Kristin Bowmann, age 14, of Tacoma, Wash., for her question:

CAN YOU EXPLAIN KOSHER FOOD?

Some persons of Jewish faith follow dietary laws called the rules of kashruth. Food selected and prepared accordingly is called kosher food. Both words come from the Hebrew word "kasher," meaning "right" or "fit."

The basis of the rules of kashruth may be found in the Old Testament. At the time of their inception, the rules probably had a hygienic foundation.

The original Jewish religion centered on practices of animal sacrifices, and because blood was the symbol of life, it had special ritual significance. Even today, under the kosher rules., no blood may be eaten in any form.

Present day kosher dietary laws apply to the selection, slaughter, preparation and service of meat, as well as to the eating of certain food combinations. The only approved meat is that of cloven hoofed, four footed animals that chew a cud, such as cattle, sheep, goat and deer. Only the forequarters may be used. The hind quarters may be eaten only if the hip sinew of the high is removed.

The rules for ritual slaughter are based upon minimal pain to the animal and maximal blood drainage. The animal is firmly held in a small pen. The ritual slaughterer, called a ahohet, strikes the animal in its jugular vein with an unusually sharp knife, assuring an instant, nearly painless death. After the animal is killed, the blood is quickly drained. Then the animal is opened and examined. All of its internal organs are checked. If it is in good health, it is cut up and sent to retailers.

Before the meat is cooked, it is soaked in water in a special container for half an hour, rinsed, salted with coarse salt for one hour (this brings the blood to the surface of the meat) and placed on a perforated board tilted to permit the blood to flow off. After the blood has drained thoroughly, the salt is washed off before the meat is cooked.

      If the meat is to be broiled, the soaking and salting are not required because the heat of the fire is considered the agent that removes the blood.

Part of the kosher regulations say that no combining of meat and milk is allowed. Milk or milk food, such as cheese and ice cream, may be eaten just before a meal, but not for six hours after a meal that contains meat.

Poultry and fish, but not shellfish, are generally approved for consumption. Only fish with fins and scales are permitted. Fish may be eaten with meat or dairy meals.

Eggs may be eaten with either dairy or meat meals.

There are no special restrictions on fruits, vegetables or grains in the kosher food laws.

Adherence to kosher dietary food laws varies among Jewish people, depending upon their degree of orthodoxy. In some Jewish homes it is customary to maintain two sets of dishes, one for serving meat meals and the other for serving dairy meals. This rule is probably based on ancient customs of eating on unglazed clay dishes which were difficult to clean.