Marshmallows

SITTING BY THE fireplace on a chilly winter night provides the perfect opportunity to indulge in the timeless treat of s’mores.

Traditionally, s’mores are made by roasting marshmallows on a stick or skewer over an open flame until they become soft and golden. The melted marshmallow is then sandwiched between two graham crackers or cookies and chocolate and enjoyed. It is important to note that marshmallows are considered a highly kosher-sensitive food product due to the inclusion of gelatin. Gelatin, a colorless and flavorless ingredient derived from collagen (a protein found in fish and animal skins and bones), is used to provide gelling properties in a variety of food items.

Sourcing Kosher Gelatin
Some Poskim maintain that gelatin derived from non-kosher animals can still be considered kosher, arguing that the bones or skins are completely dried and flavorless, and that during the manufacturing process, which used to take weeks, they are treated with strong chemicals that render the material inedible.

However, OK Kosher, along with other major kashrus agencies, rejects this position and does not permit the use of gelatin from non-kosher animals. This is due to concerns that the bones and skin may not have been fully dried and the fact that gelatin can be produced in a matter of hours and is not really a davar chodosh anymore. Furthermore, the fact that the gelatin becomes inedible during production does not provide a valid leniency, as it regains its edibility when mixed with food during the final stages of processing.

For gelatin to be deemed kosher, it must be derived from kosher animals that have undergone proper kosher slaughter and processing, or from kosher fish.

Is animal-derived gelatin considered fleishig?
As previously mentioned, kosher gelatin can be derived from the bones and hides of kosher shechted animals, which would seemingly classify the gelatin as fleishig. Consequently, if this gelatin is used to make marshmallows, one might assume that the marshmallows themselves would also be classified as fleishig. Is this assumption correct?

Fortunately, it is not. Most major kashrus agencies follow the opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, who asserts that since animal skins are considered meat only d’rabbanan, the gelatin extracted from the skin is regarded as tzir (an extraction) of meat d’rabbanan, which is considered pareve. Therefore, even if your marshmallows are made with gelatin derived from kosher animals, they may be eaten with dairy products, such as milk chocolate, without any concern.

Gelatin Derived from Fish
Fish gelatin is commonly used to produce kosher marshmallows. While some companies try to avoid fish gelatin due to the required allergen declaration on the label, the lower cost of kosher fish gelatin often incentivizes its use over gelatin derived from beef.

The Shulchan Oruch notes that mixing meat and fish can be dangerous, and some people avoid combining fish and dairy as well. This raises the question: if marshmallows are made from fish-derived gelatin, must they be kept strictly separate from meat?

The answer depends on whether the fish gelatin is derived from the skin or scales. When gelatin is derived from fish scales, it does not retain the Halachic status of fish and can therefore be consumed with meat. However, when derived from fish skin, which is edible, it retains the Halachic status of fish and is considered tzir dagim (the extract of fish). There is Halachic debate regarding whether the prohibition of mixing fish and meat applies to tzir dagim. While a strong Halachic case can be made that this prohibition does not apply, and therefore no strict separation between marshmallows and fleishig foods or utensils is required, those who wish to be stringent may choose to keep them separate.

Labeling
Gelatin, or any product containing gelatin, should only be purchased with reliable certification. OK Kosher ensures that fish gelatin derived from the skin and any products containing it are clearly labeled with the OK-Fish symbol.