Soc.Culture.Jewish Newsgroups Frequently Asked Questions and Answers URL: www.scjfaq.org/faq/20-02.html

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Question 20.2:
What are the different hechsher symbols?

You'll have to keep informed. Note that in most states, "K" does not necessarily mean that the product has rabbinical supervision, so you can't rely on the simple K. Of course, many products with a "K" are kosher anyway, as are many unmarked products. The circled-U, circled-K, K-in-a-five-pointed-star, and k-in-a-letter-chaf are widely accepted nationally-known kosher symbols. Other accepted kosher symbols are only found in small local areas.

In the Periodicals Reading List, you'll find a number of magazines focused on Kashrut. These magazines often publish information on who is behind the various hechshers. In particular, every year, Kashrus Magazine publishes an index to all the Kosher symbols and the people behind them. You can reach Kashrus Magazine on the net at (<http://www.kashrusmagazine.com/>).

The FAQ is a collection of documents that is an attempt to answer questions that are continually asked on the soc.culture.jewish family of newsgroups. It was written by cooperating laypeople from the various Judaic movements. You should not make any assumption as to accuracy and/or authoritativeness of the answers provided herein. In all cases, it is always best to consult a competent authority--your local rabbi is a good place to start.

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