When you’re looking at spice and seasoning options at Trader Joe’s, there are quite a few products to choose from, and they have some great options for the basics. You might be wondering, though, is Trader Joe’s sea salt kosher?
The Sea Salt Crystals that Trader Joe’s sells in grinders are kosher certified, as are a number of their other salt varieties. However, because it is derived from seawater, it is slightly different from the type of salt that is known as “kosher salt”.
Read ahead to find out what this terminology really means, and the specifics about the kosher status of the salt that Trader Joe’s sells.
What Is Kosher Salt?
The question of whether or not any kind of salt is “kosher” is more complicated than you might think. This is because there are actually two different meanings of the word when it comes to salt in particular.
Kosher Food
When referring to food in general, the term “kosher” is used to describe food that is permissible to eat according to the Jewish dietary laws of Kashrut.
It means that food is “fit or proper” for consumption. Kosher rules determine which foods may be eaten, and give guidelines for how food should be prepared, processed, and inspected.
Only some types of mammals, birds, and fish are considered kosher, and mammals and birds have to be slaughtered through a specific process (which includes koshering the meat through salting and soaking). There are other important rules as well, such as the fact that meat and dairy cannot be mixed together.
Not all Jewish people strictly adhere to the rules of Kashrut but, for those that do, there are many kinds of kosher certifications that can help to identify products as safe to eat.
“Kosher Salt” vs “Sea Salt”
Kosher salt is a specific kind of salt, also known as koshering salt, which comes from deposits underground. It is coarse with large flat grains and does not contain iodine. It is given this name not because it is a kosher food but because it is used in the koshering process.
Kosher salt is applied to raw meat in order to draw out the blood, which is part of the process that ensures the food will then comply with Jewish dietary laws
Sea salt, on the other hand, is a kind of salt that is derived from evaporated seawater. It often has a similar grain structure to kosher salt, but it contains impurities and trace minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
What Sea Salt Does Trader Joe’s Sell?
Trader Joe’s Sells Sea Salt Crystals. They also sell a number of different salt products at Trader Joe’s, and some that contain a lot more ingredients than others. The main options that you will find include:
- Trader Joe’s Sea Salt Crystals
- Trader Joe’s Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals
- Trader Joe’s Garlic Salt
- Trader Joe’s Onion Salt
Of these, their Sea Salt Crystals and Garlic Salt are both made with the same sea salt as the core ingredient. Their Onion Salt is the only one of the four that is made with kosher salt (meaning the kind of salt that is used for koshering).
All four of these salt products are considered kosher food, and they all come with kosher certification.
To check the current price and availability of Trader Joe’s Sea Salt Crystals, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
What Kind of Kosher Certification Does Trader Joe’s Use?
Not every grocery store chain is good at labeling their products and ensuring that they are certificated authentically, but Trader Joe’s is actually pretty reliable.
In order to tell whether a product is kosher or not, you should look for a stamp on the label that shows it has been certified by an official Jewish organization known as a hashgacha, which designates which foods comply with Kashrut laws.
There are many different bodies that offer these certifications, and Trader Joe’s uses a variety of them for their products.
When it comes to Trader Joe’s salt products, most are now certified by the Orthodox Jewish Union (OU). The stamp that shows this certification appears as a capital “U” in a circle.
It is worth having a look at the list of different certifications that you might see, and those that can be found on Trader Joe’s products specifically.
Is It Hard to Find Kosher Food?
Staying kosher can be difficult, particularly when you are shopping around in major grocery stores. Because the concept is a cultural and religious one, not every institution pays close attention to how well they are abiding by the Kashrut requirements in terms of how the food is manufactured.
Many people who consider themselves Jewish are not overly strict about how they follow the dietary laws and make their own decisions based on the rules as they understand them.
For those who are more strict about their adherence, it can be hard to know what has been involved in preparation and processing – even for products that might seem perfectly safe. That’s why kosher certifications are so important.
On the whole, kosher food is becoming more popular, and the market reached a value of almost $20 billion in 2021. By the year 2027, the kosher food market is expected to exceed $25 billion as more and more people pay attention to what they eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Trader Joe’s Products Kosher?
Many of the products on offer at Trader Joe’s are considered kosher, and they are good at labeling their food items with kosher certification.
Is Sea Salt Considered Kosher?
Sea salt and kosher salt are two different types of salt, but they are both generally considered fit to eat according to the Jewish dietary laws of Kashrut.
Final Thoughts
So, is Trader Joe’s Sea Salt kosher? Well, it both is and it isn’t. It is considered kosher in that it complies with the Jewish dietary laws of Kashrut and is safe for Jewish people to eat, but it is not the same type of salt as “kosher salt”.
“Kosher salt” is a kind of salt that is used for koshering meat products, and it is different from the salt that is derived from seawater – although it can look very similar.
If you’re looking for kosher foods, Trader Joe’s is certainly a good option. They are known to label their products well with official certifications, and they offer a lot of options on the shelves.
