Bais Din cases for download

Consumers misled by advertising can sue manufacturer even if product not defective, court rules

{ If they left out the "D" or Dairy, you can sue}

Consumers misled by advertising can sue manufacturer even if product not defective, court rules-January 27, 2011


Consumers who buy a product as a result of misleading advertising can sue the manufacturer even if the product was not defective, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Shrimp shells in Salmon? and in your juices?

 Chitosan is a fiber-like product made from ground shrimp shells that inhibits fat absorption. By Rory Harrington, 28-Jan-2011

Chitosan-based edible coatings and films have real promise in combating Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in cold-smoked salmon, according to new research.

Am I eating Tunisian olive oil? Is it adulterated?

3. Am I eating Tunisian olive oil?
If you like olive oil, you love Tunisian olive oil — or, at least, you eat lots of it.
What the heck am I talking about (you ask)? You´ve never even seen Tunisian olive oil at your grocery store, let alone tasted it (you say).

Wrong, bucko. Tunisia is the world´s No. 2 olive oil exporter, right after Spain. Much of the olive oil we consume in Canada — whatever the bottle says its country of origin is — probably features a significant amount of Tunisian oil.

Kashrus alerts

7 Seas Frozen Gravlax Smoked Salmon, 7 Seas Company - British Columbia, Canada, Consumers of OU products are advised not to consume 7 Seas Gravlax Smoked Salmon, as it appears that a non kosher ingredient was used in that product. Consumers that see the product in the market should please contact the Orthodox Union at 212-613-8344.

The previous alert can be cited with the URL: http://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/?alert=A3331

Y. Herman stated the following in his newsletter: "Liebers pretzels with barley or oats in the ingredients may be Chodosh despite the Yoshon label on the package."

Kashrous alert can be cited with the URL: http://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/?alert=A3329

The "tzinius" situation. The "yesoid" of the problem.

There was another Chizuk for Tzinius in Lakewood's Lake terrace adressed by the revered Mashgiach .
The underlying cause seems not to be the noshim tzidkunios as much as the husbands.

Kosher standards should also be displayed on package for the consumers

NEW YORK — Some of the nutrition information listed in government-mandated food labels will be repeated on package fronts under a new system that food makers and major grocers are introducing.  The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute on Monday announced the industry's voluntary new "Nutrition Keys," which will list calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugars per serving. Manufacturers may choose to use only one or two of the figures in small, package-front icons, or all four.

Strawberry Alert from the Eida Chareidit

The srawberry season just started in Mexico- Frozen strawberries are going to hit the shelves- DON'T TOUCH THEM.

Strawberry Alert from the Eida Chareidit-19 Shevat 5771-January 24, 2011-

Anyone who has been to the shuk of late will agree that strawberries are out in big numbers, looking as sweet and juicy as ever. As I state in my lectures, not everything that appears tasty and perhaps good for the body is good for the soul, which leads me to an alert released today by the Jerusalem-based Eida Chareidit pertaining to insect infestation in strawberries.

The Eida alert states that due to the fact that strawberries are simply infested, one is not to use fresh strawberries at all, which includes after washing. (this refers to buying and eating, without any effort to clean them). (we can include the frozen ones as well NOT TO USE, see Rav Moshe Vaye-)

All prechecked vegtables should NOT require consumer washing.

 Update on the Glatt Alim Celery-13 Shevat 5771-January 18, 2011

Yesterday, I reported on Glatt Alim’s celery which enjoys Eida Chareidit approval, but not the kashrus company’s supervision.  After speaking with the Eida’s Rabbi Yehoshua Rothman, who supervises the greens, I learned the following towards offering readers and explanation to the “authorization” as opposed to supervision.

Avoid all insect prone vegetables, Chamisho Osur plates, etc

Avoid all insect prone vegetables, Chamisho Osur plates, etc that require the consumer to check or wash the product. The consumer is not qualified to check or wash these vegetables, fruits, etc as it requires training by an expert.

Kashrus alert: Does Lamb require a "bedikas chutz"??

Kashrus alert: Does Lamb require a "bedikas chutz"??

There are some Shechitas that do only a Bedikas "pnim" on lamb, they do not do a bedikas "chutz".

The kosher consumer should refrain from using from those shechitas that don't do a proper bedikas chutz as well. Do your inquiries.

New Vegetable Inspection Training Program Has Been Launched

New Vegetable Inspection Training Program Has Been Launched

A new ongoing training program for inspection of vegetables (and fruits) to see that they are free of any insects has been announced by KASHRUS Magazine with classes to be held at the Pos’tiv Produce plant in Allentown, PA and follow-up classes leading to certification to
be held in Brooklyn, NY (and possibly Lakewood, NJ).

