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A PDF version of the PesachGram is also available for view and download:
PesachGram PDF
2019-3-27 Freeda Pesach 5779 available for download.
2019-3-22 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.
GEFEN YELLOW POPCORN KERNELS with Best By dates of 12/10/20, 12/17/20 and 12/24/20 have been found to be infested, and should not be used.
TAKAOKAYA SUSHI NORI is certified Kosher only when bearing the Star-K symbol. Some packages are not certified and have the Star-K covered by a sticker, due to infestation. All brands of nori require reliable certification due to serious infestation issues, and also due to a concern of being processed on non-Kosher
equipment.
BELL PEPPERS FROM ISRAEL (red, orange and yellow) are being sold locally at Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Holiday Market and other stores, and require taking of Terumos and Maaseros. The brands include Gilad, NatureFresh, MOR, Pero Family Farms, and other brands, both regular and organic. Check the fine print on the package, or the sticker on each individual pepper, for the country of origin.
BETTER MADE ORIGINAL POTATO CHIPS in 10 oz. bags with a Use By date of 10 AUG 2019, and a Lot # of 62090431442 thru 62090431520 or 85100431442 thru 85100431520, may actually contain Cheddar and Sour Cream Potato Chips, which contain dairy ingredients. They may be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Better Made Snack Foods at 313-925-4774.
WEGMANS SEA SALT & CRACKED PEPPER FLAVORED KETTLE COOKED POTATO CHIPS contains whey, a dairy ingredient, as listed in the ingredients and allergens statements, and is certified OU Dairy. Some bags mistakenly bear a plain OU symbol without the D.
BOULEVARD BREWERY BEERS: The Vaad HaKashruth of Greater Kansas City has announced that effective immediately, all beers from Boulevard Brewery should be considered Dairy Equipment, even if the Kashrus logo on the label does not state DE.
SHINER BREWER’S PRIDE ROSÉ PALE ALE, a new limited edition product from Spoetzl Brewery, is brewed with grape must and is not Kosher. All other Shiner beers remain K-COR certified.
OUR HOUSE brand CANNED SWEET POTATOES in #10 cans (industrial size) bear an unauthorized stamped Star-K. This product is not certified. All canned vegetable products, both consumer and industrial, require reliable certification due to the common industry practice of producing non-Kosher products on the same equipment.
PILLSBURY UNBLEACHED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR in 5 lb. bags with Best If Used By dates of APR 19 2020 and APR 20 2020 have been recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. Details are available at https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls/ucm633320.htm or at 800-767-4466.
The FDA and CDC remind consumers that flour is not a “ready to eat” ingredient. Flour is made from wheat that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present, and flour is typically not treated to kill bacteria during the normal milling process. Anything made with flour must be cooked or baked before eating. Salmonella is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing or boiling products made with flour. All surfaces, hands and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or dough.
2019-3-22 Vaad Measles Notice PDF available for download.”
2019-3-22 Hatzalah Measles Notice PDF available for download.”
In light of the recent spread of measles in our community, each and every individual is halachically obligated to take the necessary precautions to protect one’s self and family, and to prevent the spread of the disease to others.
Due to the outbreak, the Michigan Department of Health has issued updated vaccination guidelines. Every member of the community should follow those guidelines to ensure that they are fully vaccinated.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of the measles, as described by the Oakland County Health Division notice, you are halachically required to STAY HOME and immediately contact your health care provider for further instructions. It is absolutely forbidden for anyone experiencing symptoms to go out (even to Shul), and expose others and place them at risk.
May Hashem grant each and every member of the community health, strength and blessings.
2019-1-30 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.
MANDARINS FROM ISRAEL are now being sold at local stores (including AMC/Mehadrin brand 5 lb. bags at Costco, and Jaffa brand 5 lb. boxes at Plum Market), and state on the label “Produce of Israel”. They require taking of Terumos and Maaseros (without a bracha).
