Sodium Caseinate

Q. Sodium caseinate is often an ingredient in “non-dairy” coffee creamers. I know that sodium caseinate is a milk derivative. How can a product be labeled non-dairy if it contains sodium caseinate?

A. Before we answer this question, we will explain how casein and sodium caseinate are derived.

Casein is one of the proteins in milk. Depending on how it is separated from milk, there are two types of casein, rennet casein and acid casein.

• Rennet casein is made by adding rennet to milk and allowing the milk to curdle. The curds are then washed to remove the lactose (milk sugars), and the casein protein is left behind. Because this product is made with rennet, it has the same status as hard cheese. For rennet casein to be kosher and not become gevinas akum, a mashgiach must either add the rennet to each batch of milk or, at the very least, be present and supervise the rennet casein production.
• Acid casein is made without any coagulant. Instead, it is made in a manner similar to cottage cheese, by adding an acid (such as lemon juice or vinegar) that lowers the pH of the milk until it naturally curdles. Here too the curds are washed to remove the lactose (milk sugars) and all that is left is the casein protein. Its status in halacha is similar to cottage cheese, which need not be gevinas Yisrael according to many poskim, as discussed in a previous Halacha Yomis. The OU follows this position and does not require a mashgiach temidi (full time supervision) for acid casein production.

Sodium caseinate is made by treating casein with sodium, which is an alkali, and this makes casein more soluble and useful as an ingredient.

Casein and sodium caseinate have the same halachic status as milk. Products containing either ingredient must be labeled OUD. Nonetheless, it is common for products labeled “non-dairy” creamer to contain sodium caseinate. How can that be? Aren’t non-dairy and sodium caseinate mutually exclusive? This will be discussed in the next Halacha Yomis.

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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.