The OU reports that consumers should be aware that a plain letter “K” that is combined with other letters and numbers as part of an alpha numeric product code as in “K 17328 B00” is not a kosher symbol, Kashrut.com reports.
Only a “K” that appears isolated by itself may be interpreted as a kosher symbol.
Also be aware that a plain “K” is an unregistered kosher symbol and must first be verified to be considered reliable.
{Matzav.com}
The letter K is an assurance of kashruth asserted by John, Nicholas, James or even Joe Ling. What’s wrong with that? Aren’t they just as trusted as any ירא שמים?
Sadly too many feel this way! We have no qualms about going into a store where the non Jew assures you that it is Kosher and walla, kosher it is!
This is so misleading. The letter K means absolutely nothing. Anybody can use it with no repsonsibility. This gives the impression that sometimes the K is good. It is never good! If something is Kosher it is not “bcause” of the K, it is becuase whatever agency is taking resposibility and saying that this item is Kosher without a certification.
Back when I was a kid, oh, about a half-century ago, one of the first things my parents taught when shopping was that a plain “K” means the manufacturer claims the product is kosher. There may or may not be supervision and the ingredients may or may not be actually kosher. In a nutshell, a plain “K” was and remains absolutely worthless for most products. An exception was a certain cereal brand that, IIRC, the OU said was kosher if marked with a “K”.
This is all shtusim. It’s not nogia to the super frummies. One is NEVER EVER allowed to consume any food product from a goyishe company! One may consume products only from a heimishe company! Chalav yisroel only, goes without saying. Any veering from this mehalech will have a detrimental effect on your children’s shidduchim. Your children will not be accepted into the top tiered Yeshivos either. Be warned.
You’ve obviously been eating questionable food. Otherwise how do you explain your complete טמטום המח והלב?
Nowadays, when common food, like ketchup, pepsi, seasoning, etc., have been found to contain horrendous stuff, it’s very important to have a good hashgachah on everything that comes into your mouth. (This is the reason McDonald’s and other food chains have been closed down.)
McDonald’s has closed down?! What world are you living in?
Hillel is right. Many McDonald’s shops were shut down. Some reopened.
Kellogg’s had a plain K for decades and no problem. The issue is that the kashrut agency would lose money.
Do some research on Kellogg’s. It’s in the category of what above commenter Hillel posted.
you should not be eating Kellogg’s. It’s mamesh chazer treiff. Don’t eat like a goy. Only Kemach and the like will be accepted.
From all standpoints, a plain K is meaningless. All it is, is the manufacturer self-identifying the product as having no non-kosher ingredients. It is not enforceable, to the point that if the item is found to be non-kosher, the manufacturer will not be punished because they can claim that they made a good-faith claim.
It also does not speak as to the preparation methods. Most large manufacturing plants have complex multi-room facilities, where different products are manufactured at the same time. All those immense cauldrons are heated using the same close-circuit steam hookup. Steam is generated, pumped to one room, then moves on to the next and the next before being reboiled. All Kashrus agencies have stated that this is a serious kashrus issue due to בליעה. Different agencies deal with this in different methods, depending on the rulings they follow, but NO ONE allows this unchecked. A K doesn’t even relate to this issue.
It is a issue because you made it a issue.