priests out of the closet | Next: In divorce, who gets kids to church?

Posted by: Farnaz1Mansouri1 | December 4, 2009 12:15 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: nle1 | December 4, 2009 12:12 PM
Report Offensive Comment

The comments to this entry are closed.