Sardines, can we eat them? which ones? "King of the Sea"

"King of the Sea" sardines from the philipines with skin & bones were "CLEAN" when checked for infestation. King of the Sea sardines also do not have the concern of "kovush" with-non kosher species.

King of the Sea sardines from Morroco "skinless N boneless" is also clean.

From an EMAIL-

Are we ready to move ahead in the fast lane in the most serious issue in kashrus in the past century "TOLAIYIM"?

Or do we have to resort to allowing food service, caterers restaurants, etc to serve "treif" to satisfy the demanding consumer-it beats serving infested fruits & vegetables.

Defining "Trust-me" in all languages!

Defining "Trust-me" in all languages!

Trust me, means you will be taken to the cleaners (taken for a ride).

If the rrroll the "R" in Trust, you were taken already.

From the autistic

ש': פארוואס האט לייבי'ס קערפער געדארפט אזוי פארדארבן ווערן?


ת': ווייל מיר פארדארבן רוחניות'דיג אונזערע קינדער, מיט אונזער גשמיות, און דאס איז נאך אפילו ערגער פון דאס וואס דער מערדער האט געטאהן צו לייבי'ס קערפער, ווייל ער האט גע'הרג'עט נאר זיין גוף, און מיר הרג'ענען די נשמות פון אונזערע קינדער.

פארהאן נאך א גרויסער פראבלעם אין אמעריקע און אין די גאנצע וועלט, די אמעריקאנער זענען מקיל אין דעם נושא פון כשרות אין די עסן, די אמעריקאנער מוזן האבן זייערע רעסטאראנטן ) מסעדות( מיט זייערע עקסטערע געשמאקע עסן, אפילו אויב עס מיינט עסן שפייז וואס זייער כשרות איז א גרויסע פראגע צייכן.

עס איז דא א גרויסע שאלה ארום די כשרות פון די שחיטה, און פונדעסטוועגן, נאכן גרויסן סקאנדאל מיט אפאר יאהר צוריק, איז נאך אלס די בכללות'דיגע השגחה אויף די שחיטה זייער שוואך, און איך מוז אייך זאגן, אז בכלל פיל זאכן וואס מיר עסן האט באקומען א גויא'ישן אויסזעהן, און צווישן די פיצה מיט די סושי קען מען ברעכן.

נאך א קרענק אין אמעריקע 

Where's the SPINACH? (der narisheh koifer)

There was a big problem with the frozen spinach production, this year more so. The kosher certifiers realized "finally" (after the productions) that the washing of the spinach is with recirculated infested water.

The processor refused to cancel the orders. "HEFSED-MI'RIBAH" $$$$$

Solution: Don't sell it retail, sell to food service, restaurants, caterers, nursing homes, hospitals, etc

 Are they allowed to eat infested spinach? Sure! Hefsid meribah.

NOTE: If your restaurant, caterer, etc have spinach on their menu "DON'T eat any of their checked vegetables.
Can it be used if it's pureed? NO. (Who's hefsid merubah? not the consumers. By the consumer it's a li'chatchila)

CHINA- Millions of dead fish in river water authority claims "is normal"

09/05/2011 CHINA  Millions of dead fish in river water authority claims "is normal"

In the Min River, the main river of Fujian, in the space of a few days tens of millions of fish have died. People block roads to protest against authorities indifference. Gutian County produces over 100 tons of fish a day, now its economy is destroyed.

This "BLOG" is for kashrus issues,

This "BLOG" is for kashrus issues. Please keep political or other comments out. At times we will post something that we consider important to post.

May a roaming Salesman be the Mashgiach (heimish) for those establishments?

May a roaming Mashgiach (heimish) also be a salesman on the side? To the facilities he's responsible for the kashrus? WHY NOT? It's a "win-win" situation.

If he is a salesman for a product e.g. Dole Vegetables, He'll push it, even though it may be infested or it's definitely not up to par to what the food service establishment should be using. Right Shloma? but ich darf a parnusah, zuhl ich farkoifen stam treifus?

What's about selling supplies to places that are certified by your heimish hashgocha? They can't say no even if it's priced higher, I need the parnusah, I don't even have time during my rounds to see if they have any kashrus issues. (and they are a good customer of mine) "Hashoi'chad yeh'avair...."

Become a Chasidisher Heimisher Shoichet by putting on a Bibber hut, geh'kreizilteh payos, etc

What time did I eat the pizza (dairy cheese) or meat?

Exclusive : Android app that help you stay “Kosher”
By Schwarts on Thursday, August 25th, 2011 at 9:25 am.Medical “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk” – Exodus 34:26.

