OUkosher.org
Monday, December 25, 2006
Glossary of Kosher Terms for Companies
The following are some non-English kosher terms that you may come across along with their explanations:
Bishul Yisroel (also spelled Bishul Yisrael): Certain foods require increased a Rabbi’s involvement in the cooking process.
The OU requires Bishul Yisroel on all of those products deemed to be included in the requirements for Bishul Yisroel under Jewish law.
Cholov Yisroel (also spelled Chalav Yisroel): Milk and milk products that was supervised by a Rabbi from the time of milking.
The OU does not require products to be Cholov Yisroel, but will certify a product that is Cholov Yisroel as such.
Glatt: Literally “smooth”. An animal whose lungs contained no questionable adhesions that could pose potential Kosher problems.
It is now commonly used to describe a higher level of Kosher supervision.
Kosher L’Pesach: Kosher for Passover; containing no leaven and no legumes and manufactured with Mashgiach Temidi.
Mashgiach Temidi: A manufacturing production with continuous supervision by a Rabbi. This is often called a “Special Production”.
Pareve: A food item that is neither meat or dairy (and can therefore be eaten with either) and was not manufactured on meat or dairy equipment.
Pas Yisroel (also spelled Pat Yisroel): Bakery products that were baked by a Rabbi. This can be fulfilled by having a Rabbi turn on the oven.
The OU does not require products to be Pas Yisroel, but will certify a product that is Pas Yisroel as such.
Yoshon: Grain products that are made from certain types of “winter” grains as defined by Jewish law.
The OU does not require products to be Yoshon, but will certify a product that is Yoshon as such.
Industrial Kosher • The Kosher Certification Process •
Monday, January 23, 2012
OU Poskim in Great Neck for ASK OU Prog, 2/12
OU poskim Rav Belsky and Rav Schachter
In a great event in Great Neck, endorsed by 12 local synagogues, OU Kosher will present its two poskim (halachic decisors) — Rav Hershel Schachter and Rav Yisroel Belsky — as they bring their lifetime of Talmudic wisdom to the community in a wide-ranging presentation that will include an “ASK the OU Poskim” session. The ASK OU OUTREACH program, sponsored by the Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood New Jersey, is open to the entire community, with free admission.
(Note to editors: poskim are the highest-level authorities on issues of Jewish religious law, in this case, the laws of kosher. The Hebrew word for kosher is “kashrut.”)
The program will be held on Sunday, February 12 beginning at 8:00 p.m. at Torah Ohr Congregation, 575 Middle Neck Road.
The coordinator of this special program is Rabbi Yosef Grossman who serves as OU Senior Educational Rabbinic Coordinator. Rabbi Grossman remarked, “I am extremely gratified to be able to bring the revered and world-renowned poskim Rav Belsky and Rav Schachter to the Great Neck community for an uplifting spiritual evening. Through their presentations and participation in the ASK the OU Poskim Q & A session, both the Iranian and Ashkenzi residents of Great Neck will be greatly assisted in kashrut knowledge as well as many other important areas of contemporary Jewish life.”
Rav Schachter, who will have just returned from an OU program in South Florida, following a similar program in Los Angeles, will stay closer to home for the Great Neck presentation. He will speak from 8-8:30 p.m. on “Contemporary Halachic and Philosophical Challenges Facing the Great Neck Community.” Rav Schachter is Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.
Rav Belsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Mesivta Torah Vodaath, will speak on “Chinuch (Education) of Children in Kashrut and Other Mitzvot,” from 8:30-9:00 p.m.
The two poskim will then combine to answer questions on halacha (Jewish law) and OU policy. Priority will be given to questions sent by fax to 212-613-0621 or via email to .
The endorsing Great Neck synagogues are: Torah Ohr (the site of the program), Shira Chadasha, Chabad of Great Neck, Midrash ben ish Chai, Kol Israel Achim, Ahavat Shalom, Ohel Menachem, Babylonian Jewish Center, Kollel Ohr Haemet, Great Neck Synagogue, Young Israel of Great Neck, and Cherry Lane Minyan.
OU Kosher: Consumer News •
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
MTJ, Lower East Side Yeshiva, Visits OU Kosher
The Mesivta Tiferes Jerusalem(MTJ) high school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan was the latest school to be OU Kosher’s guest for the Harry H. Beren VISIT OU program. The group, led by Menahel Rabbi Shaul Katz (center) and their rabbeim, met with Rabbi Menachem Genack, Chief Executive Officer of OU Kosher, and heard from OU posek Rav Yisroel Belsky, who spoke on what he had learned from the illustrious Rosh HaYeshiva of MTJ, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l.
The group’s host was Rabbi Yosef Grossman (far left of photo, second row), Senior Education Rabbinic Coordinator for OU Kosher.
OU Kosher: Consumer News •
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
ASK OU Kosher Comes to So. Florida, Feb 5
OU Kosher will take its show on the road when it presents its highly popular Harry H. Beren ASK OU OUTREACH program on Sunday, February 5 at the Young Israel of Hollywood. The session will be part of the OU Community Weekend in South Florida, in which Orthodox Union member synagogues in the area will play host to visiting scholars-in-residence from the OU.
Rabbinic Coordinators Rabbi David Jenkins and Rabbi Chaim Loike will give presentations. Rabbi Jenkins will speak on how Tootsie Roll and Gatorade became OU Kosher — a development which met with great enthusiasm in the Orthodox community. Rabbi Loike, OU Kosher’s bird expert, will speak on “The Mesorah (Tradition) of Kosher Birds,” which will include a live presentation of “his feathered friends,” which always generates huge interest in his audiences, from adults and children alike.
The program will also include an ASK the OU Rabbonim session in which Rabbi Yosef Grossman, Senior Education Rabbinic Coordinator of OU Kosher, who organizes the ASK OU programs all over the country, will join Rabbis Jenkins and Loike on the panel of experts.
Rabbi Grossman commented, “OU Kosher’s innovative ASK OU OUTREACH program began by meeting enthusiastic audiences in the citadels of Torah communities in, or in close proximity to the New York metropolitan area. These communities included Boro Park, Flatbush, Kew Gardens Hills, Far Rockaway/Five Towns and Monsey in New York, and Passaic and Lakewood in New Jersey. The ASK OU programs have expanded nationally to such cities as Los Angeles (as recently as December), Boston, and New Haven where in all cases we were received with great excitement and interest. We eagerly look forward to our first program in South Florida and for the warm response we anticipate there as well.”
For further information, contact Rabbi Grossman at 212-613-8212, or .
OU Kosher: Consumer News •
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
OU Webcast with Poskim, “Let My People Know”
From left: Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher Vice President of Communications and Marketing; Rabbi Eli Gersten, OU Kosher’s recorder of OU policy and psak; Rav Yisroel Belsky, OU Posek; Rav Hershel Schachter, OU Posek; Rabbi Eliyahu W. Ferrell, OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator and Educational Associate.
