2021-7-1 KosherGram PDF
RITA’S ITALIAN ICE & FROZEN CUSTARD OF FARMINGTON HILLS at 11 Mile & Middlebelt is now under supervision of the Vaad Harabbonim / Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit, as Dairy non-Cholov Yisroel. Many flavors of the Italian Ices contain only pareve ingredients, but may contain traces of dairy; a list is posted at the store. Cream Ices are Dairy.
ICE CREAM and FROZEN YOGURT STORES often claim that they are Kosher and may post Kosher certification letters, which leads consumers to believe that the store and its products are under supervision. In fact, in most cases, the letters refer only to specific products or ingredients which are factory produced under supervision, and are certified only when in their original sealed packaging bearing Kosher marking. Once the unsupervised store opens the packaging, the certification is no longer valid. Unless the consumer verifies that there is actual on-site reliable Rabbinical supervision of the entire individual retail store, no ice cream, yogurt, syrups or toppings should be considered Kosher except for those in their original sealed containers bearing a reliable Kosher certification.
The following are some stores in our area that are not under supervision: Clark’s Ice Cream and Yogurt, Haagen-Dazs, Menchie’s, Oberweis, and TCBY.
It is always preferable to buy at fully supervised stores. Locally, soft serve Cholov Yisroel ice cream is available at Jerusalem Pizza. Hard pack Cholov Yisroel ice cream is available at Spreads Bagels & Café. Hard pack non-Cholov Yisroel ice cream and yogurt is available at Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts at 10 Mile & Greenfield in Oak Park (which is K-COR certified for all products). Packaged Cholov Yisroel ice cream is available at The Grove Kosher Market.
If it is necessary to purchase hard pack ice cream or yogurt from an unsupervised store, the consumer should request and see a sealed container before it is opened, and check for the Kosher certification mark on the container. In addition, the scoop should be thoroughly washed.
Soft serve ice cream or yogurt should not be purchased from an unsupervised store, because of the inability to verify that Kosher mix was put into the machine.
New SUNKIST BERRY LEMONADE SODA is Kosher, and does not require a Kashrus symbol.
KORDAS’ BREADS, ROLLS, and BUNS from METROPOLITAN BAKING CO. bearing the K-COR symbol are Pas Yisroel, except for Pita Bread which is not Pas Yisroel.
KRONOS makes Pas Yisroel PITA BREAD and FLAT BREAD with “cRc Pas Yisroel” marking. The cRc has learned that for several weeks beginning in mid-March, some varieties of these products did not meet Pas Yisroel standards. The issue has been corrected, and fresh products being sold at this time are Pas Yisroel when bearing the cRc Pas Yisroel marking. If you have older products in your freezer, you can determine if they were from those problematic batches by checking the date codes. See details on the cRc website at https://www.crcweb.org/alerts.php (or call the Vaad Harabbonim Kashrus Information Line 248-559-5005 #103).
THE CHODOSH SEASON is approaching. Those who want to purchase Yoshon items to store over the Chodosh season should prepare to do so. Please note that all grain and flour products that will be stored should be refrigerated to avoid insect infestation.
NORI SHEETS FROM CHINA – REVISED KOF-K ALERT: Recently, possibly due to the current shortage, several brands of Nori sheets have been circulating with unauthorized Kof-K symbols. The Kof-K does not certify any Nori produced in China. The following brands are the only Nori sheets that Kof-K currently certifies:
• D’allesandro brand from Woodland Foods • Yamamotoyama
HEALTH GARDEN COCONUT SUGAR: New Square Kashrus Council has announced that the last shipment of this product was been found to be infested, and that consumers should refrain from using this product until further notice.
THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS CONTAIN DAIRY INGREDIENTS AND ARE CERTIFIED DAIRY, BUT MISTAKENLY DO NOT BEAR A “D” NEXT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE KASHRUS SYMBOLS:
• WELLSLEY FARMS MINI CRISPY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES sold at BJ’s [OU]
• BAZZINI DARK CHOCOLATE PECANS [OU]
• SOFT BAKED CLASSIC COOKIE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP (3 oz.) from Mannon Specialty Foods [cRc]
ELECARE and ELECARE JR. AMINO ACID-BASED POWDER INFANT FORMULA / NUTRITION POWDER hypoallergenic formulas do not bear a Kashrus symbol, but are in fact certified OU DE (made with pareve ingredients, on dairy equipment).
JULIAN’S RECIPE BRUSSELS STYLE PALEO BELGIAN WAFELS, in ORIGINAL and MATCHA flavors, mistakenly bear a plain OK symbol. These products were made with pareve ingredients on dairy equipment.
SSIPS PASSION FRUIT DRINK will no longer be OU certified due to a change in ingredients, and will not bear the OU symbol. Containers still bearing the OU were made before this change. Check each container carefully.
BOTTICELLI BALSAMIC VINEGAR bears an unauthorized OU. This product is not OU certified.
RONZA LOLLIPOPS bears a forged certification of the Edah HaChareidis of Yerushalayim.
THE NUTMEG SPICE COMPANY – REVISED OU ALERT: The following products produced by The Nutmeg Spice Co. bear an unauthorized OU: Carne Assada Seasoning, Burgundy Wine Marinade, French Onion Dip Mix, and Saffron Rice Seasoning.
These products are labeled under several brand names, including brands of some Kosher food stores and distributors. Every label with the unauthorized OU symbol also states (usually on the back) that the product is from The Nutmeg Spice Company.
CUSTOM SEASONINGS of Gloucester, MA is no longer KVH certified, due to Kashrus violations. All products, even when bearing the KVH symbol, are unauthorized, and the company’s KVH Kashrus certificates are no longer valid.