A very nice Shabbos and Yom-Tov minhag

There is at least one family that at all seudas Shabbos & Yom-Tov each adult (including guests) reads out loud 1 page of "the 39 Melochos of Shabbos" by Rabbi Ribiat.

It doesn't long to finish all of the 39 melochos, and then they do it again.

The chofetz Chaim writes that it's pratically impossible for one to observe Shabbos properly without constantly reviewing Hilchas Shabbos.

Ethics in Kosher certification

We owe it to the kosher consumer


We in the field of Kashrus have accepted a fiduciary responsibility on behalf of the kosher consumer. Therefore, we owe our fidelity to the kosher consumer to uphold and maintain that fiduciary responsibility.

Executives who face troubling decisions are often confused about how to arrive at the right, moral and ethical course of action. This is not surprising since by definition a “moral dilemma” is one where there is no clear right and wrong, only positives and negatives.

Letter from Colgate About their Vegetarian Products

NOTE: Can one rely on the following letter that it's kosher? NO
Letter from Colgate About their Vegetarian Products

For vegetarian consumers, Colgate offers a large selection of products free of animal-derived ingredients. With more consumers seeking such products every day, Colgate is committed to making it easier for consumers to identify and select these products.

PEPSICO is the biggest supporter of "Toeivah" Boycott their products-Pepsi & SABRA salads

The Princeton Committee on Palestine has sponsored a referendum in next week’s USG elections that asks Dining Services to sell an alternative to Sabra hummus in all its retail locations on campus.

The Strauss Group and PepsiCo each own 50 percent of Sabra Dipping Company.

Jerusalem Kosher News articles

http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/2010/11/can-the-hechsher-hack-it/

http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/2010/11/bringing-kosher-standards-to-the-tzibur/

http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/2010/11/bringing-kosher-standards-to-the-tzibur-2/

NEW!
http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/2010/11/bringing-kosher-standards-to-the-tzibur-part-3/

Boilers In Kosher Production

Boilers In Kosher Production

In order to process/ cook food you need heat. In the commercial & industrial food processing, steam & hot water are used extensively. We will first explain the basics of the "Steam" boiler operating system, & then the concerns to the kosher consumer afterwards. The source used for steam and hot water is a "boiler", heated by different fuels.

PEPSI Alert-

There are PEPSI bottles that do NOT have a kosher certifying emblem on the bottle. Those plants are NOT kosher certified and therefore should not be consumed.

From an Email

A COKE "VP" responded, If the OU is not comfortable to put their logo because they don't visit the plant, the kosher consumer shouldn't feel comfortable consuming it without the logo.

Purchasing food for your employees

Some thought re: Purchasing food for your employees.

In general employers do not provide food for their employees. At times the situation is such that the employer does provide food for the employees. A caterer on an outside or out of town job would usually provide food for his employees. At a company party the food is generally provided by the employer.

If none of the employees are Jewish, may the employer serve non-kosher food which of course is cheaper? Can the employer serve pepperoni pizza? Is there a question of Bosur- bi’cholov, which is ossur-bi’hanoah? The pepperoni is cooked together with the cheese on the pizza pie.

Consumer retail pack "palm shortening", is it kosher?

There are at least 2 retail size consumer packs of palm shortening by the same distributor. One is from Brazil with the Hashgocha of Rabbi Illowitz which is acceptable. The other one is with a different Hashgocha and there is a serious concern of treifus, and should not be used.

What's In A Flavor? what may be some kashrus issues?

What's In A Flavor?

When manufacturing a flavor there will be the unwanted aroma etc. caused by the chemical reaction. How does the flavor scientist circumvent the problem? Most flavors are synthetic, there are over two thousand flavors in use & only five hundred are natural. The various chemicals used in a flavor are made in (PPM) parts per million.

Some of the common chemicals used in flavor manufacturing are; Amyl acetate, benzaldehyde, carvone, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, and methyl salicylate among the many others. Each aroma chemical contributes to the success of the ultimate flavor.

Can one rely on a Hetter not a Psak?

I was by Rav Eliyashev, Shlita last Elul to discuss various kashrus issues. Rav Eliyashev changed the subject and wanted to know if all of the facts are known as far as the ships carrying liquid food items. I told him that some of the information was gathered but numerous ships and shipping routes it's still unclear as what's being hauled, and is no relatively fool proof system in tracking all of the shipments e.g. South America, etc.

Then Rav Eliyashev says והוא כבר עשה ההתירים שלו so I ask who is the Ruv speaking about that made his Heteirim רב בלסקי? He says yes,

Quail eggs? So many calls lately.