In this extra special video, OU Kosher Senior Poskim, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky and Rabbi Hershel Schachter, provided practical guidance on issues spanning the breadth and depth of Yahadut, in another OU Kosher Webcast recorded live at OU Headquarters on Tuesday, December 13.
The webcast can be watched at http://ou.org/torah/article/let_my_people_know.
Questions received from around the country and Israel included: “Are there halachic issues with cruise ship departures on Erev Shabbat;” “How does a Shabbat observant Jew run an internet business?” “Can ‘implants’ of genes from non-kosher species render food forbidden?” “What is tzniut?” “Do weddings cost too much?” and “Can I invite an intermarried relative for a Shabbat meal?”
The webcast was moderated by OU Kosher’s Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Vice President of Communications and Marketing.OU Kosher: Consumer News •
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Lo Basi Ella L’orer - Limitations of ChaNaN
ChaNaN does not apply to a davar heter. This is because chatichah na’ases neveila, as it name implies, means that the entire item that absorbed ta’am of issur becomes like a neveila. Since one must refrain from eating the item, we view it as becoming 100% assur. This sevara obviously does not apply to a davar heter such as kosher milk, kosher meat or kosher fish. Therefore, if 1 gallon of kosher milk is mixed with 10 gallons of water, and this mixture is then mixed into 100 gallons of water, we would not say ChaNaN and the milk would be batel b’shishim. Although, we would still insist on labeling this product as dairy, however there would be no need to kasher the equipment that came in contact with the mixture since the milk is already batel.
Chalav stam
Although chalav akum is issur and the halachos of ChaNaN should apply, nevertheless the Pri Migadim (Y.D. S.D. 97:1) proves that b’zman ha’zeh, we do not say ChaNaN by chalav akum, at the very least when it is mixed lach b’lach. Therefore, how much more so we would not apply ChaNaN today to chalav stam, even if one is makpid on chalav Yisroel, since one can be mitztaref the heter of Rav Moshe zt”l as well.
Chametz
There is a machlokes Rishonim as to whether chametz before Pesach is considered heter or issur. This has numerous nafka minos, and Shulchan Aruch in some instances paskens l’chumra and in others paskens l’kula. However, Magen Avrohom (447:38) rules that regarding whether we say ChaNaN on chametz before Pesach, we rule leniently like the opinions that chametz is a davar heter. Therefore, if a seasoning containing 5% chametz was mixed into a soup before Pesach, it would be sufficient if the soup contained 60 times the chametz component. It would not need to be 60 times the entire seasoning.
Issur mashehu that is not batel
Midi’oraisa ChaNaN only applies to basar b’chalav. When meat is cooked with milk the entire ta’aruvos becomes 100% assur. Midi’rabannan we extend the halachos of ChaNaN to all other issurim as well. However, Rabbeinu Tam says that we do not extend ChaNaN b’shar issur to an issur ma’shehu since by basar b’chalav, which is the source of the issur, we would not say ChaNaN if the milk or meat was batel b’shishim.
Similarly the Pri Migadim (M.Z. 100:1 and 69:19) says that we would do not say ChaNaN by issur chazusa (colorant) or ma’amid that are batel b’shishim, since these issurim do not apply to basar b’chalav. Although in all these cases the product would be assur, the kailim would not be affected because the ta’am of the issur is batel. An avida l’taima is more complicated. Although we would not say ChaNaN if the issur is less than shishim, still since the ta’am is not batel, the kailim would need to be kashered.
Melach ha’baluah m’dom
Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 105:14) teaches that melach (or any other kosher avida l’taima ingredient) that is boleyah non-kosher, will still be batul b’shishim, even though the ta’am of the salt is not batel. This is because, as Rema explains, אין הנאסר אוסר יותר מן האוסרו, the product does not become more chamur than the issur that made it assur. Although ChaNaN has us view the entire mixture as issur, nevertheless we only view the mixture as having the properties of the original issur. If the original issur can be batel b’shishim, the mixture can be batel b’shishim as well. Therefore, although we view flavors as an avida l’taima, still if the flavor components are comprised of inherently kosher ingredients, even though the flavor contains non-kosher carriers and diluents, or was processed on non-kosher kailim, it would still be batel b’shishim.
Kosher Professionals •
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
OU Pas Yisroel Products (As of Elul 5771
The Tur (Orach Chaim, Siman 603), based upon the Talmud Yerushalmi, cites the custom for Jews to be stringent during the Aseret Yimei Teshuva to eat exclusively ‘Pas Yisroel’ bread. Even those Jews who generally do not exclusively eat ‘Pas Yisroel’ are encouraged to accept this practice during the period between Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur.We therefore present the list of all OU Pas Yisroel products.
What is Pas Yisroel?
How do you certify Pas Yisroel products?
Please note:
1) All OU-P (Kosher for Passover) Matzah products (e.g. Matzah, Matzah Meal, Matzah Meal products) are Pas Yisroel, even if not listed below.
2) Not all products on this list are available in all countries or geographic regions.
3) The OU Poskim are of the position that breakfast cereal and wafers are considered a tavshil and not pas and, therefore, are not subject to the the laws of Pas Yisroel.
4) Products which are also cholov yisroel and/or yoshon are so indicated.
5) Items manufactured in Israel are noted with an asterisk(*) and are all yoshon.
6) Food service establishments such as restaurants and caterers are noted with a (FSE).
