UNGER’S Public Notice

Unger’s Alert

2018-9-6 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.

PAS YISROEL: 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 many K-COR establishments produce or sell some bread and cake products that are not Pas Yisroel. Please ask the Mashgiach or call the K-COR office for details regarding specific establishments.

The following establishments are totally Pas Yisroel: Zeman’s, Bake Station, Pizza Stop, Prime 10, and Soul Café – restaurant only, not catering.

BLACK EYED PEAS are often infested and require careful checking.

B’gan brand of dried black eyed peas has been found to be infested and has been recalled from stores. If you have purchased this product, please return it to the store for a full refund. This does not affect any other B’gan varieties of beans.

The following is the Star-K procedure for checking dried or canned black eyed peas. (Note: canned peas and beans always require Kashrus certification for general Kashrus concerns.)

Dried or Canned Black Eyed Peas

Dried peas should be boiled in water. After coming to a boil, turn off the flame, cover the pot and allow it sit for three hours. The beans will swell and the peel becomes translucent. For canned peas, you can check them straight out of the can, no need to boil first. Then take 10-15 beans on the palm of one hand and check for holes or a dark-colored stain, which may indicate an insect underneath the thin peel. If there is a dark spot on the peel, remove the thin skin and check if there is a cavity with a bug in it. (The black “eye” spot is not a sign of infestation. Similarly, orange colored stains on the surface are not signs of infestation.) If no insects are found, the entire bag/can may be used.

[For those who prefer not to rely on checking, some Poskim advise that the custom can be fulfilled without eating the item, by placing it on the table and looking at it.]

BODEK FROZEN BLUEBERRIES with Sell By dates of February 2020 and May 2020, and Bodek frozen Cranberry Blueberry Blend with a Sell By date of February 2020, have been found to be infested, and may returned for a full refund.

NORI SEAWEED SHEETS require reliable Kashrus certification due to a concern of being processed on non-Kosher equipment, and also due to a serious issue of infestation. A number of Nori brands have recently been recalled, although they bear a Kashrus symbol, due to either infestation or unauthorized use of the symbol. The following list was issued by the Star-K:

Recalled Nori Brands as of September 5, 2018

[The lot numbers are usually inkjetted on the bag or package.]

1) Sweet City – Star-K symbol. Two recalled lots: 092520 and 131820
2) China Mehadrin – CRC (Hisachdus) symbol. One recalled lot: 3200/02426 1803 3242618043 2018 5A3B
3) Sushi Metzuyan – Star-K symbol. One recalled lot: 121919
4) Nantong Huaxin Seaweed – All bear an unauthorized Kof-K symbol. Should be considered not Kosher.
5) Ushia Sushi – All bear an unauthorized Star-K symbol. Should be considered not Kosher.
6) Sushi Maven – Volover symbol. ALL lots recalled EXCEPT two:
a. Best by Date: 09/30/2019 may be used.
b. Best by Date: 01/10/2019 may be used.

2018-6-28 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.

7-ELEVEN SLURPEES: The COR of Greater Detroit (Vaad Harabbonim) recommends that slurpees be bought only at stores that have store-level Kashrus supervision of their slurpees, to be assured that the syrup box that feeds the machine is actually Kosher and pareve. The flavor cards on the machine cannot be relied upon, even if they bear a Kosher symbol, because stores sometimes use syrups that do not correspond with the brand or variety posted on the machine. [Just recently, due to a syrup shortage, some 7-Elevens brought in non-certified generic brands of syrups, but still had the brand name flavor cards posted on the machines.] In addition, when changing flavors, stores generally do not clean the machine in-between, and during the transition there can be a significant mixture of flavors, one of which may be non-Kosher or dairy.

The COR provides supervision for slurpees at five local 7-Eleven stores, but only for the machine(s) specified on the COR certificate posted at each location, as follows:

• Lincoln & Greenfield: all three machines.
• 11 & Coolidge, 13 & Greenfield, 11 & Lahser, and 12 bet. Greenfield & Coolidge: only the left machine.

If one is in an area where no supervised stores are available, the COR recommends that the consumer request permission to inspect the label on the syrup box, and then check a reliable list of Kosher slurpees to verify the product’s Kashrus status. [The list is necessary because most Kosher slurpees do not bear a Kashrus symbol on the syrup box.] A list of Kosher slurpees from the Chicago Rabbinical Council is available at http://www.crcweb.org/slurpee_list.php

(Note: The box of syrup that feeds the machine is generally located in the back of the store, in an area that is off limits to non-employees, and cannot be entered without express permission from the store manager.)

New FRUITWORKS CAPTAIN CRUNCH BERRY FREEZE FCB slurpee syrup is Kosher and pareve. The name on the syrup box label should be inspected, as explained above.

THE ICEE MACHINE at Shell (10 & Greenfield) is now under supervision of the COR of Greater Detroit and is certified Kosher.

New CRUSH WATERMELON SODA is Kosher.

