Kosher Alerts

Brands: Rice Dream Products: Rice Dream Original Company: The Hain-Celestial Group- Modesto, CA Issue: This product is sold in certain areas of Canada both with and without the OU symbol. Any product that does not bear the OU symbol is not kosher certified by the Orthodox Union. As always, the public is encouraged to check for the OU symbol on every product that is purchased.

Wise Foods Inc. - Berwick, PA Due to equipment failure, a limited amount of Wise Dipsy Doodle Snack bags may contain non-kosher popcorn. Affected bags may have been distributed in NY, NJ, and CT Wise Dipsy Doodles- 1.25 oz Vending Machine Bags UPC #0-41262-27064-0 Code: June1608GAB

COR certification of the following Omstead brand frozen vegetables has been removed for the Shmitta year 2008 and part of 2009. Packages will not bear the COR symbol and/or will state NON-KOSHER 21181 Natural Whole Petite Carrots 21183 Natural Whole Petite Carrots 22118 Prince Edward Classic Blend 22124 Prince Edward Classic Blend 22135 Prince Edward Classic Blend

All honey sold in retail or foodservice packaging requires a reliable hashgacha. This is due to the fact that the kashrus status of the bottlingprocess for these honeys may be compromised due to the possibility of non-kosher products being packaged on the same equipment.

February 14, 2008 It has come to our attention that members of our community are purchasing fresh fish sold at stores or fish counters that do not have certification by the VAAD. Currently, no supermarkets have a Kosher certified fish department. It is imperative that the community understand that purchasing fresh fish has extensive restrictions and provisions, and that there are many non-kosher species being sold that closely resemble kosher species. A shocking example of the dangers involved in this practice has recently come to our attention. A local supermarket has been selling STURGEON and BASA (PANGASIUS, otherwise known as Vietnamese catfish), which are NOT KOSHER, while claiming to its customers that they sell only kosher fish. The consequences of using non-kosher fish are the same as TREIF meat. If you have bought fish from any unsupervised establishment, and you were unable to positively identify them as kosher fish you need to consult with your Rabbi for further instructions regarding the status of your pots and pans, etc. We are asking members of our community to be aware of this issue and to understand that without a reliable hechsher, one cannot always tell whether or not a fish has scales and fins. It is certainly forbidden to purchase fish that has already been filleted without a Hechsher. We therefore urge our community to purchase their fish in locations that have kosher certification. Please pass this message on to others so that we can prevent any further harm and error. Your attention to this matter is of the utmost importance. PLEASE POST AND/OR DISTRIBUTE THIS NOTICE. ------------ ---------------------------------------------- 14 fevrier, 2008 Certains membres de notre communauté ont pris l’initiative d’acheter du poisson frais au comptoir de poisson du supermarché, ou chez des marchands de poisson qui n’ont pas reçu la certification du VAAD. Aucun supermarché ne vous offre actuellement une poissonnerie ayant reçu une certification cachère. Il est essentiel que les membres de notre communauté reconnaissent que l’achat du poisson frais implique certaines conditions et restrictions importantes, et qu’il faut tenir compte du fait qu’il existe chez les poissonniers non-cachers plusieurs espèces de poissons dont l’apparence est semblable à celle des poissons cachers. On nous a récemment rapporté un incident odieux illustrant bien les dangers de cette pratique. Un supermarché du quartier vendait depuis un moment de L’ESTURGEON et du POISSON-CHAT du Mékong (en anglais BASA); ces poissons NE SONT PAS CACHERS — bien que le marchand assurait ne vendre que du poisson cacher. Les conséquences reliées à la consommation de poisson non-cacher sont les mêmes que celles qui sont applicables à la consommation de viandes non-cachères. Si vous avez acheté du poisson chez un marchand non supervisé et que vous ne pouvez garantir que ce poisson ait été cachère, vous devez consulter votre Rabbin afin de connaître les procédures concernant le statut de vos ustensiles de cuisine ainsi que de toute surface ayant été en contact avec ce poisson. Nous demandons à tous les membres de notre communauté d’être conscients de ce grave problème, et de tenir compte que sans un hec’hcher reconnu il est très difficile de différencier les poissons — même lorsqu’ils disposent d’écailles et de nageoires. Il va sans dire qu’il est interdit d’acheter du poisson qui a déjà été coupé en filets s’il n’a pas de hec’hcher. Nous vous conseillons vivement d’acheter votre poisson chez des marchands qui ont reçu une certification cachère. Par ailleurs, nous vous prions de partager ce message afin d’éviter que d’autres ne se trouvent dans l’erreur et n’en souffrent les conséquences fâcheuses. Votre collaboration à ce sujet est de la plus haute importance. S’IL VOUS PLAIT, VEUILLEZ ACCROCHER ET/OU DISTRIBUER CET AVIS.

Product: Instant Korean Ginseng Tea Company: Uncle Bill Trading Inc.- Toronto, Canada Issue: This dairy product bears an unauthorized OU symbol. Consumers spotting this product are requested to contact the Orthodox Union at 212-613-8241 or via email at Kashalerts.

FAIRLEE GRAPE JUICE in the 114 ml size bears an unauthorized COR Corrective measures have been taken.

Products of Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC), located in Winnipeg, Alberta, Canada have been certified by the Orthodox Union for many years. This facility, which only processes kosher fish, has been carefully reviewed and accepted by many respected kosher certifying agencies worldwide. Recent irresponsible and false claims have been published concerning the integrity of the hashgacha as it was administered more than seven years ago, under a previous mashgiach A’’H (who is no longer living), alleging that non-kosher fish was sold as kosher. It should be noted that the writer of the piece was identified by the newspaper as "a former fish marketer who believes the FFMC’s monopoly should be broken." OU Kosher urges everyone to realize that charges leveled in print can be, and often are, false. The Orthodox Union urges the kosher-consuming public to recognize such spurious innuendo for its true nature.

This product, sold in Publix Supermarkets, erroneously bears an unauthorized OU symbol and is being withdrawn from the marketplace. Consumers spotting this product are requested to contact the Orthodox Union by phone at 212-613-8241, or via email at Kashalerts Brands: Publix; Product: Gummy Worms; Company:Publix Super Markets, Inc. - Lakeland, FL