Nutritional Supplements for Pesach —5768/2008
The products on this list are not certified for Pesach by the OU. Despite the OU’s best efforts, OU certified manufacturers of nutritional supplements have not agreed to special Pesach productions. In an effort to help Rabbanim make decisions about nutritional supplements for Pesach the OU has identified those products that are halachically acceptable for cholim.
Please note the following points:
• Many of the products contain kitneous and some contain kitneous as the primary ingredient.
• Some of the products contain ingredients that could be produced from chametz-based raw materials. Flavors, for example, can contain components that were fermented from wheat-based glucose. Vitamins and citric acid salts such as potassium or sodium citrate can also be derived from wheat-based glucose fermentation.
• With the exception of flavors, however, the ingredients that could be made from a chametz-based raw material are batel b’shishim in any given supplement.
• Even in cases where a given ingredient would not be batel – as in the case of flavors, which are avidah l’taimah – the majority of world production does not make use of chametz-based glucose or other chametz-based ingredients. Furthermore, it is difficult and sometimes impossible to determine if such ingredients are chametz-based.
• Therefore, the products on this list are permitted on Pesach and can be given to someone who is infirm (a cholah sh’ain bo sakanah).
• None of these products should be provided if a certified alternative is made available.
• Products that contain flavors should only be provided when no unflavored alternative exists. Since natural flavors are more likely to contain a chametz-derived compound than an artificial flavor, an “artificial flavors” designation on an ingredients label is preferable to “natural flavors” or a “natural and artificial flavors” designation. Most nutritional supplements contain flavors; unflavored products will be marked accordingly.
• Liquid nutritional supplements typically contain sensitive ingredients at below bitel proportions. In general liquid supplements are preferable to the same product in powder form, which may contain sensitive ingredients that may not be batel.
• Although the OU certifies these products year-round, the OU does not always have information about the ingredients for these products as they relate to Pesach. In order to guarantee that some products are available to the public the OU has researched the products on this list. Other products not on the list may also be acceptable for Pesach. If a specific product must be reviewed please feel free to call the number below.
• If you have a question about a product not on this list, please email the Webbe Rebbe at and we will try to be of assistance.
Enlive!
Ensure [not Ensure Fiber with FOS]
Ensure High Protein
Ensure Glucerna OS
Ensure High Calcium
Jevity [not Jevity 1.2 or Jevity 1.5, which contain oat fiber]
Nepro
Osmolite (unflavored)
Osmolite HN (unflavored)
Osmolite HN Plus (unflavored)
Oxepa
Polycose
Promote [not Promote with Fiber, which contains oat fiber)
ProCel Protein Powder
Pulmocare
Suplena
Two-Cal HN
Thick-IT
Resource Diabetic
Resource Thickened Water
Resource Thickened Coffee
Resource Thickened Juice
Questions about OU certified nutritional supplements not on this list should be directed to the OU Kashruth Hotline at (212) 613-8241.