2022-3-16 KosherGram PDF

 

THE FOLLOWING NEW SODAS / DRINKS ARE KOSHER, even without any Kashrus symbol:

  • NITRO PEPSI DRAFT COLA and NITRO PEPSI VANILLA DRAFT COLA
  • MOUNTAIN DEW SPARK regular and Zero Sugar
  • MOUNTAIN DEW GINGERBREAD SNAP’D
  • PEPSI-COLA SODA SHOP CREAM SODA COLA and PEPSI-COLA SODA SHOP BLACK CHERRY COLA
  • BRISK ICED TEA – BLOOD ORANGE

COCA-COLA STARLIGHT – regular and Zero Sugar – is Kosher and bears an OU on the bottle cap or engraved into the can lid.

NEW SLURPEE SYRUPS: [This information is for the benefit of Kashrus Supervisors and consumers who inspect, with permission of store management, the labels on the 2.5 / 5 gal. bag-in-boxes of syrups in the back of the store, which feed the Slurpee machines. The flavor cards posted on the Slurpee machines in front cannot be relied upon to determine the Kosher status of the Slurpee, because they often do not correspond with the brand and variety of the syrup that is actually feeding the machine.]

The following new Slurpee FCB syrups are Kosher and pareve:

  • BRISK ICED TEA – BLOOD ORANGE FCB (no symbol required)    •  FANTA TIGER’S BLOOD FCB (no symbol required)

ALDI frequently changes suppliers for its store brands [private label] products, which are sold under such names as Baker’s Corner, Benton’s, Burman’s, Carlini, Clancy’s, Countryside Creamery, Friendly Farms, Little Salad Bar, Millville, and others. The Kashrus status of these products can therefore change from week to week; and even at the same time, there may be a mixture of seemingly identical products on the shelf, some with acceptable Kashrus certification and some without, or some pareve and some dairy. Carefully check each individual item for proper Kashrus marking.

Following are two recent changes in the Detroit area. (Other regions of the U.S. may differ.)

  • FRIENDLY FARMS ORIGINAL YOGURT – 6 oz., in various fruit flavors: Previously had an OU-D [plant # 36-1287]. Now has a K [plant # 34-865] and contains unacceptable gelatin.
  • FRIENDLY FARMS ALMOND MILK previously had a plain OU [plant # JP]. Now has an OU-D, due to Dairy Equipment [plant # 18-388].

PREWASHED BRANDS OF ICEBERG LETTUCE SALADS that normally bear Kosher certification, such as Fresh Express [Star-K], Dole [OK], and Kroger, Aldi’s Little Salad Bar and Walmart’s Marketside store brands [OK], may be appearing without Kosher marking during the next few weeks, due to increased infestation levels in the growing areas. Cabbage / coleslaw products may also be affected. Carefully check each bag for the Kosher symbol.

KEMACH SPLIT PEA SOUP MIX with expiration date 11232023 needs to be checked for possible infestation. Dead insects resemble small, black round dirt particles. A bag that has black specks should not be used. [Rabbi Nussen N. Horowitz]

CALIFORNIA DELIGHT RICE NOODLES with lot code 0781 has been found to be infested and should not be used. It can be returned for a full refund. [Star-K]

B&G GHERKINS have been found to contain insect infestation in jars with the following lot codes (printed on the side of the lid); these jars should not be used: #25021- Best By Feb 25 2023;  #09031- Best By Mar 09 2023;  #24061- Best By Jun 24 2023.  Consumers with other lots are advised to slice open each gherkin to check for possible infestation. Anyone discovering infestation in a lot not listed above is requested to immediately contact info@star-k.org and share the lot number and Best By information noted on the lid. Attaching a photograph would also be very helpful. [Star-K]

ARNOLD WHOLE GRAINS HEALTHY MULTI-GRAIN BREAD is certified as an OU-DE [Dairy equipment] product. Some bags are missing the OU-DE symbol, but they are nevertheless OU-DE certified. This may not be eaten at a meat meal.

WELLSLEY FARMS frozen BLUEBERRY WAFFLES and CHOCOLATE CHIP WAFFLES sold at BJ’s contain dairy ingredients and are certified OU-D. Some packages mistakenly bear a plain OU without the D.

FUNABLES FRUITY SNACKS / KEEBLER FUDGE STRIPES COOKIES TREAT MIX (sold locally at Dollar Tree, and possibly bought for Mishloach Manos) mistakenly bears an OK-D on some packages. While the Keebler cookies are Kosher Dairy, the Funables candies are not Kosher.

THEO’S FETA CHEESE bears an unauthorized OU symbol on some packages.  If you see such packages in the marketplace, please provide details to kosherq@ou.org.

REDPATH ICING SUGAR, sold in Canada, mistakenly bears a COR-P. This product contains corn starch and is not Kosher for Pesach.