For Some, ‘Kosher’ Equals Pure

January 12, 2010

Author: Kim Severson

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/dining/13kosh.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

This year, for the first time, glatt kosher food will be sold at the Super Bowl.

Certainly, faith will prompt some of the fans at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., to line up at one of two carts selling grilled salami sliders and garlicky knoblewurst. But for others, the appeal of a kosher hot dog will have nothing to do with religion.

In an era of heightened concern over food contamination, allergies and the provenance of ingredients, the market for kosher food among non-Jews is setting records.

Only about 15 percent of people who buy kosher do it for religious reasons, according to Mintel, a research group that last year produced a report on the kosher food explosion. The top reasons cited for buying kosher? Quality, followed by general healthfulness.