Consumer Questions

Dear Kosher Spirit,

Is it permissible to use a hand soap that contains milk ingredients (or derivatives) and possible meat ingredients (or derivatives)?

The OK responds:

Jews are forbidden to benefit or derive pleasure from a cooked mixture of milk and meat. In order for the product to be prohibited from being used, the following conditions would need to be met:

1. The fats are from animals that are kosher species of animals.
2. The relevant ingredients are cooked together.
3. The relevant ingredients are edible when they are cooked together.
4. The volume of both the milk and animal ingredients is more than 1/60 of the total mixture (at the time they are mixed).

The OK has extensive experience in food chemical production, much of which has crossover applications with the production for soap ingredients.  Based on our experience, it is unlikely that all the required conditions to prohibit the soap would be met. Therefore, it would be permitted to use this kind of soap.  One can also choose to be stringent and refrain from using the product until more research can be done on the particular soap.