There are may types of quail, most do not have any Mesorah at all. There is such an over abundance of food available with mesorahs according to everyone so why bother?

2. Are Guinea Fowl and Quail kosher? We would like to eat the eggs.

The Torah lists 24 species of non-kosher fowl. All others are permitted. However, over the years uncertainty has arisen over the identification of these birds. Therefore, Jews consider a fowl kosher only if there is a tradition that this species has always been considered kosher (as with chicken). There is no such tradition regarding Guinea Fowl and Quail, and therefore, they are not considered kosher.

The above is from the Star-K's site, if they couldn't find a way to use it, that's it- case closed

Don't use BRUNSWICK SARDINES ALERT- No Mashgiach Temidi? Why?

DON"T USE BRUNSWICK SARDINES, nor any sardines without a Mashgiach-Temidi

Crustaceans are being found in them, in one can after the other- They must all be recalled.

The following kashrus alert is from a reader's question and consultation with the OU and Bumble Bee on September 22, 2010.

A reader reported finding krill, a small crustacean similar in appearance to a small shrimp in some cans of Brunswick Sardines in Olive Oil. Sardines are a small herring and are a natural seafood product. The main components of the herring diet are krill and other zooplankton present in the ocean in which it lives.

Shabbos problem- Electronic / key Locks in Hotels

At least some of the Electronic room locks with a key as well may be a problem for Shabbos. The internal tracker records all of the uses of the key. "Saflok" is one of them.

What is Rinse N Chill?

Revolutionizing The Meat Processing Industry- Rinse & Chill™
http://mpscinc.com/home.html


The primary purpose of Rinse & Chill is more effective blood removal and faster reduction of pH and temperature. The result – cleaner, fresher meat that is more tender and palatable.

Similac Cholov Yisroel-All Cholov Stam (akum) is actually Treif

Mercaz hadasim-Shain's Brisker בריסקער Hadasim

S. URUGUAY Beef & cold cuts

After all is said and done many still refuse to use any beef products from the Uruguay Shechitas because they are not comfortable with kashrus standards.

The Eidah says the problem still exist and the ratio of non kosher makes it economically not viable.

The Tevyas (fidler on the..) says their mashigihim were trained by the Eidah {add it to the list]. The rav Hamachshir of tevyas claims that he has many unknown heteirim from the Minchas Yitzchok. The sad fact is all of them happened after the "shloishim" of the minchas yitzchok.

The EIDAH's Fish list בד"ץ ירושלי-ם not to use {only the farmed}

Alaska Pollock

Cod

Flounder

Groupers

Hake
Halibut
Herring (all)
Mackerell,
Sable
Sea Bass
Sole
Salmon wild (all)
Trout

Maytag double ovens

The Maytag double ovens have a common vent for the 2 ovens, therefore it may be a problem using it for Dairy & Meat {milchig / Fleishig}.

The so called Shabbos mode ovens & refrigerators should not be used on shabbos or yom-tov as the company intended.

All of the Major Poiskim came out against its use on Shabbos or Yom tov

Palm oil, Treif?

How can palm oil be truly treif? You bring in kosher palm-oil in unheated totes, so when it arives in the US it's a solid and can not be packaged. The palm oil must be heated in order to package it into smaller containers.

It was heated with "TREIF" steam, so the palm oil is now all treif, even if it carries a heimish or chasidish hashgocha, WOW!

This is a palm oil under Rav illowitz packed in Brazil, which is acceptable.

FRISEE is an infested salad ingredient

FRISEE is often served in a mesculon salad. It's commonly infested, extremly unpractical to clean, therefore it should not be used at all.

It took the vaad of 5 towns months till they banned it.
The 5 Town Vaad's Administrator "forgot" to ban it for Kehila kashrus as well. He also was still working on writing up the nusach for the ban for all other AKO affiliated kashrus certifiers-That's expertise!

Anisakis in fish

ALERT: Israeli Pre-Checked vegetables

30 Av 5770- August 10, 2010

1. A Note About Meshech Cohen Mann Greens- I have recently noticed that some of the bags of the popular insect-free greens of the Meshech Cohen Mann Company are no longer orange,
but green. A closer look reveals that these bags are no longer under the watchful eye of Rabbi Moshe Vaye Shlita, and for me that makes a difference.

Halunen & Associates ESQ. investigating Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mislabeling Class Action Lawsuit

Halunen & Associates ESQ. Contact us for a Courtesy Consultation-MN (612) 605-4098 - IL (312) 222-0660- Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mislabeling Class Action Lawsuit Investigation-Adulterated olive oil is a Kashrus issue as well.

