a) Establishing a listing of kosher ingredients that are acceptable for use in your product if it is to be certified. This list is known as Schedule A. The OU‘s Ingredient Approval Registry staff carefully review and research all ingredients issues, utilizing the database registry of over 200,000 ingredients that have already been approved. Should it be necessary for a company to change or modify sources of supply for raw materials, locating a new source can usually be done very expeditiously through this extensive database.

b) Establishing the list of brand names and specific products that will be authorized to bear the symbol. This list is known as Schedule B. The Schedule B also indicates whether a product must bear a simple (indicating that it is pareve, i.e., containing no meat or milk ingredients), an D (dairy), or an P (Kosher for use on Passover as well as all year round)

c) Establishing any special instructions that relate to the use of equipment, which is necessary if a plant engages in both kosher and non-kosher production, or both dairy and pareve production. These instructions may contain kosherization requirements, and/or stipulations for segregation of production lines.

d) Assigning a Rabbinic Field Representative to visit the certified plant at intermittent intervals, to verify that the Schedule A, Schedule B and special instructions are adhered to.