KONA ICE TRUCKS are not OU certified. Some trucks mistakenly display an OU symbol.

KEEBLER TOASTEDS CRACKERS in all varieties bear an OK-D due to dairy ingredients.

GOLIGHTLY SUGAR FREE HARD CANDY JUST CHOCOLATES (BONUS 10% MORE) packages sold at Dollar Tree stores have been mistakenly labeled Kof-K DE. In fact, this product contains butter, as listed in the ingredients, and is certified Kof-K Dairy.

SAN PAOLO brand CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES and CRANBERRY COOKIES are certified by COR [Canada] and are sold in the U.S. These products are dairy, but inadvertently were labelled without a dairy designation.

MEIJER DILL PICKLE FLAVORED POTATO CHIPS is certified OU Pareve and bears a plain OU. However, a limited amount of this product was mistakenly produced using undeclared Kosher dairy ingredients. The dairy product was packed in 9.5 ounce bags with UPC # 719283594365 and ‘Sell By’ dates between 07/16/18 and 08/13/18, and has been recalled.

SECOND NATURE – COCONUT ALMOND MEDLEY is OU-D certified due to dairy equipment. Packages currently in stores have a plain OU printed on the bag, plus an OU-D next to the Best By date that is either stickered or ink-jetted onto the bag.

CHEF’S QUALITY MULTI GRAIN TORTILLA WRAPS sold at Restaurant Depot mistakenly state “OU Pas Yisroel” on some bags. This product is OU certified, but is not Pas Yisroel.

STONE HOUSE BREAD products are not under Orthodox supervision and are not recommended.

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PASKESZ has suspended distribution of its SOUR WORX! XTREME SOUR CANDY due to reports of irritation to children’s mouths. See https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QPV7f4PCT5M/Wxq1pJKni2I/AAAAAAAAJ4Y/TPrP2qCQKDMaRXCJTq8_ey0-vGYKdubmQCLcBGAs/s1600/79.jpg

All KELLOGG’S HONEY SMACKS CEREAL, regardless of package size or Best If Used By date, has been recalled because it has been linked to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections. Details are available at https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/mbandaka-06-18/index.html or 800-962-1413.

TISHA B’AV & YOM KIPPUR ALERT: TOMS SHOES canvas and material styles contain a suede leather insole, which may not be worn on Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. Only Toms special “Vegan” line of shoes are free of leather.

UPDATE: QUICKEN LOANS INSTITUTES HETER ISKA, resolving Ribbis concern. See details at http://agudathisrael.org/agudah-rabbanim-quicken-loans-institutes-heter-iska-resolving-halachic-concern/?cat=news and https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P6tx_iFOBB7gLrywNPLv4Qi-c9MuRDRe/view

2018-5-28 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.

New CANADA DRY “GINGER ALE and LEMONADE” soda is Kosher.

TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY CO. products are no longer certified by the Chicago Rabbinical Council as of March 26, 2018, and are not recommended even when bearing the cRc symbol. Only products purchased before March 26 are certified Kosher when bearing the cRc symbol.

TREE TOP CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL will no longer be OU certified due to a formula change, and will not bear the OU symbol. Always check every label for Kashrus marking.

PURE GREEN GRAPESHOT JUICE, distributed by Pure Green in the New York area, bears an unauthorized Star-K and is being recalled. This product contains grape juice and is not Kosher.

BAGELS SOLD AT MEIJER near the in-store bakery are apparently coming from different suppliers. Some state on the plastic bag itself “OK Kosher Pareve Pas Yisroel” (and in small letters, “Mfg. by Always Bagels, Inc., Lebanon, PA”), and these are acceptable. Some bags, however, even of the same varieties, do not bear any wording, and those should not be considered Kosher.

POST ORIGINAL SHREDDED WHEAT SPOON SIZE CEREAL is no longer OU certified due to changes in production, and no longer bears the OU symbol. Old boxes still bearing an OU are certified. Post’s Big Biscuit Shredded Wheat and Wheat ‘N Bran Shredded Wheat cereals are not affected by these changes, and will continue to be OU certified when bearing the OU symbol.

KROGER GREEK YOGURTS and KROGER FROZEN YOGURTS are OU Dairy certified when bearing an OU-D. Some of the Greek yogurts (Plain and Blended Nonfat) mistakenly bear a plain OU without the D.
— Other types of Kroger yogurts are not OU certified and contain gelatin.

POPCORNERS SPICY QUESO Popped-Corn Snack contains dairy ingredients, as indicated in the ingredients and allergen statements, and is certified OU-D. Some labels mistakenly bear a plain OU without the D.

Some 220 g bags of FRITO LAY RUFFLES REGULAR POTATO CHIPS sold in Ontario, Canada were mistakenly filled with Sour Cream ‘N Onion potato chips, which are certified COR [Canada] Dairy. The incorrectly filled bags bear the expiration date JL 17 and lot code 6081 13249, and are being recalled. Other lot numbers are not affected.

