Bone China

Q. Bone China, as its name suggests, is made with animal bones. Is there a kashrus concern with Bone China?

A. Bone China is made from clay and bone char. Bone char is a form of activated carbon which is made from almost completely incinerated animal bones. Since the bones were burnt, there is no kashrus concern. In truth, even if the bones were not burnt, it would not be an issue. Sefer Panim Me’iros (3:33) writes that one may make cooking utensils (e.g., spoons, ladles) from the bones of non-kosher animals so long as they have been dried and contain no marrow. Although Rambam (Hilchos Maachalos Assuros 4:18) writes that one may not eat bones from a non-kosher animal, they may be used as utensils. This is because the Shulchan Aruch (YD 99:1) states that dried out, marrowless bones do not impart taam ( taste), and dried bone utensils will have no impact on food.

______________________________________________________

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.