Kosher Alerts

February 15, 2021: from Mrs. Rosskamm, The Guide to Chodosh, Hot Line 718-305-5133. Email: yherman20@gmail.com and www.kemach.com: "Due to unforeseen circumstances our latest production of Sandwich Cookies which historically has always been made with winter wheat and had no potential to be Chodosh was produced with spring wheat. As such the following products produced recently with the following code dates on them are CHODOSH even if the package says Yoshon on it." 25oz. Vanilla, Assorted, or Duplex (Code date: 033 21) 12oz. Vanilla and Duplex (Code date: 032 21) Twist Top SLIMS (Code date: 039 21) "We are doing our best to make sure we do not sell any where the word "Yoshon" on the package has not been crossed out, however the potential for human error always exists."

Quaker Bananas & Cream Instant Oatmeal was incorrectly labelled without a DAIRY designation. The product is DAIRY and kosher certified.

6 Shevat 5781 – January 19, 2021 Brand: Irresistibles Product Name: Chocolate Caramel Tree-Shaped Cake Company: Metro Brands Toronto, ON M9B 1B9 Issue: Mistaken Use of OK Pareve Symbol A limited amount of Irresistibles Chocolate Caramel Tree-Shaped Cakes, sold in Metro stores, was mistakenly labeled with a plain OK symbol, instead of the required OK D. This product is certified kosher dairy. Action: Corrective actions are being taken.

Ready Protein Water (all varieties) Brand Ready Product Protein Water (all varieties) Company Ready Nutrition, Wexford PA Issue Missing D - Dairy Designation The Orthodox Union certifies Ready Protein Water (all varieties) as OU D - Dairy products. These products contain dairy ingredients as indicated in the ingredients and allergen statements. Some labels were printed with a plain OU Symbol, without the D - Dairy designation. Corrective actions have been implemented.

Ready Protein Water (all varieties), Ready Nutrition, Wexford PA has a missing D - Dairy Designation: The Orthodox Union certifies Ready Protein Water (all varieties) as OU D - Dairy products. These products contain dairy ingredients as indicated in the ingredients and allergen statements. Some labels were printed with a plain OU Symbol, without the D - Dairy designation. Corrective actions have been implemented.

t is well established that there are insects on fresh strawberries, and a proper washing is required in order to allow them to be eaten. [See https://askcrc.org/item/Fruits+and+Vegetable/1382]. Since January 2020, cRc staff has been checking frozen strawberries to determine if the washing done to those berries at the factory is sufficient to remove the insects. We have found that in some cases the washing appears to be adequate but in others the berries remain infested. When we consulted with our peers at other hashgachos, they reported similar findings. In situations like this, where some fruit’s infestation level has risen but others have not, the standard rule is that if it is “uncommon” (aino matzui) for there to be insects then one may eat the food, but if it is “common” (matzui) then the fruit must be checked or washed to remove the insects. [See Shulchan Aruch YD 84:8]. What constitutes common/matzui? Contemporary Poskim have deliberated that question, and as relates to strawberries there are essentially two schools of thought: 10% of strawberries must contain an insect for strawberries to be deemed “commonly infested”. 10% of servings of strawberries must contain an insect for strawberries to be deemed “commonly infested”. The standard serving size for strawberries is about 5-7 berries (depending on size), and this means that Standard A is more lenient than Standard B. For if, for example, there was an average of one bug in every 25 berries, that would be just a 4% infestation rate according to Standard A, but would be a 20-28% infestation rate according to Standard B. In fact, this is exactly the case for frozen strawberries: there are too few insects to qualify as matzui according to Standard A, but there are enough insects to consider them matzui as per Standard B. Some hashgachos follow the direction of their Poskim in adopting Standard A, and therefore will allow – and even certify – frozen strawberries based on the assumption that it is “uncommon” for them to be infested. However, Rav Schwartz and Rav Reiss שליט"א have directed us to follow Standard B, and this is also the policy of many other American hashgachos. Accordingly, henceforth, cRc does not recommend frozen strawberries without hashgachah. Furthermore, when purchasing frozen strawberries which are certified as kosher, it is recommended that consumers consult with their Rabbi to help determine which of the above standards that hashgachah follows. Please note, if the certified agency actually writes the words “free of insects” this usually indicates that these strawberries went through a special growing process or unique cleaning method that would not be relying on the above calculations and are preferable to purchase. One exception to the above policy is that any brand of frozen strawberries may be purchased if they will be used in pureed products such as smoothies. The reason for that allowance are beyond the scope of this work (please visit https://kshr.us/Puree for more detailed information). It should be noted that it does not necessarily apply to other fruits and vegetables which are infested. If one wishes to eat frozen strawberries, the following is an approved method to clean them: 1) place them in water until defrosted 2) add a generous amount of soap or kosher veggie wash 3) agitate them for 20 to 30 seconds 4) rinse off with plain water 5) enjoy!

GEFEN PEARL BARLEY with date code 07-20-22 has been found to have infestation in some bags, and must be checked before using. Several Kashrus agencies recommend that all barley (and in particular Yoshon brands) be checked prior to use. Following are two options for checking: Soaking Method: Place all the barley you wish to use in a white bowl, and fill the bowl with water, a few inches over the top of the barley. Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes. If insects are present, they will float to the top. If any do, repeat the process, and if no more are then found, the barley may be used. Plate Method: Place a small pile of barley - about two ounces at a time - on a white paper plate (not plastic, which creates a shine) with good overhead light that illuminates the plate. Use a finger or a fork to drag a small amount of barley away from the pile, spreading that barley in a single layer. Visually inspect the spread- apart barley, looking for webbing, black insects and white or tan worms between or under the kernels. Repeat this until the entire pile has been checked. Then do the same for the rest of the barley in the package.