| Company/Brand | Product Type |
|---|---|
| A. Loacker* | OU and Pas Yisroel marked on package |
| Abadi Bakery* | All items |
| Acme [Albertson’s] (FSE) | Clifton, NJ – all fresh baked products |
| Acme [Albertson’s] (FSE) | Milltown, NJ – all fresh baked products |
| Acme [Albertson’s] (FSE) | Narberth, PA – all fresh baked products |
| Aladdin Bakers | Bagels, pizza bagels, rolls, breads, pitas, baguettes, wraps, breadstick (when bearing a stamp with Pas Yisroel sticker on the label) |
| Almondina* | with special label stating OU and Pas Yisroel |
| Almost Dairy | Cheese Cake |
| Amnon's Kosher Pizza | Frozen Pizza (cholov yisroel) |
| Angel’s Bakery* | All products (when bearing an OU) |
| Arnie's Bagelicious | Plain Sliced Mini Bagels, Cinnamon Raisin Mini Bagels, Blueberry Mini Bagels |
| Bag N’ Save | Bread, rolls, buns |
| Bagel City | Challah, challah rolls (yoshon) |
| Bagels-N-More | Challah, challah rolls (yoshon) |
| Barry’s Bakery | Café and French Twists (when Pas Yisrael is written on the label) |
| Barth* | Crackers |
| Bell | Bialys (with special Hebrew packaging only) [Only available in Israel] |
| Betz Boys (Continental Food) | Pizza (cholov yisroel) |
| BJ's | Plain Sliced Mini Bagels,Cinnamon Raisin Mini Bagels |
| Bon Appetito | Cookies and Pastries (when Pas Yisroel written on the label) |
| Brickfire Bakery | Plain Sliced Mini Bagels |
| Brooklyn Bagel | Frozen, Poppy, Sesame Bagels (With special Hebrew packaging only) [Only available in Israel] |
| Bubba’s and Novelty Kosher Pastries | All baked goods (yoshon) |
| Burry Foodservice | Mini Bagel Plain, Cinnamon Raisin Mini Bagels, Blueberry Mini Bagels, Wrapped Plain Bagel, Wrapped Cinnamon Raisin Bagel, Wrapped Blueberry Bagel |
| Café 11 [FSE] | Breads, Bagels, Wraps |
| Canada Bread | Mini Bagel: Plain,Cinnamon Raisin, Blueberry: Bagel:Plain, Cinnamon Raisin, Blueberry |
| Chef's Quality | Pita bread (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Circa-NY Midtown (FSE) | Pizza (cholov yisroel) and breads |
| Continental Bakery | Breads & Cakes |
| Continental Pastry, Inc. | Various cakes, pies & pastries |
| Cub Foods | Bakery Style Egg Bagels, Bakery Style Honey Wheat Bagels, Bakery Style Blueberry Bagels, Bakery Style Plain Bagels, Bakery Style Cinnamon Raisin Bagels |
| Daily Pita | All pita bread |
| Dakota Brands | Bagels, rolls |
| Damascus | Must state pas yisroel on package |
| David’s Cookies | Hamentashen (only when labled as Pareve and Pas Yisroel) |
| Delacre* | Cookies |
| Dougies Brooklyn (FSE) | All Products |
| Dr. Praeger's | Fishies, fish sticks, fish cakes, and Pizza Bagels |
| Edwards & Sons* | Breadcrumbs, croutons |
| Einat* | Breadcrumbs, croutons |
| Elite* | Biscuits |
| Elsa's Story* | Cookies, crackers, pastries (not cholov yisroel) |
| Empire | Pizza (cholov yisroel); |
| Ener-G* | Gluten-free pretzels and crackers |
| Eskal | Gluten-free cakes |
| European Bakery | Breads |
| Fischer Brothers & Leslie (FSE) | Challah, challah rolls, chicken nuggets, fried breast meat |
| Flavorite | Bakery Style Plain Bagels, Bakery Style Blueberry Bagels, Bakery Style Cinnamon Raisin Bagels |
| Friedman's | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Gefen | Crackers, cookies, matzoh (matzoh is yoshon) |
| Glutino* | Gluten free pretzels, crackers |
| Golden Star | Cookies and pastries (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Grandpa’s “Old Southern” Coffee Cake | All baked items |
| Grandpa's Coffee Cake | All coffee cakes |
| Grandpa's Gourmet Biscotti | Biscotti |
| Grandpa's International Bakery | Breads |
| Guiltless Gourmet | Wraps |
| Hadar* | Assorted biscuits |
| Haddar | All products |
| Hafners | Pastry shells w/ OU and Rabbi signature |
| Healthy Palate/Chef Martini | Eggplant parmesan (breadcrumbs are pas yisroel) |
| Hema* | Crackers |
| Hy-Vee | Egg Bagels, Plain Bagels, Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, Blueberry Bagels, Onion Bagels, Bakery Style Onion Bagels, Apple Cinnamon Refrigerated Bagel, Honey Wheat Bakery Style Bagel |
| J & P | Pita bread |
| Jake's Bakes | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Jeff Nathan | Panko Bread Crumbs |
| Jewel-Osco [Albertson’s] (FSE) | Evanston, IL – bread and kosher cakes |
| Jewel-Osco [Albertson’s] (FSE) | Highland Park, IL – bread and kosher cakes |
| Josef’s Organic | All products |
| Kedem | Cookies, Cereal bars, Biscuits, Crackers |
| Keefe Kitchen | Plain Bagels, Cinnamon Raisin Bagels |
| Kem Kem | Crackers |
| Kemach Food Products | Cookies (yoshon when stated on package), crackers (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Ki Tov | French Twists |
| Kineret | Cakes, Rugalach |
| Kitov | All Products |
| L’Esti Desserts | Cakes and pastries (also yoshon) |
| Lakewood Kollel | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Lilly's Bakeshop | All products |
| M & M Kosher Bakery (FSE) | Pita, Baklava and Lady Fingers |
| Maadanot* | Bourekas, malawah, pizza squares |
| Macabee | Pizza (cholov yisroel), Pizza Bagel (cholov yisroel), Breaded Eggplant (yoshon), Breaded Mushrooms (yoshon), Mozzarella Sticks (cholov yisroel, Yoshon) |
| Magah* | with OUD Symbol and Pas Yisroel on label |
| Manischewitz Co. | Tam tams (yoshon), italian coating crumbs (yoshon) |
| Matamim | All Products |
| Maple Leaf Bakery | Safeway Natures Blend Plain Mini Bagel, Mini Bagels |
| Maplehurst | Block & Barrell Classic Mini Plain Bagel |
| Matzot Carmel* | Matzah |
| Max and Harry | Cakes and Cookies |
| Mehadrin Bakery | Breads, cookies, and pastries |
| Mendelson’s Pizza | Pizza (cholov yisroel) and breads |
| Mendy’s (FSE) | Pita, All bread except for hamburger & hot dog buns |
| Mezonos Maven | All products |
| Milk ‘N Honey (FSE) | Pizza and Breads |
| Mishpacha | All products |
| Moishy’s | Exclusively pas yisroel rolls, cookies, cakes, breads |
| Mount Sinai Hospital (FSE) | Products bearing an OU symbol |
| Mountain Fruit | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Mr. Broadway (FSE) | All except for Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns |
| Natural Ovens | Bread, bagels, cookies |
| Neeman Bakery* (FSE ) | All Items (when bearing an OU symbol) |
| Neri’s | Breads and bagels |
| Novelty Bakery | All products (cholov yisroel, yoshon) |
| Novelty Kosher Pastry | All product (cholov yisroel, yoshon) |
| Of Tov* | Chicken Breast Nuggets |
| Olympic Pita (FSE) | All products |
| Original Bagel Company | Plain Bagel, Cinnamon Raisin Bagel, Blueberry Bagel, Everything Bagel, Sesame Bagel, Plain Sandwich Bagel, Park Avenue Plain Mini Bagels, Park Avenue Cinnamon Raisin Mini Bagels, Park Avenue Blueberry Mini Bagels |
| Orion | Plain Par-Baked Hot Stuff Bagel, Cinnamon Raisin Par-Baked Hot Stuff Bagel |
| Osem* | All products |
| Ostreicher’s | Hamentashen (only when labled as Pareve and Pas Yisroel) |
| Pita Express | Pita bread |
| Quality Food Industries* | Croutons |
| Raft Foods* | Croutons |
| Reisman Bros. Bakery | Assorted cakes, cookies, rugalach |
