Kosher consumers don’t just worry about mixing meat and milk, and avoiding meat that hasn’t been slaughtered according to Jewish law. The Torah also forbids eating insects, which are more insidious. Israel, with its warm climate and location at the crossroads of three continents, has a large variety and they are found in many foods.
Grains and leafy vegetables are most likely to attract bugs and are checked carefully. Romaine lettuce, served as a bitter herb at the Passover seder, must be checked carefully to remove the tiny green insects that cling to its leaves.
Around twenty years ago, farmers in Gush Katif, the region of Jewish settlement in Gaza, developed techniques to grown produce with a minimum of insects. Before marketing, a sample would be taken and checked. If ten percent was found to be insect-free, the produce could be labelled as such.
Since Gaza was transferred to the Palestinian Authority in 2006 a large number of companies have continued the bug-free industry. Many rabbinates require restaurants only to use certified bug-free produce.
In honor of Passover, the rabbinate sent 22 brands of “bug-free” lettuce and celery to a laboratory to check for insects. Unfortunately they did not publish the laboratory results. This is the recommendation:
