The basic laws of kosher food are in the Biblical book of Leviticus, their details explicated in the oral law (the Mishnah and the Talmud) and codified by the later rabbinical authorities. There are actually varying degrees of Kashrut, with the ultimate degree shading into behavior more than just the food itself. For instance, meat which is not Kosher may be sold to the general public or used for pet food however, milk and meat may not be combined together, even if the resulting mixture is to be discarded, let alone sold or fed to a pet. Foods are kosher when they meet all criteria that Jewish law applies to food. Invalidating characteristics may range from the presence of a mixture of meat and milk, to the use of produce from Israel that has not been tithed properly, or even the use of cooking utensils which had previously been used for non-kosher food. All food derived from non-kosher animals as enumerated in the Bible is not allowed according to the laws of kashrut.

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