| Renaissance Hotel Jerusalem * (FSE) | All products |
| Rokeach | Hamentashen (only when labled as Pareve and Pas Yisroel), cookies, soup nuts |
| Roma | Bread, rolls, buns |
| Rosa Kosher Pizza (FSE) | All products |
| Royal Bakery House | Bread (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Sabba* | Biscuits |
| Savion | Croutons |
| Shapiro’s | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Shop'n Save | Bakery Style Plain bagel, Bakery Style Cinnamon Raisin bagel, Bakery Style Blueberry Bagel, Bakery Style Honey Wheat Bagels, Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, Onion Bagel, Egg Bagels |
| Shoprite | Challahs and assorted bread products (only when labeled Pareve and Pas Yisroel) |
| Simply Bread | Breads (when stated on the product) |
| Simply Perfect | Sugar cookies |
| Smilowitz | Exclusively pas yisroel rolls, cookies, cakes, breads |
| Sruli's | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Super 13 | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Teelah | Uncle Moishy Frozen Pizza |
| Tel Aviv Kosher Bakery (Chicago) (FSE) | Breads & cakes (yoshon) |
| The Fillo Factory | Baklava and pastry shells/cups (when marked pas yisroel) |
| The Old City Café (Upscale Foods) | Pizza (cholov yisroel, yoshon when stated on label); Burrito [cholov yisroel, yoshon when stated on label]; Apple Strudel (yoshon when stated on label |
| Tovli | Blintzes, pizza, knishes (frozen packaged) |
| V.I.P. | Bread crumbs |
| Village Crown Catering(FSE) | Breads and Cakes |
| Wein's | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Yarden* | Assorted cookies |
| Yumi's | All products (when Pas Yisroel is written on the label) |
| Zaatar | Herb Pizza |
OU Kosher: Consumer News • Kosher Professionals • (19) Comments •
Friday, September 23, 2011
Now OU Kosher: VPlenish Taste-Free Vitamin Powder Packets
VPLENISH® packets, the world’s first completely taste-free, clearly dissolving vitamin powder announced today that they are now certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency.
VPLENISH® taste-free vitamin powder comes in familiar tabletop sweetener-style packets. Because the vitamins are taste-free and do not contain an artificial sweetener, consumers can now add vitamins to anything they eat or drink – without changing the original flavor. There’s no uncomfortable vitamin pill to swallow, no unpleasant vitamin smell or taste, and VPLENISH® helps support a healthy immune system.
VPLENISH® is priced at just pennies per packet, which is similar to the yellow, blue and pink sweeteners found everywhere. VPLENISH® is produced and packaged by the Merisant Company (the makers of EQUAL®) for Vplenish Nutritionals, Inc.
“VPLENISH® chose the OU for kosher certification for the VPLENISH® brand because it’s the world’s most recognized kosher certification symbol. My grandfather operated an all kosher hotel 50 years ago, and I’m carrying on the tradition of kosher certification with the VPLENISH® brand.” said Steven Sponder, Founder and CEO if Vplenish Nutritionals, Inc.
Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s vice president of communications and marketing, welcomed the unique VPLENISH® product to the ever-growing kosher marketplace. “We are pleased to provide kosher certification for VPLENISH®,” said Rabbi Safran. The OU certifies hundreds of thousands of products in more than 90 countries throughout the world. “Now, consumers all around the world will begin seeing the OU symbol associated with this unique product,” Rabbi Safran added.
VPLENISH® also operates The Vplenish-The-World Foundation – a non-profit charity which provides vitamin packets to children around the world. The charity has already donated over 1.6 million VPLENISH® vitamin packets for children in poverty and disaster stricken areas.
About VPLENISH® Nutritionals, Inc.
Boca Raton, Florida based VPLENISH® Nutritionals, Inc. is the first nutritional supplement company to produce a clearly-dissolving, taste-free vitamin powder. The company packages its unique patent pending VPLENISH® product in familiar paper packets similar in size to familiar tabletop sweetener packets. VPLENISH® is all natural, calorie-free, caffeine-free, and gluten-free. It contains no artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The company also operates the Vplenish-The-World Foundation, a 501©(3) non-profit charity which provides vitamin packets to children in need all around the world. To date, the Vplenish-The-World Foundation has donated 1.6 million vitamin packets. More information about VPLENISH® can be found at http://www.vplenish.com.
About the Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, represents the fastest growing segment in Jewish life. The OU is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA (Institute of Public Affairs), and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher certification label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 500,000 products manufactured in 90 countries around the globe.
OU Kosher: Consumer News •
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Ask OU Advanced Women’s Seminar Explores Intricacies of Kashrut
With participants, from left: OU Kosher Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Menachem Genack; OU Kosher Director of Education Rabbi Yosef Grossman; OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Steven Weil.
The participants in the second OU Harry H. Beren Advanced Kashrut Seminar for Women, held immediately following Hurricane Irene, proved that they were a force of their own to be reckoned with. From Brooklyn to Quebec, Amherst, MA to Baltimore, they weathered traffic and flooding, using their precious time for one week to expand their knowledge of kashrut from the experts of OU Kosher.
The seminar, part of the ASK OU program sponsored by the Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood, NJ featured lectures on a wide variety of aspects of kashrut, supplemented with industrial plant and hotel kitchen tours.
Reflecting on the week, Rabbi Yosef Grossman, OU Kosher Director of Education, and coordinator of the program, noted, “We were very gratified to be able to serve the kashrut educational needs of the participants who represented a broad spectrum of Orthodox Judaism. They noted the high level of expertise, passion, professionalism and clarity which the program instructors displayed. Plant visitations, PowerPoint presentations, text source handouts and hands-on presentations rounded out the very interesting multi-faceted program.”
OU Kosher Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Menachem Genack stated, “OU Kosher is constantly expanding its horizons in terms of the educational programs it offers to the community. The Advanced Kashrut Seminar for Women satisfied a very real need and attracted a wide variety of participants. I commend Rabbi Grossman and the kashrut staff for their continuing and extraordinary efforts and look forward to the OU’s future efforts in the field of kosher education.”
