Emes Kosher-Jel Flunks Gelatin Test

[Guest guest]

Emes Kosher-Jel Flunks Gelatin Test

June 1, 2005

Vegparadise News Bureau

[Previously posted to SoFlaVegans list]

 

The Jewish word for truth is " emes " (pronounced em ess). Truth is

the issue for the Seventh Day Adventist ABC Stores that have removed

Emes Kosher-Jel from their shelves because they feel the company has

not been honest about the ingredients in this product. For years Emes

Kosher-Jel has been marketed as a vegetarian alternative to standard

gelatin that is derived from animal ingredients. (See our gelatin

story at http://www.vegparadise.comnews39.html

 

The ingredient label for Emes Kosher-Jel lists carageenan, locust

bean gum, and maltodextrin. The package indicates " Plain Parave

Gelatin " that is " Unflavored - Unsweetened " Also included is the

statement, " Contains no meat, no dairy products. " For those who are

kosher " pareve or parve " means no meat or dairy products, although it

may include eggs.

 

Although the package says the gelatin is kosher, there is no

indication of the organization that has certified the product as

kosher.

 

None of the three items in the product contain any protein. Yet,

when the product was analyzed in a laboratory, it was found to

contain protein.

 

As far back as March 1997 Professor Ken Burke of the School of

Allied Health Professions Nutrition and Dietetics at Loma Linda

University in Loma Linda, California, began his investigation of Emes

Kosher-Jel.

 

Dr. Burke concluded that " Emes Kosher-Jel reacts like gelatin and not

like products made with carageenan and/or locust bean gum. "

 

He shared his findings with the Loma Linda Market that pulled the

product from its shelves six years ago and has not sold it since.

 

Dr. Burke spelled out the differences between vegetable gums and

gelatin as gelling agents. In boiling water, gelatin is clear while

vegetable gum is cloudy. Gelatin requires refrigeration to set while

vegetable gums will become firm at room temperature. When a gelatin

product is stirred it liquefies and then resets. Vegetable gum

products do not liquefy and do not reset. When tested, Emes Kosher

Jel was clear in boiling water, required refrigeration to set, and

liquefied when stirred, then reset .

 

One of the major differences between gelatin and vegetable gum is

the reaction to fresh pineapple. Fresh pineapple prevents gelatin

from setting but has no effect on vegetable gum's ability to set.

 

Dr. Burke pointed out that, " The action of fresh pineapple is due

to its content of a protein-splitting enzyme, bromelin which is

specific for collagen (from which gelatin is derived). "

 

As a follow-up Dr. Burke filed a complaint against Emes with the

Federal Trade Commission, but the agency has taken no action against

the company.

 

Dr. Burke is not the only one who has investigated Emes Kosher-Jel.

Kay Hansen of the Emerald Valley Wellness Clinic in Creswell, Oregon,

submitted a 16-oz. bag to the Krueger Food Laboratories in

Cambridge, Massachusetts, for analysis. Subjecting the sample to the

Kjeldahl protein test, the laboratory concluded, " Based on the

protein content and the results of the FCC identification tests, we conclude

this product contains approximately 55% gelatin.

 

VIP contacted Emes and spoke to Ted Loomos, vice president of the

company, who denied the information that his product contained

gelatin.

 

He said the lab tests were " fiction because the samples were too

small. "

 

He believed that competitors were behind the efforts to damage his

products' reputation.

 

Loomos assured VIP that his product was certified kosher and parve

by Rabbi Leonard Bronstein of New York. VIP wondered why Emes,

currently located at P.O. box 27, St. Charles, IL 60174, selected a

rabbi in New York to certify its products.

 

Loomos faxed a copy of the " Certificate of Kashrut " to VIP

indicating the following products were Kosher for Passover as of

January 2005:

 

Kosher-Jel-Plain

Kosher-Jel-Flavored

Kosher-Jel-Fructose

Soup Base

# For Passover

Soup Base with Potato Meal

 

VIP contacted Rabbi Bronstein who verified that he indeed had

issued a kosher certification to the company. The rabbi has been

associated with three generations of the family operating the

business.

 

Loomos also provided VIP with a Certificate of Analysis of their

products. The test involved 900 50-lb bags of Lot Number 1A3871. The

report did not specify what was in those bags. The certificate had

no indication of the name of the laboratory providing the

information.

 

The analysis yielded the following results:

 

PRODUCT NAME: EMES Kosher Products ORDER#: 81-7278

QUANTITY: 900-50# BAGS

 

ASSAY UNIT LOT NUMBER 1A3871

 

MOISTURE % 5.8

pH(1:1)

4.5

DEXTROSE EQUIVALENT % DE 9 9

SULFUR DIOXIDE PPM LT 10

STD PLATE COUNT/GRAM /G 2

YEAST/GRAM /G 2

MOLD/GRAM /G 2

COLIFORMS/G /G LT 2

E. COLI (+/-) /10 G NEG

SALMONELLA SP /25 G NEG

 

*********END OF ORDER#: 81-7278 ***********

 

REPORT ON:

 

Examination of samples of Emes products to determine and

establish the absence of animal matter.

 

Samples tested represented the product as obtained by survey

of all Emes products on hand. Four separate determinations were made

by composite test methods.

 

Methods:

 

1. Extractions were made and tests were conducted for the

presence of animal protein and fats.

 

2. Tests for iodine absorption and fatty oxidation procedures

were made.

 

3. Tests for glycogen and identifying precipitation tests were

made.

 

RESULTS: All samples of Emes products tested were found to be free

of all animal matter.

 

Doug Cornelius

 

-----------------------------

 

Quality Support Laboratory Manager

 

SECURED COMPUTER PREPARED DOCUMENT

 

Vegetarians in Paradise believes there is more to the Emes story

that needs to be told, but with the information already available,

vegetarians and vegans should not accept Emes Kosher-Jel as a

bonafide product to be included in their diets. If the company has

been untruthful, it should be exposed and even prosecuted.

 

VIP will follow up on this story and inform our readers about any

further developments. Meanwhile, we have removed Emes from our list

of Vegetarian Food Companies at

 

http://www.vegparadise.com/foodmakers.html

 

Those who want to create their own homemade vegan marshmallows

should disregard our story at

 

http://www.vegparadise.com/asknettie11.html

 

because it contains Emes Kosher-Jel as one of the ingredients.