Kwazi, an independent workshop located in Tel Aviv and BrushGunz Release milk or Meat, a free android app that helps you Keep track of your fleischig and milchig (meat and dairy) times after eating a meal.

GreenHouse grown, WOW! What's that? Infested? Sure!

GreenHouse grown, does have insects, contrary to what others are trying to convince the gullible kosher consumer. They do have insects, but it's a somewhat controlled enviroment. One expert visited almost everyone of the "GreenHouses" in Israel and found that all of them had insects to one degree or another.

GreenHouse=insect free? NO way! Don't believe it, It's a theory that the cold facts have disproven.

Some (many) hashgochas check by swooshing the vegetables in water in a glass bowl, putting the glass bowl on a light box & checking the water. Rabosai- It just does NOT work, it's a method to convince or rather confuse everyone that they are doing an acceptable bedika.

Vinegar tainted by anti-freeze "Chinese"

Antifreeze-Tainted Vinegar Suspected In 11 Deaths In China-August 22, 2011

BEIJING (AP) — Vinegar tainted with antifreeze is suspected of killing 11 people and sickening 120 after a communal Ramadan meal in China's far western region of Xinjiang.

Yum Yum is a place that serves treifa dairy items.

Yum Yum is a place that serves treifa dairy items, yet many of the Jewish consumers consume their their food products. A Jewish consumer should not be seen even entering the facility.

Do all Cholov Yisroel farms remove the procedured cows? (they are Treif)

Kashrus alert: Do all Cholov Yisroel farms remove the procedured cows? (they are Treif)
We don't think so, the ones in Montreal we understand, are not being removed, so it's actually cholov treifah.

BEWARE: Others may be using that milk source for their Cholov Yisroel  ice cream or yogurts.

All cholov stam, cholov akum is actually cholov treifah with no reliable heter per Rav Eliyashev & Rav Wosner Shlita.

ALERT: Citrus Blast soda (Pepsi) is not kosher

Per an Email I saw from Pepsi.

KASHRUS ALERT:

Many frum stores including Lakewood, catskills, etc stores are selling all different fruits and vegetables that are infested and a bedikah by an expert is  required. Some can't be checked e.g. strawberries must be peeled, Corn on the cob-Kernels must be removed prior to using & washed.

Scallions-must be cut open all of the tubers lenghtwise & rinsed well. Frozen spinach, brocolli with florets, cauliflower should not be used at all.

The Dole with or without the stickers, should not be used. Frozen strawberries with hashgocha must be pureed prior to using.

ALERT: Corn on the cob & Scallions

Kashrus ALERT:                                                                                            

להסיר מכשול

Corn on the cob & Scallions being sold at the LAKEWOOD- NPGS Southlake store (possibly others as well) has a sign by the fresh corn on the cob. That due to weather conditions the husk should be completly removed and the whole corn washed (by NPGS kashrus).

That is misleading information, as corn on the cob is heavly infested with thrips. The corn must have all the kernels removed, rinsed first. Washing without removing the kernels off the cob will leave the insects intact.

Another item is scallions, they have no kashrus sign at all. Scallions are known to be infested with thrips. All of the tubes must be cut open completly lengthwise, rinsed well.

Chevra Pizza- Who's Cheese do they use?

Chevra Pizza (Klein's)- Whose Cheese do they use?
They say they don't know who's cheese they are using, would you use it?

Worms & parasites in fish

Introduction: Parasitology is an important field in aquatic science. Because of its close linkeage to other fields in marine sciences such as fisheries, mariculture, fish ecology and environmental monitoring, marine parasitology should be seen in the context of other marine science disciplines (see Marine Science Special Training Course-MST). Fish parasites play a major role in marine biodiversity, infecting hosts at all different trophic levels. The growth of marine aquaculture, concerns about the effects of pollution on fish health, and the possible use of parasites as biological indicator organisms has led to a steady increase in interest in this topic.

Freeze dried salmon?

Freeze-dried salmon could be the latest thing among health-conscious astronauts and military types and mountain climbers, thanks to work at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

Major cereal firm turns to Dow for palm-oil replacement

Major cereal firm turns to Dow for palm-oil replacement-By Elaine Watson, 01-Jun-2011

Dow Agrosciences is confident sales volumes of its omega-9 mono-unsaturate-rich oils will triple in the next two-to-three years as manufacturers making everything from breakfast cereal to microwave popcorn try to cut saturated fat.

Not only organic produce is infested

All organic produce and fruit is to be considered infested.

