Belief in Brief: Kosher foods

COLUMBIA — In the wake of the recent salmonella outbreak in tomatoes and concerns over food-related diseases such as mad cow disease, people are increasingly concerned with the safety and quality of their food. Kosher food has a reputation of high quality among many consumers because of the rigorous inspections that are part of the kosher certification process. According to an article in the Jerusalem Post, the kosher food market has been growing 10 percent to 15 percent during the past 20 years. Part of this growth is due to the popularity of kosher food outside the Jewish community. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted in a recent article the increase in sales of kosher meat among non-Jewish customers. These non-Jewish customers say they feel more confident buying kosher meat because of the extra care that goes into its preparation.