Q. Is Colgate Toothpaste Kosher? Is there a problem using it although there is no hashgacha on the package?
Are any brands specifically not kosher?
A. Har Tzvi (Y.D. 95) permits toothpaste that has a non-kosher ingredient such as glycerin mixed into it. Although we only permit a prohibited ingredient in a mixture (Y.D. 103: 2), when that ingredient is totally inedible, which is not the case with toothpaste, still toothpaste is usually not swallowed and it is not considered food. Similarly Rivavos Ephraim (2: 10) quotes Horav Moshe Feinstein zt'l that permits use of regular toothpaste without kosher certification, to what he also agrees. Emes Leyakov (note 40) permits non-kosher ingredients if they are the minority of the toothpaste mixture (we do not require shishim.) However other Poskim are stringent since toothpaste after all is not totally inedible (Sefer Hakashrus 21: 49, Mishne Halochos 9: 154)
Rabbi S. Fishbane, Kashruth Administrator of CRC points out that there has been lately a concern on a recent change on toothpaste formulation. Traditionally, the main ingredient after water was the abrasive calcium carbonate or chalk, which is clearly not edible. Since the majority of the toothpaste was an inedible item Poskim permitted it. In recent years, calcium carbonate was replaced with hydrated silica (a sand product) as the abrasive and it seems to be not the majority ingredient anymore. He therefore advises to:
1) Only buy toothpaste with reliable kosher certification.
2) Review the ingredient panel and only buy the toothpastes that do not contain any glycerin.
3) Choose the ones that have the glycerin listed towards the end of the ingredient panel.
4) Buy any brand and type, based on the opinion that doesn't consider toothpaste a food item.
A Guide to Kosher (web site) quotes the following e-mail from Colgate: "If you are concerned for religious reasons, we recommend the following toothpastes which only use synthetic glycerin: Colgate Junior Toothpastes, Colgate Winter Fresh Gel, Colgate Great Regular Flavor (2.7oz only), Colgate 2-in-1, Colgate Fresh Confidence with Whitening Toothpaste, Colgate Herbal White Fresh Mint Toothpaste, Colgate Sparkling White Cinnamon Spice Gel and Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste." Colgate also has an online Product Guide for Vegetarians
(The above information may not be up to date anymore and should be rechecked)
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is that it is certainly better to use kosher-supervised toothpaste or at least a brand that we know contains only acceptable glycerin. However in need you can still rely on the accepted heterim mentioned above, since toothpaste is not a food item and even if unintentionally ingested it would be "shelo kederech achilo" or not in the common way of consumption.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised By Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
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