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K-COR Alert: Bell Peppers from Israel

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KASHRUS ALERT

BELL PEPPERS FROM ISRAEL (red, yellow and orange) are now being sold at local stores (Meijer, Kroger, etc.) and require taking of Terumos and Maaseros. They include Sunset brand, Gilad, Arava, Field & Farm, Mor and other brands of colored peppers. Consumers should carefully check the fine print on the package, or the sticker on individual peppers sold loose, for the country of origin. The same brand may have some peppers from Israel and some from other locations, so each package or pepper should be checked.

One should always be careful when buying produce to check the sticker, bag label or original case for the country of origin. Some additional examples of Israeli produce commonly found in the U.S. include tomatoes, carrots, citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, clementines  and pomelos), persimmons (“Sharon Fruit”), mangos, dates, dill and parsley.

One Stop Kosher Food Market’s produce department is monitored by the COR, and produce sold there does not have this issue.

Recall: Gefen Cholent Mix, Cranberry Beans

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KASHRUS ALERT

Kedem Foods/Kenover Marketing has recalled all Gefen Cholent Mix and Gefen Cranberry Beans that bear a Best Buy date of 08 22 18 or later, due to instances of infestation (white colored worms). Recalled products may be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Frozen Strawberry Recall – Outbreak

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Frozen Egyptian strawberries imported into the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2016 have been recalled due to an outbreak of Hepatitis A that has sickened at least 134 people in the U.S. These strawberries (often used in smoothies) include whole, sliced and sugared, and diced frozen strawberries, and were sold in foodservice size packages by the following five companies:

  • Jetro/Restaurant Depot, which sold them under the James Farm brand, and unbranded as “Bits & Pieces”
  • Sysco Corp., which sold them under the Sysco brand
  • Reddy Raw, which sold them under the Regal brand
  • C.H. Belt, which sold them under the CH World brand
  • Patagonia Foods, which sold them under the Patagonia brand

The FDA recommends that institutions and food service operations supplied by any of these five companies should immediately contact their suppliers and determine if they received frozen strawberry product included in the recall. Institutions and food service operations that find they served any recalled product within the last two weeks should contact their local health department and communicate to their customers regarding possible exposure to Hepatitis A virus and the potential benefit of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Because Hepatitis A can have serious health consequences, CDC advises PEP for unvaccinated persons who have consumed any of the recalled frozen strawberry products in the last 2 weeks. PEP offers no preventive benefit to persons whose exposure occurred more than 2 weeks ago. 

Details are available at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm518775.htm#Recalled

K-COR Alert: Tomer Meat

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KASHRUS ALERT

Costco has introduced a new line of meat from Tomer Kosher Foods which is certified by Triangle K and Rabbi Elimelech Lebowitz. Please note that this meat is non-glatt and is not recommended. (Although Rabbi Lebowitz’s symbol resembles that of Rabbis Kook and Rubin of Israel, there is no relationship.)

Pas Yisroel Note

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The K-COR wishes to remind the Kosher consumer of the accepted custom to be stringent on Pas Yisroel during Aseres Yemei T’shuva. Please be advised that bread and cake products at the K-COR certified Dunkin Donuts store, and at Gold ‘n’ Greens restaurant at Wayne State University, are not Pas Yisroel. Also, the following K-COR certified products are not Pas Yisroel:
  • Pita breads under the names Sophia, American Bakery Products, Perfection, Meijer and Trader Joe’s
  • Lawash flatbreads from American Bakery Products
  • Cookies by Design in W. Bloomfield
For further information, please contact the K-COR.
The K-COR wishes everyone a G’mar Chasima Tova.

K-COR Alert: Dates

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KASHRUS ALERT

September 30, 2016

DATES:  It has been brought to our attention that FRESH and DRIED DATES from Israel are being sold at some local stores, e.g. Plum Market, without any sticker or sign stating their source. This may present an issue of Shemita produce and of Terumos and Maaseros. Consult your Rav.