Sessions included: “Chicken Shaylos Awareness;” “Kosher Wine and Grape Juice Production;” “Out-of-Town Catering, Versus In-Town Catering;” “Keeping Your Kosher Kitchen Kosher;” “The Baking Industry;” “An Ex’salmon’ation of Fish Issues;” “Identifying Kosher Birds;” “The Kashrus of Medications;” and “OU Kosher Marketing;” among others.
Under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Perlmutter, OU Rabbinic Field Representative, and food service kosherization expert, the group was taken for day trips to the Oasis Food Company, the Arizona Tea factory and the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel Kitchen — all in New Jersey. Special hands-on demonstrations included a live cooking session from Chef Mike Gershkovich of OU-certified restaurant Mike’s Bistro in New York City; and a “hands-on” session of Bedikat Toyloim (checking for insects in vegetables and fruits) with Rabbi Yosef Eisen of Brooklyn, former OU Kosher Food Service Rabbinic Coordinator.
On tour at the Oasis Food Company.
Participants had the opportunity to practice proper techniques of properly checking fruits and vegetables for insects.
Sheera Eisen, Co-Director of the OU’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus program (JLIC) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, felt it was important to attend the seminar to expand her knowledge of kashrut in order to better serve the students on campus – even if it meant attending the week before the semester began, and leaving early enough on Friday to host 80-100 students at the kick-off Shabbat that night. “My husband I work very closely with students who cook meals at the Hillel House and are constantly asked kashrut questions. I came to this seminar with a strong education in kashrut and kosher law, and I enhanced my knowledge tremendously. I can give information to my students in a much clearer manner — especially regarding bug checking, kashering utensils, and catering.”
Laurie Tansman, a Registered Dietitian at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, coordinated the opening of the hospital’s kosher kitchen in 1990, in addition to lecturing about kashrut at advance level educational institutions. She noted, “Every hospital dietitian should go to a program like this in order to understand the complexities of kashrut to better understand their patients’ requests. Aside from kashrut, in which I have a strong background, this program added to my knowledge of the food service industry in ways that were not included in my training as a dietitian – it should be required as part of the field experience.”
Israeli native Elana Simkin, now of Brooklyn, found the seminar “engaging, clear and very informative.” She, along with others, noted, “I’m highly impressed with the depth of expertise, the specialist approach, the web-savvy-ness, and the ability to communicate vast amounts of complex material so effectively.”
Following the program, Miriam Mund, of Brooklyn, emailed Rabbi Grossman, stating, “I wanted to thank everyone from the ASK OU Seminar for the wonderful week that I just had. It was a fantastic experience that was worth all the difficulties in just disappearing for a week! Besides all the wonderful lectures/lessons etc., and the great respect that I have gained from all the work that you do, it was beautiful to meet so many different people from the entire spectrum of Orthodoxy with the same goals and aspirations.”
The women unanimously agreed that the seminar, encompassing an amazing breadth of information, was a week of informative classes, interesting field trips, and dynamic teachers willing to answer any question, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Evaluations noted, “I was impressed with the scope of topics covered and the fact that everything stayed on schedule;” and “The planning and scheduling were well executed and the program ran smoothly.”
At the conclusion of the course, the women received certificates of completion for the weeklong seminar, but it was only a small, tangible item symbolizing a lot more: A week of new connections and friendships among women, all passionate about kosher food and the laws surrounding it; a week of new discoveries and lessons learned; and a week of Jewish enrichment that is sure to become a regular offering of OU Kosher.
“Ask the Rabbis” panel included, from left: Rabbi Grossman; Rabbi Moshe Elefant, Chief Operating Officer of OU Kosher; Rabbi Eli Gersten, OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator; Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, OU Kosher Senior Rabbinic Coordinator; and Rabbi Moshe Klarberg, OU Senior Rabbinic Coordinator in charge of Meat Industry.
Chef Mike Gershkovich of OU-certified restaurant Mike’s Bistro in New York City gave a live demonstration on how to create his signature creamy “creamless” soups.
OU Kosher: Consumer News • (5) Comments •
Monday, August 15, 2011
Lo Basi Ella L’orer - Chatichah Na’ses Nevaila (Part I)
The minhag of Ashkenazim is to apply the halachos of Chatichah Na’ses Nevaila (ChaNaN) to all issurim, not just to basar b’cholov; (Rema Y.D. 92:4). Therefore, if one kezayis of any issur is cooked with 9 kezaysim of heter, we would have 10 kezeysim of issur. If these 10 kezaysim of issur, are subsequently cooked with 90 kezaysim of heter, although this is more than 60 times the original kezayis of issur, nevertheless because we say ChaNaN the entire mixture becomes assur. However, there is a distinction between the original 10 kezaysim and the subsequent 90 kezaysim. The original 10 kezaysim are assur mid’oraisah because they were mikabel ta’am issur (ta’am k’ikar); however, the later 90 kezaysim are only assur mid’Rabbanan because of ChaNaN b’shar issurim.
Lach b’lach
As it name implies ChaNaN applies primarily to chatichos. Regarding mixtures that are lach b’lach (homogenous liquid blends) the Rema paskens that in situations of hefsed mirubah we do not say ChaNaN b’shar issurim. This implies that although the ikar halachah is not to say ChaNaN lach b’lach, nevertheless one may only be maikel b’hefsed mirubah. One should contact the office before making any decisions regarding what is considered a hefsed mirubah. It should be noted that ChaNaN lach b’lach applies to both cold and hot mixtures of liquids, or to powders that are dissolved in liquid.
Lach b’lach b’issur d’rabbanan
Igeros Moshe (Y.D. II:36) writes that there is room to be maikel not to say ChaNaN by an issur d’rabbanan lach b’lach. However, he cautions against relying on this heter unless there is a tzorech. Likewise the policy of the OU has been to use this only as a tziruf or in cases of shas hadchak.
Since ChaNaN is d’rabbanan, can we apply the rule safek d’Rabbanan l’hakel?
This is a disagreement amongst Poskim. Though Maharil apparently held that safek ChaNaN is also assur, Taz (Y.D. 92:12) disagrees and held that one can say safek d’rabbanan li’kula. Pri Migadim (92:12) explains the Maharil as follows. Since we pasken that the original 10 kezaysim (as per the example above) become vadai assur (safek d’oraisah lichumra), therefore the shailah of whether we say ChaNaN on those 10 kezaysim is viewed as a safek d’oraisah shenisgalgel le’di’Rabbanan. The Pri Migadim concludes that one should not be maikel except b’hefsed mirubah. However, Rav Schachter points out that regarding safek ChaNaN lach b’lach (which itself is mutar b’makom hefsed mirubah) one may be maikel1. In factories, lach b’lach mixtures are the more common scenario. If this mixture entails a safek, we do not say ChaNaN.
