What The 'OU' Symbol Means On Packaged Foods

Food packaging comes with a lot of information these days. Nutritional facts, ingredient lists, allergen warnings, graphics — it can be a lot to take in. There are a few symbols you might notice popping up again and again, such as lettering indicating a vegetarian or vegan item, a gluten-free seal, or the USDA Organic label. Another one you may have noticed is the "OU" symbol. It may not be as common, but it's extremely important for millions of Americans — it indicates whether something is kosher and free of dairy and meat.

The "OU" marking is an official stamp of approval from the OU Kosher Certification program, which is led by the Orthodox Union, one of the country's largest Orthodox Jewish organizations. It certifies more than 1.3 million products in over 105 countries, making it one of the most recognized kosher certifications in the world.

Some of the agency's biggest clients include Coca Cola, General Mills, Hershey's, Nestlé, and Heinz, so there's a good chance you have a product with the symbol somewhere in your kitchen. If so, the item is "pareve" or "parve", meaning it's kosher, meat-free, dairy-free, and doesn't contain any dairy or meat derivatives. It also hasn't touched any equipment used for making dairy or meat products.

The "OU" stamp alone doesn't necessarily indicate something is suitable to consume during Passover, when grains that have risen or fermented are avoided. To ensure something is suitable for your best Passover recipes, look for an "OU-P" symbol. If you see "OU-D" or "OU-Meat", that means the product is kosher, but it contains some sort of dairy or meat, respectively, or else it was made on the same equipment.

In the Jewish Bible, certain animals are deemed unfit for consumption, including pork, rabbit, and shellfish. Any other meats must be slaughtered in a prescribed manner, which can be tricky, but a lot of companies (and some Jewish barbecue joints) have figured it out. To ensure food is kosher, the OU Kosher Certification's agency checks not only all of the ingredients used in a product, but also the facility it's made in.

There are more kosher certification agencies in the United States, so there are other symbols that indicate whether something is parve or not. If you're ever in doubt, just look to see if the word is written on the packaging, or if the letter "P" is stamped next to a kosher certification symbol, which is usually some form of the letter "K".