If you, like millions of other Americans, have spent extra money on Olive Oil that was labeled “Extra Virgin,” you may have paid extra money for a premium product you did not receive. A recent study by the University of California—Davis tested 19 different olive oils that were labeled “Extra Virgin” and concluded over two thirds of the tested oils failed the International Olive Council (IOC) standards. Olive Oil brands of which Halunen & Associates and partner law firms are currently investigating for fraudulent labeling include the following:

Swordfish, others mistakenly think it may be a kosher fish

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) does not seem to have scales when one looks at a sample. Some say that it has scales that are embedded to such an extent that it is impossible to remove them without making a hole. Others say that it has kosher scales on parts of its body which fall off during its development. Still others claim that it may have some kosher scales even at the time of harvest. The Orthodox Union traditionally treats swordfish as non-kosher.

See Sh’ailos and Teshuvos Tzitz Eliezer 9:40 who discusses a statement made by the Knesses HaGedolah about “cherev hadag” and explains why we cannot use the statement to permit swordfish.

14. Why is swordfish not kosher?


The adult swordfish has no scales. Even the scales of a young swordfish are not true scales. A fish is only kosher if it has scales that can be removed from the skin. The scales of swordfish cannot be removed without destroying the skin. Therefore swordfish is not kosher.

Most imported "extra-virgin" olive oils are not what they claim to be.

By DEBBIE ARRINGTON-Scripps-Howard News Service

A new study confirms what many experts already suspected: Most imported "extra-virgin" olive oils are not what they claim to be. In a first-of-its-kind study by a U.S. academic institution, a University of California, Davis, research team found that 69 percent of the imported oils sampled failed to meet internationally accepted standards for extra-virgin olive oil. By comparison, only 10 percent of the California-produced oils in the test failed to meet the standards.

Detecting Anisakis in Fish

Detecting Anisakis in Fish


SPAIN - A new method enables anisakids to be detected in any fish product, from a whole fish, fresh or frozen, to tinned fish and surimi. Developed by Spanish scientists, the system is based on molecular techniques and overcomes the limitations of traditional procedures, according to a study published in the magazine 'Food Control'.

“Officer, what’s your badge number?”

Op-ed: Honoring the badge- In Opinion, Sexual abuse on July 21, 2010 at 10:22 am
Issue of July 23, 2010/ 12 Av, 5770- By Daniel Sosnowik

“Officer, what’s your badge number?”


I’ve been asked that question countless times over the last 26 years. Almost always, it followed an unpopular decision. Always, it was accompanied by an unspoken message: “I’m letting you know I will hold you accountable for this decision.” And always, I answer that question in a direct, simple way: I give my badge number.

Cargill teams with WWF to assess its palm oil supply

Cargill teams with WWF to assess its palm oil supply-By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 09-Jul-2010

Cargill has announced a new partnership with the World Wildlife Fund-US (WWF) to assess its Indonesian palm oil suppliers on the back of continued concern about palm oil sustainability.

A must see video-There is help, Don't give up!

http://eizerbachurim.com/video.html

Legal rights & protections of Bloggers.

http://www.eff.org/

EFF is the leading civil liberties group defending your rights in the digital world.

Why Join The Fight?    Legal Liability Issues, Bloggers As Journalists,  Other Legal Issues


Index Of All Questions, Additional Resources , Legal Guide for Bloggers
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~askin/Slapper.pdf

 

U.S. to crack down on smearing of olive oil's reputation

U.S. to crack down on smearing of olive oil's reputation-

A lack of federal rules has made the nation the dumping ground for cheap, adulterated and even dangerous oils. The USDA wants to make sure people who buy 'extra virgin' oil get what they pay for.

By P.J. Huffstutter, Los Angeles Times- July 7, 2010

The federal government has become serious about virginity — at least when it comes to olive oil.

Rav Aharon was the consummate kanai:

Rav Aharon was the consummate kanai: He saw through the sham created by those who undermined Yiddishkeit in their pursuit to satisfy their desire to be like “everybody else."

In their attempt to accommodate Orthodoxy to the liberal world of secular Judaism, they succeeded in watering down a number of the basic tenets of Judaism, creating on approach to religious observance that was neither.

Bais-Din

Infestation

SEE VIDEO:
http://vidyid.com/rabbi-vaya-and-a-middle-position-on-worms-in-fish-video.html

Corn on the cob is infested. Strawberries are infested.

How can one eat them?

Corn- kernels should be cut off from the cob & rinsed.

