xxx is a trademark of yyy - what (U) stands for

[Dave Sherman]

	From umcp-cs!chris
	What is (U) for?

The (U) is actually a U in a circle, and it indicates that the product
is Kosher. Usually referred to as "the O-U", it stands for "certified
as Kosher by the Union of Orthodox Rabbis", and appears on many food
and food-related (e.g., detergents, wraps, polishes) products. Observant
Jews know they can rely on the product non containing non-kosher ingredients.

Other marks include a K in a circle (often referred to as "the O-K"),
and, in Canada, a stylized MK in a circle (which stands for Montreal
Kashruth supervision) and "COR" follower by a number (Council of 
Orthodox Rabbis of the Canadian Jewish Congress; the number is
just the registration number of the company with the Congress, so
all Heinz kosher products will have the same number, etc.).

If you look in your fridge, you'll discover that a lot of stuff you
never noticed before is marked as kosher. It's a convenient mechanism
for doing it quietly, informing those who want the information without
bothering those who don't.

If there's any followup to this, please keep it in net.misc only
and out of net.unix-wizards.

Dave Sherman, Toronto