Warning Regarding Leafy Greens- JKN Alerts

{Is this in the USA also?}

Warning Regarding Leafy Greens-3 Nissan 5771-April 7, 2011

Tzfat Chief Sephardi Rabbi, Shmuel Eliyahu, warns consumers regarding many of the so-called insect free leafy greens available in the marketplace today, for in reality, too many are giving shoppers free insects instead of living up to their claim. Rabbi Eliyahu is not just a rabbi in the know, but he also heads the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s vaad (committee) responsible for monitoring the so-called Gush Katif greens.
The rabbi made his comments following the release of the pre-Pesach test results of some 25 brands of greens claiming to be insect free (see JKN article).

The rabbi explains that some of the bugs found on lettuce are not successfully removed by soaking leaves in soapy water and then rinsing, explaining that this is a most alarming reality – stating many of the companies are simply duping consumers and causing them to transgress, especially now, before Pesach, when lettuce sales are sharply higher as we seek to fulfill the mitzvot of karpas and maror on seder night. The rabbi decries the reality in the marketplace, calling the situation simply unacceptable. He rejects many of the companies’ claims of “badatz” and “mehadrin kosher”, explaining the reality as revealed in laboratory testing of the products indicates many of the companies simply are not providing an insect-free product as claimed.

Last week, Chief Rabbinate inspectors simply went shopping, visiting stores and buying the products being sold by a growing number of companies. The leafy greens were then taken out of the packaging and placed in unmarked bags and numbered, and sent the Rabbinate’s laboratory for blind testing. The results appear in the JKN article mentioned earlier. The Chief Rabbinate announces that once again, the Chasalat Alei Katif Company remains the leader, providing true insect-free greens for our eating pleasure.

Rabbi Eliyahu urges shoppers to purchase the greens well in advance of yomtov to permit ample time to clean and inspect the leaves.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 7th, 2011 at 07:23 and is filed under JKN Alerts