Blueberries Organic or from small farms are infested
Corn on the cob & strawberries are all infested.
Corn OnThe Cob, all kernels must be removed & rinsed.
 Strawberries must be peeled completly or washed well & pureed to a liquid.
Cabbage is muchzuk in insects.
Red cabbage has less but it does have.
Iceberg Lettuce is muchzuk.

Corn on the COB is infested

Corn on the COB is infested. Why are the Lakewood kosher stores selling it without notifying the customers that you must remove & rinse the kernels from the cob? Profit!

Strawberries must be peeled as they can't be cleaned from the insects. Why are the Lakewood kosher stores selling it without notifying the customers that you must peel the entire berry prior to eating.

Frozen ones with hashgocha, must be pureed prior to using.

UPDATE: PORK spare ribs?

After Moshiach the Chazir that will become "muttar", will it become a "maaleh-gairah" or todays chazir will become muttar?

It will become a "maaleh-gairah" as todays' chazir [we don't need moshiach to be mattir it] too many rabonim did it already.

Don't use any Frozen spinach, Hefsid merubah "Heter" is not acceptable!

Kashrus alert:
Re: Frozen Spinach & infestation. The only time spinach is at a low level of infestation is when the weather is cool & dry. That is usually in late March (in NJ). After that, it's just too late in the season. This year the NJ Spinach was picked the for the kosher market in May/June.
The question is just how badly infested was the product.


The infested water is recirculated onto the product.
From a practical point of view, it's not a clean product that one should consider using it, regardless of the name on the package.

Hydroponic Greenhouse "Is it insect free?" NO!

Hydroponic Greenhouse Supplies NYC Grocers "Is it insect free?" NO!

NEW YORK  Gotham Greens, which operates a hydroponic greenhouse facility on the rooftop of an industrial building in Brooklyn, announced that it has started harvesting and delivering pesticide-free vegetables and herbs to New York food retailers, including Whole Foods Market, FreshDirect and D'Agostino's.

Making a Simcha (wedding, etc) in Lakewood?

If you are making a Simcha (wedding, etc) in Lakewood, by some of the caterers you may need your own  mashgiach by all of the cooking etc. You must instruct the mashgiach what his job is, that he is working for you the Baal simcha.

Some have freezer stock, especially for the shmorg which you'll never know what it is.

You must make sure it's in the contract you sign with the caterer, that you will a mashgiach of your own choice & that everthing will be prepared fresh under the direction of the mashgiach.

Deadly puffer fish sold as salmon kills 15

The redish color fish is not an indicator of its kosher status.
The Puffer fish is dyed to look like salmon.
Rock salmon (Shark family) is dyed to look like salmon.

Associated Press , THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 23, 2007

Unscrupulous vendors in Thailand have been selling meat of the deadly puffer fish disguised as salmon, causing the deaths of more than 15 people over the past three years, a doctor said Thursday.

Although banned since 2002, puffer fish continues to be sold in large quantities at local markets and restaurants, said Narin Hiransuthikul of Bangkok's Chulalonkorn University Hospital.

"Some sellers dye the meat of puffer fish and make it look like salmon which is very dangerous," Narin said.

The ovaries, liver and intestines of the puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a poison so potent that the US Food and Drug Administration says it can "produce rapid and violent death."

The fish is called fugu in Japan, where it is consumed by thrill-seeking Japanese gourmets for whom the risk of poisoning adds piquancy.

Jaffa Oranges at Shop Rite

Jaffa Oranges at Shop Rite? yes. Many times someone removes the stickers "Jaffa", therefore don't buy any unstickered oranges.

Does your beef shechita comply with the Shulchan Oruch?

Update: We spoke to Skver Hashgocha re: Solomon/Fishels, they are trying to get a waiver from the USDA.
Re: Alle, We wrote to the Rav Hamachshir 3 times & did not receive ANY response.

We may not leave the animal or it's lungs by the Goy prior to it being inspected by the Bodik chutz. Even "bi'dieved it's not permitted, if that is the normal standard way it's considered a "mai'zid".

שולחן ערוך יורה דעה סימן ל"ט סעיף י"ז, ש"ך מ"ג-

Genearlly in the slaughter houses the USDA inspects the lung before the bodek chutz, which is "ossur". Check with your Rav Hamachshir to ascertain what is the heter? and yet more why aren't the kosher consumers made aware of this fact.

We think Rinse N Chill may have to be instuted in a more controlled method.

מכשול כשרות חמור* מצווה לפרסם

*מכשול כשרות חמור* מצווה לפרסם

הערב השתתפתי בסעודת ש"ב לחבר, שאורגן ע"י חברים מהישיבה. החברים דאגו להכל בעצמם ובין השאר קנו לחמניות וסלטים.

