TRADER JOE'S SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS are no longer certified pareve. They are now certified dairy (non-Cholov Yisroel) and bear OK-D on the label. Bags that still say OK Pareve are from previous productions and are pareve. This change in status is due to elimination of the full cleaning procedure of the bagging machines, which results in the possibility of dairy chips being mixed with the pareve ones.

KROGER PRIVATE SELECTION “SORBETTO” DESSERTS were in the past produced by OU plants (e.g., plant #42-479), and bore the OU symbol. Recently, production was moved to a non-OU plant (plant #3948), and new packaging was printed which does not bear an OU and which also changes the product name to “Sorbet” instead of Sorbetto. However, during the transition the non-OU plant mistakenly used some remaining Sorbetto OU packaging without authorization. Consumers who have any Sorbetto OU product should therefore check the plant code that is after the Sell By date on the bottom of the container. If it states 3948, the OU is unauthorized.

RIVER RANCH SALADS RECALL: River Ranch Fresh Foods has recalled all its retail and foodservice lettuce and cole slaw salad bags distributed throughout the United States and Canada that have either “Best By” code dates between 12MAY2012 – 29MAY2012, or Julian dates of 118 and 125, because they have the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The code date is typically located in the upper right hand corner of the bags. These products were packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Farm Stand, Hy-Vee, Shurfresh, The Farmer’s Market, Compliments and Sysco. Consumers with questions can contact River Ranch at 888-624-2569.

OREO COOKIES with an OU-D are available in many varieties. Most varieties contain dairy ingredients, with two exceptions: Plain, original type “Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies” (which bear the slogan “Milk’s Favorite Cookie”), and regular “Oreo Double Stuf Chocolate Sandwich Cookies” do not contain dairy ingredients, but are manufactured on dairy equipment, and therefore may be consumed after meat and poultry, but not simultaneously. However, since product formulations may change, consumers should periodically reconfirm the status of these items with the OU or our Kashrus Information Line.

FROZEN COOKED WINTER SQUASH should have reliable Kashrus certification in order to avoid an issue of bishul akum.

ENTENMANN’S PRODUCTS are not all OU certified. Consumers should always check each product for the OU-D symbol.

JOY CONE brand ICE CREAM CONES FUN PACK sold in Costco Stores contains 5 individual varieties of cones including a chocolate coated dairy cone, but bears only a Star-K pareve symbol on the outside box. The Star-D Dairy symbol pertaining to the chocolate coated cones was inadvertently left off the box. The individual box inside is labeled correctly.

HOT CAJUN MIX, ORIENTAL NUT MIX and ANTIOXIDANT MIX sold by Gourmet Nut of Brooklyn, NY were mistakenly labeled with the OK (pareve) symbol on some packages, instead of OK-D. These products are dairy.

UNCLE BEN'S WHOLE GRAIN AND WILD RICE MUSHROOM RECIPE mistakenly bears an OU symbol. It contains a non-Kosher spice packet.

TREE RIPE ORANGE JUICE from JOHANNA FOODS: Due to supply-chain issues, some containers have been produced in a non-certified facility. These containers do not bear the OU symbol. As always, consumers should check each container for the OU symbol before purchasing.

SARATOGA CHIPS FOR GOODNESS SHAKES SEASONINGS, distributed by Saratoga Specialties Company, bear an unauthorized OK symbol on their labels.