OU Alert: Honey

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Kashruth Advisory from the OU

September 30, 2016 Kosher Advisory Honey

Brand:

Product:

 Honey

Company:

Issue:

 Please be aware that “forest honey”, “honeydew honey”, and “beechwood honey” generally refer to honey produced by bees that have consumed the nectar from aphids. They should be avoided. It has come to our attention that some honey blends contain these varieties, which would be identified on the product’s ingredients label. Please check your honey to ensure that these varieties are not listed.

K-COR Alert: Greenfield’s Halushka Noodles

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KASHRUS ALERT

September 16, 2016

GREENFIELD’S HALUSHKA NOODLES from Greenfield Noodle Co., in 12 oz. bags that bear the expiration date of 05-20-18, have been found to be infested with black and brown flour beetles, and should not be used. Bags bearing other expiration dates may be used.

 

(Note: The cases of this product, containing 12 – 12 oz. bags, are labeled as “Lasagna” on the outside of the case.)

Kashrus Magazine: Slurpees

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KASHRUS MAGAZINE
PO Box 204, Brooklyn, NY 11204
718-336-8544; kashrus@aol.com
www.kashrusmagazine.com

March 15, 2016

To whom it may concern,

We have been speaking about Slurpees sold at 7-Eleven stores for several years now on our weekly radio show, “Kashrus On The Air,” over JRoot Radio. Almost every week people call in and ask again. Recently, we did a show dedicated to Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks and 7-Eleven. I have been asked by readers to clarify our position in writing, something I cannot do in KASHRUS Magazine because of its broad audience. I am doing that now.
There are 7 reasons why I do not advise buying Slurpees in 7-Eleven stores…

if –

  1. a) the store itself is notunder hashgacha,

and if –

  1. b) a neighborhood Vaad Hakashrus has not advised kosher consumers on a specific course of action, as is done in Baltimore, Chicago, etc.

 

Currently, no 7-Eleven store is kosher-certified in New York City and no kashrus agency here locally has offered any advice on how to handle them.

The Issues

  1. Who certifies the Slurpees? Slurpees are a brand name of the product sold at 7-Eleven stores, but no one kashrus agency certifies the Slurpees. They are produced by various companies and have various hashgachos. Some national kosher agencies have taken the time to “approve” certain ones. It must be remembered that there are non-kosher flavors and dairy flavors too and they are not approved. As far as which flavors are in a given store, only the store owner knows. He/she is usually a non-Jew. So the kashrus of the Slurpees in the store is in the hands of a non-Jew. Even if we somehow trusted him, is this the message that we want our young people to have? By bringing yeshiva boys and girls in buses from day camps for free Slurpees on 7/11 (July 11th), aren’t we teaching them that it is okay to buy food in this store?
  2. Backup. Every flavor Slurpee syrup eventually runs out. The machine automatically switches to draw from another flavor until such time as the attendant realizes it and replaces the flavor, if it is in stock.
  3. There have been mislabeling of flavors.
  4. We have found that some flavors which are dairy were not labeled as such.
  5. 7-Eleven products themselves have been mislabeled.
  6. These stores in our neighborhood carry baked goods with the kosher certification of a Conservative rabbi with no indication on his letter that he is Conservative.
  7. Soda fountain sodas and coffees have their own problems. Once in the store, many avail themselves ofthose services as well.

But the greatest reason to avoid the Slurpees is that our yeshiva children don’t belong frequenting such a store as 7-Eleven, one where you can only buy a few of the things that are being sold. Is this the atmosphere that we want for the future dor of klal yisroel?

In some Yeshivos and Bais Yaakov schools, Slurpees are sometimes given as rewards/treats to the students. Shouldn’t we review such a practice? There certainly are plenty varieties of yiddishe nosh in the marketplace.

While I am at it, does your Yeshiva/Bais Yaakov offer a kashrus segment in the curriculum? We are ready to assist you in planning and executing such a program in any grades from 3rd grade through high school.

I welcome any questions or feedback.

Thank you.

Yours truly

Rabbi Yosef Wikler
Editor, KASHRUS Magazine

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