Some Ka$hru$ mi$nomer$

If one would glance at the full-page glossy ads in the ubiquitous Jewish magazine, it would seem that produce growers are falling over themselves to provide every possible green with the best of hechsherim, all while stating the various methods used to ascertain that one should not stumble and transgress these Biblical prohibitions.
 “Greenhouse Grown”, [are not insect free!]
 “Triple Washed”, [does not rid enough, to permit]
 “Insect Free”, [to those that are not trained]
 “Requires No Checking” [not to be used after checking ]
scream out from the ads.

The Mishna Berura brings the Chasam sofer, that only trained individual with very good eyesight may checks infestation otherwise "don't use".

Industry body says olive oil imports are ‘not really’ olive oil

By Ankush Chibber, 02-Feb-2012- A new study sponsored by the Australian Olive Association (AOA) has said that imported olive oils being marketed in the country as extra virgin olive oil are anything but olive oil.

How the Olive Oil industry duped us for so long?

http://www.businessinsider.com/an-expert-explains-how-the-olive-oil-industry-has-been-duping-us-for-so-long-2012-1#until-2010-the-us-had-no-strict-guidelines-defining-different-grades-of-olive-oil-1

‘Cause for concern’ meat plants will be named and shamed - FSA

‘Cause for concern’ meat plants will be named and shamed - FSA
By Mark Astley, 24-Jan-2012- Will Kosher certifiers follow suit?

UK meat plants considered a ‘cause for concern’ based on audit reports will be named and shamed as part of a new Food Standards Agency (FSA) scheme, it has revealed.

All "GRAPES" infested-must wash each one

"CAVIAR-Sushi, Fish Sticks, Imitation Crab, surimi all use minced Pollock fish which is infested.

NOTE: The following information is correct. There are others attempting
to confuse the facts with their theories.

Sushi, Fish Sticks, Imitation Crab, surimi, all use minced (not ground)Pollock fish which is infested. Caviar (fish eggs) used at Sushi stations also infested. Yellow tail is a type of flounder, also infested.

Lox is from farmed salmon. Lox from wild salmon even if sliced thin is infested.

Klal Yisroel's dilema without a solution.BMG's Freezer

OK-We'll close the freezer, under 22 year olds will be the accepted age-They can go out on dates immediately, etc
Pell grants will roll in.
Shiduchim crisis will be alleviated iy"h.
Who will come to the shi'urim?
If these 22 year olds don't come to shiur, and Noviminsk, Brisk, etc will almost not be an option, they'll mamash bleib r"l no big talmidei chachomim "uhn a shiur"?

Rav Shach Z"L letter addressed the solution.

Olive oil adulteration-again

Adulterated and even fake olive oil is widespread, according to studies. Just how big is the problem, and how can you avoid being caught out?

Last month, the Olive Oil Times reported that two Spanish businessmen had been sentenced to two years in prison in Cordoba for selling hundreds of thousands of litres of supposedly extra virgin olive oil that was, in fact, a mixture of 70-80% sunflower oil and 20-30% olive.

Groceries Pull Lettuce After Salmonella Scare

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Heads of iceberg lettuce are being removed from grocery store shelves in at least seven states after salmonella was found in an Arizona field adjacent to the grower's property.

The Cholov Stam / akum heter from Rav Moshe Feinstein Z"L not valid anymore?

The USDA, FDA, etc does NOT test for non-cow milk presence, hence the heter is not valid anymore.

This does not affect the fact that the Veterinarian procedures make the cows "TREIF". There is no shishim on the farms.
The USDA doen't either test for other milk.
The fines are minimal.

RE: Haolam shredded Cheese recall

RE: Haolam shredded Cheese recall; After clarifying the facts re: the process & kashering required for all of the shredding equipment, we are completely satisfied that there wasn't any kashrus issue at all-it was strictly a business & FDA precaution issue that initiated the recall.

There was no sakanah either, as the lab tests were all negative.

From an Email:

Rav Shain, I'm wondering if you or anyone else knows how to deal with a very serious kashrus situation. my company is kosher certified by a so called heimish hashgocha organization. They are known as the "mifia'nerim". They are strong-arming themselves into every possible hashgocha that they take away from other erlicher heimish Rabonim. Their own standards are based on "tzuhl oifen tzeit" nothing else. I'm sure the Rabonim are afraid "pachad-muvess" from the administrator, but why do the companies like me and the tzibur have to suffer from a mafia fake kashrus? 

Vaad's newsletters for the past 5 years

BMG's  VAAD did nothing at all for the tzibur, so there are none.

They only used the Tzibur voting block for their own selfish interests.