הסלטים כולם של חברת שטראוס -אחלה- בין הסלטים היה סלט חדש של אחלה סלט "צזיקי"! סלט מוכר מבחינה ביתית אולם חדש מבחינה תעשייתית. לא נמכר עד היום. הסלט היה ממש מוצלח יותר מהמקור "בבית".


באמצע הסעודה הגביה אחד המשתתפים את אריזת המוצר "בסלטי אחלה, גם המרכיבים גם ההכשר הכל על מדבקה מלמטה"


הבן אדם קורא מה כתוב ומזדעזע. (זעזוע בעולם החרדי) הסלט שמוכר שמורכב ממיונז, מתגלה שהוא טעים מהמקור משום שהוא מורכב מגבינות יוגורט (חלב ושמנת). הוא פשוט חלבי!!!. ונמכר בין שאר סלטי החברה בין שאר סלטי כל החברות.


מייד בדקנו האם מופיע על האריזה מקדימה המילה חלבי. ואכן מופיע אולם כלל לא בולט. וכלל לא כפי הנהוג אצלינו סימונים בולטים כשמדובר במוצר חלבי. צרכן רגיל לא חולם לראות במקררי הסלטים בצרכניות ובסופרים בין החומוס והטחינה החצילים למינהם ושאר הסלטים, סלט שהוא חלבי? אולי הוא אמור להימכר כעוד סוג של גבינה על מדפי מקררי הגבינות ולא בסלטים הפרווה.

במקרה שלנו מנה הראשונה היתה על טהרת הפרווה. אולם ישנם אירועים שמנה ראשונה בשרית, ואפילו דגים (חמירא סכנתא)

שלא לדבר על סעודות שבת בבית שבן אדם עלול לטבול חתיכת חלה לאחר מנה בשרית במטבל המדובר....

לדעתי על גוף הכשרות לשנות דרסטי את האריזות. כמו כן מצווה גדולה לפרסם. ובעיקר מי שיכול להכניס ל"יתד נאמן"

Rav Eliyashev, Shlita says that in todays' society a מומר לתאבון is a "mumahr li'hachis"

מומר לתאבון  is to be considered a מומר להכעיס. See Rav Eliyashev's teshuvah in

חלק ג' סימן ק"ט.Therefore a מחלל שבת is to be considered a מומר להכעיס.

Posek Hador-Final "PSAK" Re: Fish anisakis

Rav Eliyashev recently told Reb Yudel Shain "one may not rely on  that certain American Rav's  HETEIRIM including the heter of the operated cows that they aren't a treifah". Rav Eliyashev said further the cows are to be considered a treifah & anyone farm that doesn't remove them from the herd, you may not use the milk as it's "cholov Treifah". Rav Eliyashev would like to tell this personally to the "OU" and their Poiskim.Rav Eliyashev said the reason he addresses it as "heteirim' not a psak is because that Rav's Heteirim are based on flawed facts & flawed Halacha.

surveillance cameras on Shabbos?

Surveillance cameras on Shabbos?

When the cameras were installed by the Weinstein shul, they were in touch with Rav Eliyashev, shlita & the psak was very straight forward "all of the different types are OSSUR, even if the recording is off".

Other shuls & Yeshivas in Lakewood keep theirs on during shabbos. Others may want to daven & learn in other places.

Note: Some claim that all of their cameras are off, when actually only a few are off. while most of the other ones are on.

A great help in learning the Sugyahs in Chulin

Humor in Kashrus

Subject: New Hashgochos -Humor rime!

Robitussin and Triaminic syrups: to be supervised by the Cough-K.
(On a serious note: robitussin is not Kosher & has an ingredient that's dangerous and can cause G-d Forbid a stroke).

Shtaros for Heter Iska:  supervised by the O.U.

Corrals for cattle: supervised by the O.K.
Safrus and Divrei Sta"m: to be supervised by the Torah-K

Architectural designs: supervised by the Badatz of Square and the Triangle-K
European Cars: to be supervised by the Volovo Rav

Raw Eggs in the shell: to be supervised by the Yoka Rav
Super-Glue: to be supervised by the Hisachdus

Alarm Systems: to be supervised by the Bais Din of Belz
Cardiac Hospitals: to be supervised by the Heart-K

Jewish Celebrities: to be supervised by the Star-K
Medications: to be supervised by the Tablet-K

Precious gems: to be supervised by the Diamond-K

Chulin shiur

Palm oil labeling

Asia Pacific-Industry slams Australian palm oil bill-By Ankush Chibber, 01-Jul-2011

An Australian bill requiring palm oil to be explicitly labelled has come in for harsh criticism from food industry representatives, after it was passed by the Senate last week.