Example: One liter of an uncertified ingredient (that can be kosher or non-kosher) was mistakenly dissolved into 20 liters of water. Then an additional 50 liters of water were added. In this case the uncertified ingredient would be batel in the product. We would not say ChaNaN since it is a case of safek issur lach b’lach.
Do we say ChaNaN on mixtures of powders?
Rav Belsky has said that we do not say ChaNaN when there is a mixture of cold kosher and non-kosher powders, because there is no transfer of ta’am. In this regard powders are considered like yaveish b’yaveish about which we do not say ChaNaN2. Although regarding chametz we pasken that mixtures of powders are considered lach b’lach and we therefore do not say chozer v’niyur3, nevertheless regarding the potential issur of ChaNaN lach b’lach we can be maikel to view the powders as yaveish4, especially because there is no transfer of ta’am.
Example: A 50 pound bag (approximately 10 gallons) of powder stabilizers which is made up of 40% non-kosher gelatin and 60% other ingredients is dissolved into 500 gallons of milk. Do we need to kasher the keiliim? No, a thorough cleanout is all that is needed. Although the stabilizer is 2% of the product, because we do not say ChaNaN, we need only be concerned with the gelatin which is only .8% of the product. Although gelatin can be considered a davar hama’amiid which is not batel, still the keilim are not treif because the ta’am is batel.
ChaNaN with pork and beans
Many are startled to learn that the amount of pork in canned “pork and beans” is often less than 1.6%. Does that mean that there is really no need to kasher the keilim? In one particular plant the beans are cooked and then drained and filled hot into open cans. Chunks of pork and lard are manually added to each can. At this point the top layer of beans becomes assur and those beans become ChaNaN5. Saying ChaNaN on the top layer of beans will basically double the amount of issur in the can. Then hot brine is poured over the beans, the cans are sealed and retorted. The entire can would now become ChaNaN, unless the beans and brine are always 60 times the volume of the chazar and the top layer of beans. Even if the amount of chazar is less than 1%, all the equipment used for the pork and beans needs kashering.
Notes:
1 Pri Migadim (Kellalim B’hora’as Issur V’heter s.k. 6) generalizes this concept and writes that cases which are mutar b’hefsed mirubah become mutar lichatchila when there is also a safek.
2 Rema Y.D. 92:4
3 Mishnah Berurah 453:17
4 See Teshuvas Beis She’arim Chaylek O.C. siman 4 who makes a similar argument
5 See Rema Y.D. 92:4 “או שהחתיכה כולה חוץ לרוטב”
Kosher Professionals • (20) Comments •
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Ask OU Kosher: “Holy Fries”
July 2011
By Rabbi Chaim Goldberg
OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator
To submit questions for future columns, please send them to , or call the Kosher Consumer Hotline, at 212-613-8241.
“Holy Fries”
Q: How are industrial French fries made?
A: Exactly who came up with the idea of French fries is a matter of serious debate (as serious as debate can be about such topics!), but there is no debate on the fact that industrial French fries were commercialized by J.R. Simplot in the 1940s. The first major French fries customer (and the largest single source of industrial demand for the item until this day!) is McDonalds, whose famous golden shoe string French fry is world renowned (though not kosher).
French fries are made primarily from Russet-Burbank potatoes, and a third of all Russet potatoes grown in the United States come from Idaho. Potatoes are harvested in August, and stored a whole year long for fresh potato consumption and industrial processing alike. The potatoes are brought to frying facilities, where they are sorted, de-stoned (there are lots of rocks that get mixed with the potato harvest!), washed, scrubbed (with brushes to remove the peel on those products that do not have the skin on), slightly pre-cooked (to keep the potatoes from shattering when they are cut), cut with a water knife into various cut shapes (the potatoes are carried via a water flume – something like what you might ride in an inner-tube! – into a set of sized blades, which cuts each potato into its various shapes), pre-cooked again (to soften up the potatoes a bit before frying), battered (for those products that are extra crispy, or spicy) and fried in boiling oil. The finished product is frozen, bagged, placed into cases, and shipped to warehouses for distribution.
Q: What kashut issues are there with French fries?
A: The number one issue we are concerned with when it comes to French fries are those factories which produce for (or at one time produced for) McDonalds, as their French fries are made with a special flavored oil which contains a beef tallow flavor (that is not kosher). Since the beef tallow is present in the oil in enough concentration for it to give non-kosher taste into the equipment, any piece of equipment which handles (or handled) McDonald’s (or any other beef tallow, or beef tallow flavored) French fry with heat needs to be kashered before it can be used to make OU certified French fries. This is an involved process, where the equipment must be cleaned to bare metal (including fryers which often have burnt oil stuck onto processing equipment) and left cold for 24 hours, prior to being filled with boiling water under the on-site supervision of a mashgiach.
We also need to confirm the kosher status of the oil used in the facilities, and that the transportation equipment (usually railcars, sometimes trucks) has been kosher certified to carry kosher oil. There are anti-foams used in the plants as well which are potentially kosher sensitive, as well as seasonings and batters to check for proper kosher certification.
Q: A certain company sells many OU certified French fries, but some cuts of French fries do not carry the OU symbol. Was that a mistake? If not, how non-kosher could these French fries be?
A: Excellent question, if I do say so myself! French fries which do not bear the OU symbol should not be assumed to be kosher, despite the ingredient statement not containing any obvious non-kosher ingredients. The reason is that there are non-OU factories which make French fries on the same equipment that they use to make beef tallow and beef tallow flavored French fries. The equipment in these factories is 100 percent non-kosher, as is the oil which is used on this equipment. It is sometimes necessary for someone who used non-OU French fries to kasher the pan on which the French fries were cooked, so it is critical to check the label every time. Some OU companies maintain non-kosher facilities where SIMILAR (but never the exact same) product is made without kosher supervision. These companies may distribute and sell non-kosher French fries right next to the kosher ones in the same refrigerator case at the supermarket, so extra diligence is critical when buying French fries!
Q: How does OU make sure the non-kosher French fries never have the OU on them?
A: We have a several-pronged approach to this issue. Firstly, we make sure the factories understand how critical it is that OU products are never made in a non-OU plant, and that non-kosher items can never be made in the OU plant. Secondly, we have mashgichim visit the non-OU plants, to make sure no kosher items are found there. Thirdly, we regularly check UPC codes to make sure items authorized to be OU certified are only made in OU plants. In addition, customers who wish to “double check” that their French fries are kosher can visit http://www.oudirect.org and check our database to make sure the UPC code matches the one on our database. Grab your ketchup and enjoy!
Kosher Professionals • Articles •
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Ask OU Kosher: “What’s Bugging You? Checking Veg. for Insects”
June 2011
By Rabbi David Bistricer
OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator
To submit questions for future columns, please send them to , or call the Kosher Consumer Hotline, at 212-613-8241.
