Infestation Update from Rav Moshe Vaye

Rav Moshe Vaye, Lakewood- on Sunday Parshas Ri'aye gave a shiur on infestation for women. Then gave another shiur for Mechanchois in Girl schools. Stressed the importance of having all girl high schools & seminaries to teach hands on bedikas toloyim. It's been taught in eretz yisroel successfully in the Girl schools for many years. It must be part of the curriculum.

1- Chestnuts- Fresh- after cooking or baking, each one must be opened and checked for infestation. Peeled and cooked with good hashgocha from China- a cursory check is recommended.
2- Corn on the cob- Fresh, Frozen-Commonly infested with thrips & mites hiding under kernels. Must be de-kernilized prior to cooking, rinsed. Baby corn, no issues. Frozen or canned kernels-no issues.
3- Blueberries- Fresh, Frozen, Filling, etc- Scales, Mites, Maggots- unrealistic to clean, check-do not use.
4- Grapes- mites- Break into small cluster, do not remove from stem- wash with soapy water 3 times & rinse. Then seperate and rinse under water while rubbing each grape.
5- Apricots- Fresh- open, remove pit, check. Dried from Turkey- split open & check inside for infestation. If not fresh check outside for small whitish that may be mites.
6- Dates- split open check along area of pit for infestation.
7-Garlic- Mites, thrips- Must be carefully peeled, then rinsed while rubbing each one. Wash knife & table.
Pre-peeled garlic- must wash each one.
8- Scach-סכך Kainus- Booklice, worms- lay flat, bang with a stick above a white paper or sheet, inspect for insects. If found, spray with hot water & chlorine both sides- let dry, then rinse. Stand on end, bang with stick, inspect for worms or insects. When storing, put into plastic with mothballs.

9- Orange Juice- fresh, concentrate-Scale insects- very common, even with hashgochas- Aidah Yerushalem says must be sifted with a 70 mesh sifter, Rav Vaye recommends to sift through a white shirt.