Some quotes from others.

"The power of accurate observation is frequently called
cynicism by those who don't have it".

"A people that values its privileges above its principals soon looses both"

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens"

"University/Colleges politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are small"

In conjunction w/ Tefilas Shi'loh & Yom Kipur Koton

DNA techniques to detect fish fraud, even in canned products

DNA techniques to detect fish fraud, even in canned products
By Rory Harrington, 01-Jun-2011-Related topics: Quality & Safety

Molecular technologies could now be used to foil fishing fraud and boost traceability by determining the origin of even processed products like canned fish, said scientists from the European Commission.

Current situation re: infestation

Corn on the cob- Fresh or frozen- infested with thrips- must remove kernels, rinse.
Strawberries- fresh- Cut off green top- wash fruit with soap & water, puree
or cut away green top, peel fruit including removing all seeds then can be eaten.
Strwaberries frozen with hashgocha-Puree or cook then can be eaten.
Pearl Barley-all year, must soak in hot tap water, check water for insects, if none found rinse & use.
Cherries or Blueberries- Use commercially grown, don't use organic or from small farmer that did not spray.
Salmon-All wild salmon including all canned salmon is infested.
Alert:Some stores are carrying a cheaper non-farmed (wild) salmon.
All Raisins are still to be considered infested, some more than others, nonetheless infested.

make ammends

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48WLoJcvdGM

The Brick!

The Brick!!!!


A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!

Change takes courage

Is all PAPAYA orlah?

All commercially grown Papaya are from trees that are less than 36 months (3 years), therefore they would be Orlah. Vadai-Orlah is ossur even out of eretz yisroel.
There are many or rather mojority of the poiskim say the brucha on papaya is not "ha'eitz" but a Ho'adamah. Orlah is only by a Ha'eitz.

In politics; each one is trying to have his oponent tripped up.

Just a story on the circle of fate...At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science, AAFS resident Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:

Tests Reveal Mislabeling of Fish is common.

May 26, 2011-Tests Reveal Mislabeling of Fish-By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

Scientists aiming their gene sequencers at commercial seafood are discovering rampant labeling fraud in supermarket coolers and restaurant tables: cheap fish is often substituted for expensive fillets, and overfished species are passed off as fish whose numbers are plentiful.

Yellowtail stands in for mahi-mahi. Nile perch is labeled as shark, and tilapia may be the Meryl Streep of seafood, capable of playing almost any role.

Wisotsky tea-Is it playing "Russian roulette".

Wisotksy tea makes some of their teas with a Bdatz Mehadrin standard, others without the Bdatz Mehadrin certification.

There are a few serious concerns, a) the identical tea can be with or without the Bdatz Mehadrin certification. b) The Bdatz Mehadrin logo is only on the outsided celophane wrapping, once that's off "you can't know what you have.

Both of the issues are unacceptable to the kosher consumer.

 You should write to Wistosky tea at
oritc@wtea.com

Olive oil adulteration, again & again.

Now imagine a dark underworld of foreign intrigue -- a world where suspicious characters traffic in goods "guaranteed 100 percent pure," and where customs agents stake out exotic ports of call, waiting to seize rusty container ships full of contraband booty.


But this isn't a bad remake of "Scarface." The substance in question? Olive oil, where stories of bribery, raids, seizures and arrests are making headlines all over the world.

Shoichtim & Mashgichim & U.S. Cattle Inspectors Leave Mexico Amid Drug War

Shoichtim, Mashgichim & U.S. Cattle Inspectors Leave Mexico Amid Drug War

LAREDO, Texas (AP) — Wearing a grey-felt cowboy hat, long-sleeve ivory-colored shirt and freshly laundered jeans, Dr. Arnoldo Gutierrez begins his daily rounds by walking into a dusty pen baking in the South Texas heat.

For years, these inspections have been conducted before cattle cross the border, but the war raging among drug cartels in Mexico has prompted the U.S. to move some of its operations north. The change, instituted over the past year at three of the 11 ports along the U.S.-Mexico border, is drawing concern from some cattle raisers, who fear infections long eradicated in the U.S. but still showing up in Mexico will spread before inspection.
Federal authorities say the cartel violence necessitated the change, and they have implemented safeguards to ensure that rejected cattle reaching the U.S. won't prompt any outbreaks. "I think it's fair to say that the facilities located in Mexico presented a wide variety of risks and threats, and our employees did not feel safe going to those facilities every day," said U.S. Agriculture Department spokeswoman Lyndsay Cole.