Does the Prohibition of Bishul Akum Apply to Sugar?

OU Kosher

A. The restriction of Bishul Akum only applies when two basic conditions are present:

  • the food is inedible in a raw state
  • the food is fit to be served at a royal dinner

Today, most sugar is made from sugar cane. Since it is possible to extract the sweet taste by sucking on the raw cane, sugar cane is treated as a food that is edible in a raw state, and therefore bishul Akum does not apply. While this explanation is true, it does not suffice to explain why poskim maintain that beet sugar does not have a bishul Akum status, even though raw beets are not edible. The Shoel U’Maishev (3:1:230) offers other approaches to explain why bishul Akum does not apply to sugar:

  • When sugar is first processed it is a thick dark sludge. Though edible at this stage, it is not fit for a royal dinner, and bishul Akum would not apply. Further refining transforms the sludge into edible sugar crystals. Nonetheless, bishul Akum by definition is the cooking of a raw food, and not the processing of a cooked item.
  • Sugar is a condiment which enhances other foods, but it is not eaten alone. Only foods that would be served as a standalone dish or would be eaten together with bread (such as in a sandwich) are considered important enough to qualify for the restrictions of bishul Akum.

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