“What’s Bugging You? Checking Vegetables for Insects”
Q: Are there any kashrut concerns with plain vegetables?
A: Yes. Different varieties of certain fresh or frozen vegetables could potentially contain insects, which are considered not kosher and prohibited. Vegetables that have this concern must be checked before they are prepared or consumed, to ensure that there aren’t any insects hiding in cracks, crevices, or grooves of the vegetable. Moreover, canned vegetables could potentially be cooked in equipment that also processes genuinely non-kosher products, such as pork and beans. Vegetables that are from Israel are also subject to additional requirements of mitzvos hateluyos be’aretz.
The prohibition of eating insects is very serious, as multiple Torah level transgressions are associated with consuming even a single insect.
Q: What types of vegetables need to be checked for insects? Which kinds do not require checking?
A: The vegetables that most commonly require checking are the green, leafy vegetables or herbs. This commonly includes, but is not limited to: asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuces (bibb, boston, iceberg, and romaine), and spinach. The herbs that are most often found to contain insects include, but are not limited to: basil, cilantro, dill and parsley. Berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries also must be checked beforehand.
Some examples of produce that are assumed not to require checking are fruits, such as apples or pears, or vegetables, such as potatoes and tomatoes. There are others; this isn’t an exhaustive list.
Q: What determines whether a fruit, vegetable, or berry requires checking?
A: This depends on the likelihood that the produce could contain insects. If there is a halachically significant chance that a particular type of fruit, vegetable, or berry may contain insects, it must be checked. However, if the probability is considered halachically insignificant, even if the theoretical possibility exists, checking is not required.
What is considered halachically significant or insignificant is a point of dispute. The underlying assumption is that in order to be considered significant, the occurrence must be consistent and expected. Rav Yaakov Karliner in Mishkenos Yaakov suggested that a chance of 10% or greater is considered significant. Other authorities take a more stringent approach and set the standard at an even lower rate of consistency.
Q: What about dry goods, such as beans, nuts, pasta, and rice? Is there an insect issue?
A: In the U.S., generally speaking no, assuming that they are stored properly. If kept under dry and clean storage conditions, there should be no problem. However, if someone is concerned, they should check for any visible signs of damage or lacking cleanliness, which could also be a sign for insects.
In certain parts of the world, dry goods routinely develop storage pests and require checking.
Q: Is it necessary to use a magnifying glass or light box to check vegetables for insects?
A: There are varying opinions amongst authorities whether it’s necessary to use magnification. Many respected halachic authorities, such as Rav Shlomo Kluger in Tuv Taam VeDaas, Rav Avraham Danzig in Chochmas Adom, and Rav Moshe Feinstein in Igros Moshe, write that magnification is not necessary. Nevertheless, there are authorities that disagree. That is the opinion of Rav Yaakov Emden and Chazon Ish.
A light box is intended to provide a good source of light to facilitate checking. It’s a useful tool that gives ample light, which is understandably important if you are looking for something. If a light box is not used, vegetable checking must be done carefully in a well-lit area.
Q: Can anyone check vegetables for bugs? How does one become qualified?
A: Yes, with enough experience. It’s important to become accustomed to know what you are looking for. This can be done through a neighbor, friend or relative who has experience. But some people are actually able to intuitively pick up this skill quite well on their own. It takes time and patience, though.
There are books and manuals available about vegetable checking that can serve as excellent guides and are very helpful. The OU published a guide entitled, “The OU Guide to Checking Fruits, Vegetables and Berries.” The book may be obtained on the OU Press website, http://www.ou.org/oupress/category/1676, or by contacting the OU Kosher Consumer Hotline at
212- 613-8241.
Kosher Professionals • Articles •
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thou Shalt Not Commit Adulteration: Guarding Against the Dilution of Juice
The mission statement for the Technical Committee for the Juice Products Association, the major trade association of the juice industry, states that it is “dedicated to a level playing field for products containing juice” which means, as the statement goes on to say, that they “develop and validate methods for authenticating juice and juice products.”
The committee exists in response to the age-old problem of juice adulteration, which usually involves diluting “pure” fruit juice with other ingredients. Those ingredients may be water or sugar or sweeteners, as well as juices that are cheaper than the one being sold.
From a kosher perspective, the most serious concern is the (illicit) addition of non-kosher grape juice to a more expensive juice, such as pomegranate, raspberry, or cranberry juice that is marketed as “pure.” The incentive to adulterate is offset, of course, by the fact that adulteration is illegal. A tarnished name, especially in close-knit markets, can be enough to send a company into bankruptcy. Further, if a product is being touted as medicinal or therapeutic, a company will think twice before playing games.
Nonetheless, adulteration does take place. How would it be identified?
Contemporary laboratories have various methods to determine, or possibly determine, whether a juice product that claims to be one hundred percent juice is in fact that. Doing so requires the development of a “fingerprint” for that juice, which involves compiling a comprehensive database of a specific variety of juice and, based on that information, establishing a standard, or chemical profile,. That standard will be based on organic acids, sugars, proteins, and other constituents of a juice. Samples of juices that do not conform to the projection of what the juice ought to look like may be interpreted as being adulterated. To take a simple example: If the glucose content in a sample of apple juice exceeds the amount of glucose that is naturally in apple juice, a lab would conclude that glucose has been added to the apple juice.
The marker, or indicator, for grape juice is tartaric acid. Grape juice is rich in tartaric acid. Few other juices have any, and most have none.
There is no reported tartaric acid in raspberry juice. If a laboratory test on a sample of raspberry juice yielded the presence of tartaric acid, the laboratory would likely conclude that a) the raspberry juice has been adulterated and b) grape juice is the adulterant.
A juice’s “fingerprint” can also be developed through analysis of its pigment. Anthocyanins are a class of pigments that are red, purple, or blue. Grape juice has a distinctive anthocyanin profile (and that profile will differ depending on the variety). Pomegranate, raspberry, or strawberry juice each have a distinctive anthocyanin profile.
Tartaric acid and specific anthocyanins are the primary, and perhaps only, indicators for the presence of grape juice in other juices.
When a juice bottler suspects competitors of wrongdoing (usually because the price of a product is too good to be true) it will hire outside laboratories to analyze the product. Such testing is crucial in today’s regulatory environment, in which governments have limited capacity to test doctored products and policing is largely a function of self-regulation of industry. Testing not only discourages competitors from wrongdoing. It is a tool of quality assurance insofar as a corrupted or doctored product, even when it is someone else’s, can be disruptive for an entire industry.
It is important to note that the conclusions laboratories make are interpretations of data. The interpretations, to be sure, are based on norms hammered out through available literature and through discussions of, for example, the Juice Products Association’s technical committee. The presence of a non-conforming piece of data is not, however, proof-positive of adulteration. For example, high tartaric acid content in a sample of pomegranate juice could be interpreted to mean that grape juice is present in the sample. That conclusion would be based on the logic that there is no tartaric acid in pomegranate juice, and the only likely source for tartaric acid is grape juice.
