Does formula need a Hechsher?

YOUNGIMA

Wed, Nov 13 2024, 9:50 pm

Does formula in the US need a Hechsher on the can?

Is there a list of kosher brands/companies?

Thanks!

amother

Slateblue

Wed, Nov 13 2024, 9:51 pm

It generally does require a hechsher, unless your baby has medical issues and can't have any of the kosher options.

amother

Blushpink

Wed, Nov 13 2024, 9:57 pm

Ask your rav. My rav said that for babies, as long as the only issue is about cholov yisroel vs stam, it doesn’t require a hechsher. I read him the ingredients on a German brand formula and there was some dairy thing there but otherwise it was all regular ingredients. He said it was completely fine

ETA , obviously he said with a hechsher is more ideal but there was nothing with a hechsher that had what I was looking for.
The potential issues would be treifus, so if there were any meat based ingredients, that would be a problem

amother

Ginger

Wed, Nov 13 2024, 10:17 pm

Yes. If you have a severe medical issue requires special formula consult a rav or call a kashrus org to discuss the Ingredients.
Most formula in usa has a hechsher

Molly Weasley

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 2:01 am

Barring health concerns, it very important to ensure our children only eat kosher - especially babies.

teachkids

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 5:58 am

I think all the main American ones are kosher. Some of the hypoallergenic ones are truly treif- talk to your lor if that's what your kid needs. Very few of them are cholov yisroel, talk to your lor if you're not sure if you should be makpid on that.

amother

Red

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 8:51 am

My rabbi said yes.

My state only provided Gerber formula through WIC, and only their soy formula is kosher, and I've heard it gets worse outcomes, so I asked and my rabbi said it needed a hechsher. (And then my baby's eczema cleared up: apparently he was sensitive to the dairy formula).

amother

Trillium

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 8:56 am

If you have a heter for your child to be on non kosher, or non hechshered formula, you must be careful with washing the bottles. You should use the bathroom sink to make and wash the bottles.

amother

Blonde ↓

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 9:20 am

amother Trillium wrote:

If you have a heter for your child to be on non kosher, or non hechshered formula, you must be careful with washing the bottles. You should use the bathroom sink to make and wash the bottles.

I was told to use a separate sponge and wash in the regular kitchen sink with no other dishes in the sink.

amother

Opal ↓

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 3:35 pm

teachkids wrote:

This is not true. Only the ones with certification are kosher in America. Gerber, for example has actual trief in it.

Whether your baby can have non kosher formulas a different question and that's one for a Rabbi

amother

↑ Blonde ↓

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 3:47 pm

amother Opal wrote:

I’m not sure about that, these are the ingredient in gerber formula

LACTOSE, VEGETABLE OILS (PALM OLEIN, SOY, COCONUT, HIGH-OLEIC SAFFLOWER OR HIGH-OLEIC SUNFLOWER), WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE (REDUCED IN MINERALS), NONFAT DRY MILK, AND LESS THAN 2% OF: SOY LECITHIN, CALCIUM CITRATE, POTASSIUM CITRATE, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, 2-0-FUCOSYLLACTOSE, M.

The CRC only lists allimentum and nutramigen as being treif

amother

↑ Opal

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 3:51 pm

amother Blonde wrote:

It's unlisted ingredients and enzymes they use. And the lines themselves are trief. Of course you should ask your own Rabbi, especially for a baby, but the facts are that it is problematic from a kosher perspective.

amother

↑ Blonde

Thu, Nov 14 2024, 3:58 pm

amother Opal wrote:

Interesting. Google says it doesn’t.
Obviously if it’s a regular formula there’s no reason to give formula without a hechsher when so many of them have.

My baby was on allimentum with the green light from my LOR.