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Does soy milk need a hechshir since they put in artificial things that can be trayf or its all natural and it won't need a hechshir

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    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Jan 22, 2015 at 18:41

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Per London Bais Din website:

"All plain soya milk is permitted. Other types of Dairy Free Milk are permitted if listed as approved or certified"

http://www.kosher.org.uk/koshersearch

However this may be limited to their region.

In the US, both OU and Star-K indicate that a hechsher is needed.

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I am summarizing points from here and here,

Star - K points out that sometimes vitamins, which may be added to the soy milk, may originate from non-kosher sources.

The other article from Silk, says:

All Silk products including Silk Creamer and Silk Live! Soy Yogurt are completely dairy-free and safe for people with dairy allergies. None of our ingredients are made from animal products, by-products or derivatives. Our natural flavors do not contain any dairy or other animal products.

Are Silk products kosher?

All Silk brand products in all flavors are certified Kosher OU-D. Kosher OU-D certifies that a dairy-free product was heated on equipment also used for dairy, and designates that dairy-free products heated on equipment also used for dairy may not be eaten together with a meat product. It may be eaten immediately after a meat product, but not together. Since Silk products are dairy-free, why is the Kosher certification OU-D?

All Silk products including Silk Creamer and Silk Live! Soy Yogurt are completely dairy-free and safe for people with dairy allergies. While Silk soy products do not contain dairy ingredients, they may be produced on equipment that also produces dairy products. Silk follows strict allergen cleanup procedures to ensure products made on shared equipment are dairy-free.

Silk is certified Kosher OU-D, meaning they are dairy-free products made on dairy equipment. The D designates that the dairy-free product was heated on equipment also used for dairy and may not be eaten together with a meat product. It may be eaten immediately after a meat product, but not together.

So, it seems that a product such as Silk, which is completely vegan, according to its claim may not, per se, require a hechsher because of the nature of its ingredients. But, the 2 problems - i.e. - not knowing the source of its calcium (vitamin) ingredient and that it was produced together with diary items on the same equipment, is what requires the hechsher.

Related info: For many years, OU had a certification "DE" meaning "Dairy Equipment" on certain products. Because this hechsher confused many people, about 3 years ago, OU stopped using the "DE", and now even products, such as Silk soy milk, is marked plain OU-D. In the case of the soy milk, this is a bit misleading, as it is not dairy. However, OU has taken extra precautions and made it seem as if it is.

Hence, if you find a product marked OU-D and from the ingredients, there does not appear to be dairy ingredients, you need to contact the OU (or a rav who knows that product) to verify its status.

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  • Ironically, by marking it OU-D they have probably thereby permitted it to be eaten with milk (since it won't be made to be eaten with milk and Stam Keilim Einan Benei Yoman, cf star-k.org/kashrus/kk-kosher-cons-handbk.htm esp fn. 15).
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Jan 22, 2015 at 19:49
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The current Star-K list of items that do not need certification does not include soymilk.

This leads me to believe that a Hashgacha is required for soy milk.

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