What if, however, the database used to compile the chemical profile (the “fingerprint”) of pomegranate juice was not adequately comprehensive? What if the pomegranates used for the data were only of some varieties, and not others? Or only grew in certain types of soil, and not another? Or what if tartaric acid could be supplied from another juice, other than grape?
Generally, of course, laboratory interpretations are credible, or are thought to be credible in court. Recently, a juice company successfully sued another juice company for selling fraudulent product. The evidence used as basis for the judgment was the consensual conclusion of seven independent labs of wrong-doing. The defendant was severely penalized.
The global supply chain has created new challenges for beverage, food, and flavor manufacturers who expect the commodities they receive to cohere completely with the specifications they set forth to their suppliers. The most effective way to avoid problems with suppliers is to develop close-knit and long-term relationships with them.
Laboratory testing is not a great way to make sure your suppliers remain honest. But it is an important technique to be aware of, and invoking it from time to time is a way to make sure your product is exactly what it claims to be.
Rabbi Gavriel Price services the transportation, ingredients, and flavors industries at the Orthodox Union. He received rabbinic ordination from Breuer’s Rabbinical School in New York and a degree from Reed College, Portland, OR. A frequent contributor to BTUS, his “Vanilla, Hurricane Huddah, and the OU Flavor Department,” appeared in the Summer 2010 issue.
Filling a Void in a Deep Gorge
Filling a Void in a Deep Gorge: Gorge Estate Vineyards of Washington State Enables Royal Wine to Enter New Territory for Premium Kosher Wines
Wine lovers who keep kosher have been fortunate enough to have kosher wines available from many of the premier wine producing regions of the world. Bordeaux and Burgundy in France, Spanish Rioja, Australian Shiraz and the wonderful wines of Italy to name a few. But kosher wine lovers don’t end their quest for wine with the traditional wine regions — they seek out wine from more obscure locations such as South Africa, Portugal, Hungary and New Zealand.
Adding to their impressive portfolio of wines from around the world (yes, they import kosher wines from South Africa, Portugal and Hungary) Royal Wine Corporation, the largest importer, producer and distributor of kosher wines in North America, set out to produce Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand —hailed as among the best regions for this famed grape.
Around the same time, a New Zealand winemaker, Philip Jones, had a chance meeting with a California winemaker who had done some contract work for Royal Wine Corporation. Ever the entrepreneur, Mr. Jones realized that nobody was making kosher wines in New Zealand and began his research by talking to a rabbi in Wellington who was involved in certifying kosher foods. Ultimately, Jones met with representatives from Royal Wine in New York and the Goose Bay brand was born.
On the heels of five successful years in New Zealand (a Southern Hemisphere country where the grape harvest generally takes place between January and March) and high ratings by Wine Spectator, The Wall Street Journal and many Jewish and non-Jewish wine critics, Philip Jones sought to fill yet another void in the kosher wine marketplace. Together with his wife, Sheryl, and with cooperation from Royal Wine Corporation, the Jones’ established Gorge Estate Vineyards and winery, located on Underwood Mountain, in the Columbia Gorge in Washington State.
Unlike the New Zealand, facility the Washington winery will be a dedicated kosher winery. It has a capacity of about 7,000 cases. The plan is to start slowly with the inaugural vintage and produce about 2,500 cases from 2010, with plans to ramp up production as the brand becomes established.
These will be the first premium kosher wines made in the Pacific Northwest and will include a Walla Walla (Washington) Cabernet Sauvignon, a Washington Cabernet-Merlot and a Willamette Valley (Oregon) Pinot Noir. The first release will be the Oregon Pinot Noir, with release projection of mid- 2012.
The Orthodox Union, the world’s most respected kosher certification agency, will oversee all aspects of the wine production. The Jones’ and Royal Wine look forward to this first vintage and the ability to provide premium kosher wines from the Pacific Northwest to the world.
In India, Gherkin Manufacturers Are Not in a Pickle When Rabbi Tirnauer Is Around
The pickle industry, or should I say, the gherkin industry, is a thriving concern pleasing the palates of millions world-wide. Whether it is sliced, speared, hamburger-chip, sour, half-sour, kosher dill, to name just a few varieties, there is a flavor and shape for all sorts of taste buds — and a solid, steady demand for these delicious treats to boot. Quality standards assure a delectable product; OU supervision assures the highest standards of kosher as well.
Gherkins are grown and produced in many areas around the globe from the rural American Midwest to Romania to Vietnam, with a primary focus on a booming gherkin industry in India. Gherkin farming takes place over several short harvests and the raw gherkins are shipped to many state of the art facilities throughout the country. They are then measured and inspected for quality and placed in large barrels of brine or vinegar for packing. The brine, of course, is innocuous, as there are no kosher concerns, but the vinegar must be constantly monitored.
Rabbi Yosef Tirnauer, our veteran RFR in India, devised an elaborate system that monitors every liter of vinegar that comes in or leaves a plant. Every last drop can be traced to its origin, thus ensuring that only approved kosher sources are used throughout OU certified plants.
This is extremely important when it comes to the infrequent use of wine vinegar for specific customer use. Rabbi Tirnauer’s tracking system is a valuable safeguard that guarantees that the provenance of every of ounce of wine vinegar is accounted for and kosher.
Standard OU practice for preparing sensitive ingredients that are prone to insect infestation, such as dill, is another possible kosher hurdle that careful planning and administration have resolved.
One of the challenging aspects of gherkin production regards the constant monitoring of flavors used in jar production. Each client has developed a specific taste for his product and finding a kosher substitute for a precise flavor requires much patience and experimentation. All flavors in a pickle plant, whether for a kosher client or for a client who is not looking for kosher certification, must be approved before they can be used an OU certified facility.
Some of these requirements may seem daunting at the outset to newly certified companies. Rabbi Tirnauer patiently reviews the system with the companies, helps them set up a finely-tuned kosher system, and guides them periodically, making the transition to kosher both pleasant and rewarding.
Rabbi Shaul Gold joined the Orthodox Union as a rabbinic coordinator in 2004. He services the pickles, tuna and pasta industries and was recently appointed to serve as the Webbe Rebbe to respond to the many inquiries received on line at http://www.oukosher.org. Rabbi Gold received his rabbinic ordination from the famed Mir Yeshiva after studying at the Telshe Yeshiva and the Mir Yeshiva branches both in Jerusalem and New York. He has taught at a number of prominent Jewish schools including Magen David Yeshiva and Yeshiva R’tzahd. For ten years he served as rabbi of Young Israel of Avenue U in Brooklyn, NY.