Israeli imported produce

The following kashrus notice is from a reader's question and the editor's conversation with Agrexco on January 3, 2011.


A reader called me about Carmel Mangoes and whether they were from Israel. Agrexco who produces the Carmel label on produce reported to me that they are importing Mangoes to the United States only from Peru {and Mexico y.s.].

They are importing the following produce to the United States: from Israel :

Red, Yellow and Orange Peppers , Sharon Fruit (Persimmons) ,Herbs

Ed. note: Produce from Israel needs to be tithed before consumption. See www.kashrut.com/consumer/vegetables/#TITHING for information on tithing.

Brown "kraft" paper, is there a kashrus or Passover concern?

Brown "kraft" paper is commonly used by restaurants, caterers, food service to put hot & or greasy food directly on the paper. Many of the manufacturers may use "recycled" material from unknown sources.

Pesach raises additional concerns, starchs. There may be upto 5% starch in some of them. the source of the starch may be chometz, kitinious (legumes) or anything else.

The poultry you eat and some concerns.

Poultry are fed a rich variety of feed to enhance and speed their growth. They also receive injections for diseases & the prevention of them. They are also given growth hormones.

The feed may contain meat, dairy or other non kosher ingredients. The method of preparition may be a question of "bossur-bi'cholov" (meat n milk) issues. 

The injections are given either in the egg prior to hatching or in the chick after hatching. When given in the chick, it's usually done in the neck area which may make it a treifah. Some hatcheries in Eretz Yisroel have a full time Mashgiach to verify that it does not make it a treifah. 

Others give the injections in the egg. It's done in the side of the egg that's more round and there is an air pocket between the membrane and the shell of the egg. They must be careful not to inject past the 17th-18th day as it may make the chick a treifah.

We were able to verify that the Mehadrin Poultry (now includes the Vineland, Skver brands among others) only feed their chickens vegetarian feed and the injections are done in the egg not later than 18 and a half days. We don't know what the others are doing at this time.

Shema Yisrael to help Business & individuals through mentoring

http://www.shemayisrael.com/ortjetusa/
Sustaining and Growing Jewish Business in The USA


The Shema Yisrael Torah Network team has now seen fit to take on the role of reaching out to Jewish Business owners in the United States who are having difficulty. Shema will help in providing Mentors to assist them in many aspects of their business.

Coffee Filters-What's their Passover status?

Coffee filters use some sort of starch to give it body. The starch may be from chometz, legumes, etc e.g. wheat, corn, etc or it may be from potato or tapioca among some other ones.

We haven't been able to ascertain which filters if any are kosher for Passover.

New York State's Kosher Inspectors Eliminated

Kosher Inspectors Eliminated - By SUMATHI REDDY -Wall Street Journal

New York state's kosher law-enforcement division has been gutted, sparking concerns in parts of the Jewish community that the cuts raise the risk of fraud in the billion-dollar-plus kosher-food industry.

"Kashrus"- Quality Assurance V. Quality Control Re: Kosher

Quality Assurance V. Quality Control

Kosher Assurance V. Kosher Control: There is a big difference between Quality assurance and quality control. Quality Assurance is prevention of anything that will compromise the quality or kosher status of the product. Quality Control on the other hand is controlling the damage that may compromise the quality / kosher status of the product.

A chanukah miracle waiting to happen-Bonei Olam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heCoh4oADXM&feature=related

Mangos imported by Carmel ?

The mangos being imported by Carmel for the past few months are from Mexico not from Israel.

Wheat & Oat Bran re: Chodosh

Chodosh Information – P’sak Halacha- The following is from Y. Herman’s Chodosh list – (yherman@earthlink.net)

PSAK HALACHA From HaRav HaGaon Elyashiv Shlita (in response to our question):

Wheat bran and oat bran are not to be considered Chodosh even if they came from grain that is Chodosh, because bran is not a significant part of the grain.

He was not concerned that some particles of wheat or oat flour could be clinging to the bran.

Hisachdus Harabonim di'Lakewood vi'haglilos kashrus certification

Kosher certification news

The educated Kosher consumer will now have the choice of choosing the highly reliable and sought after kosher supervision of the Hisachdus Harabonim of Lakewood.

Hisachdus Harabonim kosher certification is currently certifying all types of kosher food production.

The Hisachdus Harabonim certifies, Industrial ingredients, commercial food service items as well as retail products for the kosher consumer.