Strawberries- Cut off green, being carefull not to cut too much fruit & make a hole. Peel the entire outside. After freezing it's easier to peel.

Chinese Honey Trade Tainted By Dirty Dealings

Chinese Honey Trade Tainted By Dirty Dealings-ALEXA OLESEN-Associated Press Writer - June 30, 2010
Many of the Heimishe honeys are from China.


BEIJING (AP) — Businessman Yan Yongxiang was trying to get around stiff U.S. levies on imports of cheap Chinese honey. So he sent 15 shipping containers of cut-rate honey to the Philippines, where it was relabeled and sent on to the United States. It's called honey-laundering, and the subterfuge let Yan skirt $656,515 in taxes before he was caught in a bust and pleaded guilty.

What ‘natural’ means in food regulations!

Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - Europe-By Special edition: Natural and clean label, 18-Jun-2010


What ‘natural’ means in food regulations


‘Natural’ has become a word consumers like to see on food product packages, while ‘clean label’ is an industry term to describe an E-number-free ingredients list. But exact definitions depend on who you are talking to, and what additive you are taking about.  A colourful discussion At the beginning of July any food products sold in the EU that still contain the so-called Southampton colours that were implicated in a study on hyperactivity in children will have to carry a warning label.

Child in car? Always leave back windows open 3 inches. Regardless-leave it open

As soon as you ebter your car & may be having a child in the car that day, leave the widows open 2-3 inches.

Fish update

There was meeting in Lakewood yesterday. Among those present at the meeting were Reb Shlomo Miller, Reb Gershon Bess & his son, Members of the Bais Horah, Kloizenberg Rosh kolel.

The outcome was, depending on whom you ask.

Emanuel update
http://www.bhol.co.il/news_read.asp?id=17703&cat_id=97

Lead found in baby food & juices.

A US legal public interest group has filed violation notices under a Californian safety law against dozens of companies after alleging it has detected levels of lead in a range of food and drinks for babies and children.

The Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) said it has lodged the notices on 9 June, 2010, under the state’s Proposition 65 Toxic Right to Know law against 49 companies. The non-profit group said its tests had revealed lead in apple juice, grape juice, packaged pears and peaches – including baby food – and fruit cocktail.

Companies who have been cited in the notices include Del Monte Foods, Hansen Beverage Co, Motts, J M Smucker, Safeway and Dole Packaged Frozen Foods Inc.

CREST toothpaste up-date

NEW INFORMATION ON CREST TOOTHPASTES IN USA & CANADA

Procter & Gamble very recently has decided to eliminate animal derived ingredients from all their Crest toothpastes both in USA and Canada.

It is a good news but we have to be very careful because Crest toothpastes with animal derived ingredients are still available in the markets. They are not giving any date when all the stock of animal derived ingredients Crest toothpaste will be sold out.

So please buy only the following four flavors of Crest toothpastes until for next 6 months or a year:

1. Crest Cavity Protection Regular flavor
2. Crest Cavity Protection Cool Mint Gel
3. Crest Cavity Protection Icy Mint Strip
4. Crest Cavity Protection Kid

Sothern Comfort update

Southern Comfort
According to noted authority on alcoholic beverages Rabbi Shmuel
Semelman, who is affiliated with the Jerusalem Religious Council
Kashrut Division, there are three categories of Southern Comfort.

1. Produced in Ireland, with a hechsher from Badatz Basel and Badatz
Beit Yosef. This is ONLY the case if the kashrut symbols are visibleb on the bottles, which are parve. A special run has been imported with
approval via the Jerusalem Rabbinate due to the efforts of Rabbi
Semelman, BUT ONLY those exhibiting the hechsherim listed above and
they too are parve.

2. There is another produced in Ireland, which is “authorized” by the but it is NOT under the organization’s supervision.

Rav Belsky's letter of recomendation to Yudel Shain

This letter was written to the Sfardik Rabonim that wanted to open a National Kashrus Organization.

After this letter of recomendation, I did question Rabbi Belsky & challenged many of Rav Belsky's "facts".

About 10 years ago at one of my visits to Rav Shmuel Wosner, Shlita I asked the following; Most (85% +) cows that are shechted are treif due to lung issues, so how could we drink milk?

Rav Wosner asked how old are the cows when shechted? 10-12 years old. So he said that many of treifahs we don't use is because of sofek.A sofek treifa doesn't live more than 12 months, so for the 11 years it wasn't a treifa which would be 95% of the milk. The last year we would asser the last 3 days of milk when we find that the cow is a treifah due to lung issues, etc.

The last three days of milk is not sold commercially, because it's removed from the milking herd to be sent to shechita.