CAPPIELLO FRESH MOZZARELLA CHEESE is normally OU-D certified. The certified product bears an OU-D symbol and states Schenectady, NY, Plant #36-3893 on the label. However, for about two months Cappiello will make a non-certified Fresh Mozzarella Cheese at another facility. The non-certified cheese does not bear an OU-D, and does not state Schenectady, NY, Plant #36-3893 on the label. Consumers should check each label very carefully before purchasing this product.

CARROTS from BALDOR SPECIALTY FOODS, BRONX, NY were certified until recently by OK certification. Since Baldor is now receiving carrots from Israel, the OK will not be certifying Baldor’s carrots for the foreseeable future.

KITCHENAID REFRIGERATORS SABBATH MODE ALERT: In certain models of KitchenAid refrigerators with a Star-K certified Sabbath Mode, after a power failure the refrigerator recovers, but is not in Sabbath Mode. Even if the display reads “SAB”, a light turns on when the door is opened. The models that are affected are KRFF507ESS, KRFF507EBL, KRFF507EWH, and KRFF707ESS. If you have one of these models, please email info@star-k.org (preferred) or call the Star-K (410-484-4110) with your specific model and serial number (found on a sticker on right interior wall of the refrigerator). The manufacturer is working on a solution and the Star-K will update you when a fix becomes available.

2018-4-27 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.

PRINGLES POTATO CRISPS: All seasoned varieties of Pringles that in the past were certified plain OU [pareve] are now changing to OU-D. Those that state milk, whey or lactose in their ingredient listing will be real dairy. If none of those ingredients are listed, the OU-D designation is due only to dairy equipment. (This is true even though the allergen statement after the ingredient listing states “Contains Milk & Wheat Ingredients”.) Older cans that still bear a plain OU are pareve. Each can should be checked carefully to determine its correct status.

When checking the ingredients, be aware that seasoned varieties now divide the ingredient listing into two paragraphs, “Ingredients” and “Contains 2% Or Less Of”. Some varieties list dairy only at the end of the second paragraph, e.g. BBQ [whey] and Honey Mustard [lactose].

The “Original” (unseasoned) varieties – regular, Lightly Salted and Reduced Fat – will remain plain OU [pareve].

ORRI MANDARINS and CLEMENTINES FROM ISRAEL in bags are being sold locally at Costco, Kroger, etc., and state on the label “Product of Israel”. The Jaffa brand at Costco currently bears an OU on the sticker label, and the OU has confirmed that this is authorized and includes the taking of Terumos and Maaseros. The Wespak brand at Costco, and the PCN brand at Kroger, do not bear certification, and require taking of Terumos and Maaseros by the consumer.

ROMAINE LETTUCE: Kosher Gardens / Pos’tiv, Bodek and Andy Boy brands have released statements that their romaine lettuce products are not from Arizona, and are therefore not involved in the E. coli outbreak that has been linked to the Yuma, Arizona region. (Andy Boy is currently the brand that is washed and checked by the COR Mashgiach for the certified containers of romaine lettuce sold at One Stop Kosher Food Market.)

NEW SLURPEE SYRUPS: The following new Slurpee FCB syrups are Kosher and pareve.

[Please note that 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.]

• FANTA SUGAR FREE LEMONADE FCB
• FAYGO GRAPE FCB – with HKA symbol
• MONSTER MUTANT RED DAWN FCB – for Slurpee use only
• SNAPPLE KIWI STRAWBERRY FCB- with OK symbol

365 brand FROZEN BERRY BLEND sold at Whole Foods bears an unauthorized OU, and has concerns of insect infestation.

NATURAL EARTH BROWN SUSHI RICE has had reports of infestation in some bags, which was caused by improper storage in some regions. In consultation with the Star-K, Natural Earth is recalling this product. Consumers should either check the rice prior to use, or they may return it.

SOUTHERN GROVE DRIED PHILIPPINE MANGO sold at Aldi no longer bears an OU.

SCHWAN’S CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW RIPPLE and ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAMS contain gelatin and are not OU certified. A small quantity of these products may have been sold with an unauthorized OU symbol.

BEST CHOICE REFRIED BEANS in Traditional and Jalapeno varieties bear an unauthorized OU symbol on some labels. These products contain lard and are not Kosher.

STREIT’S DARK CHOCOLATE CARAMEL PECAN CLUSTERS contains dairy ingredients, but was mistakenly labeled as Kof-K Pareve. This product is dairy, not Cholov Yisroel.

KROGER RANCH FLAVORED TUNA contains milk, as indicated in the ingredients, but some labels mistakenly bear a plain OU symbol without the D.

RIBBIS ALERT – QUICKEN LOANS / ROCKET MORTGAGE: See an important Halachic alert from Agudath Israel’s Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim at http://www.hakhel.info/archivesPublicService/RibisNoticeQuickenAlert.pdf