OREO SANDWICH COOKIES: The OU has again updated its information, as of January 8, regarding the dairy status of OU-D Oreo cookies. Three more items have been added to the dairy equipment list. For the convenience of our readers, the entire list is quoted here:
“At the present time the following Oreo Sandwich Cookies do not contain dairy ingredients, though they are manufactured on dairy equipment:
• Original Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Double Stuf Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Original Mega Stuf Sandwich Cookies
• Mini Original Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• Chocolate Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• Golden Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• Golden Oreo Double Stuf Sandwich Cookies
• Golden Oreo Mega Stuf Sandwich Cookies
• Triple Double Oreo Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Thins Sandwich Cookies**
• Oreo Cinnamon Bun Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Lemon Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Mint Creme Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
• Winter Oreo Sandwich Cookies
[** Note: We have confirmed with the OU that “Oreo Thins Sandwich Cookies” in the above list also includes the following varieties:
• Oreo Thins Chocolate Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Thins Golden Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Thins Lemon Creme Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Thins Mint Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• Oreo Thins Bites Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (only regular; not “Fudge Dipped”)
We have also confirmed that Oreo Limited Edition “The Most Stuf” Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are dairy equipment.]
The equipment is not necessarily cleaned before the production of these cookies, and there may be a small amount of dairy residue present. Nonetheless, the dairy component would be minimal, and from a Halachic perspective, the dairy residue is nullified (botel bishishim) and of no consequence. The bottom line of all this is that these cookies may be consumed after meat and poultry, but not simultaneously.
Please bear in mind that the manufacturer may choose in the future to reformulate these products and add dairy ingredients. Since these products already bear OUD symbols, formulation changes would not be reflected in the OUD logo. As such, we recommend that consumers check regularly with our office to confirm the status of these items.”
New OREO CHOCOLATE CANDY BARS in several varieties are manufactured in Europe, and are not certified Kosher and do not bear an OU symbol.
AGED CHEESE: The following items at JERUSALEM PIZZA contain aged cheese, which requires a six hour waiting period before eating meat: Bread Sticks (“Jerusalem Bread”), Cheese Sticks, Italian Bread, Eggplant Parmesan, “Chicken” Parmesan, Caesar Salad, and Caesar Wrap.
ASSURED brand VITAMIN C SUPPLEMENT DROPS sold at Dollar Tree stores, which currently bears a plain OU, is Kosher but is produced on dairy equipment. Future productions may not bear any OU symbol; check each label.
DAVE’S SWEET TOOTH TOFFEE in all flavors contains dairy ingredients, as listed in the ingredient statement, but mistakenly does not state Dairy on older packaging. Newer packaging bears the K-COR Dairy symbol.
CLANCY’S WAVY POTATO CHIPS (unseasoned) in 10 oz. bags (UPC# 0 41498 16306 8) with a Best If Used By date code of FEB 22 19 1A6, sold at Aldi, bears a plain OU but may mistakenly contain dairy Sour Cream & Onion seasoning. This product has been recalled, and may be returned to Aldi for a full refund. Details are available at https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm629293.htm
CAMPBELL’S SLOW COOKER BUFFALO CHICKEN SAUCE that bears a plain OU is Kosher, but contains dairy ingredients, as listed in the ingredient statement. . [The OU alert regarding “Slow Cooker Buffalo Wing Sauce” actually refers to this product.] Please be aware that previous versions of this product did not bear an OU, including some that list chicken stock and chicken fat in the ingredients, and they have been found still on store shelves. In addition, future productions may not bear any OU symbol. Every package should be checked.
TRADER JOE’S PITA CHIPS with the Wisconsin Kosher symbol was mistakenly labeled “Pas Yisroel.” This product is Kosher but is not Pas Yisroel.
SHOPRITE TRADING COMPANY brand WHITE SPARKLING GRAPE JUICE and RED SPARKLING GRAPE JUICE mistakenly bear the OU symbol. These products are not certified and are being withdrawn from the market.
NOOSA YOGHURT is no longer OU certified due to a recent ingredient change. Containers still bearing the OU-D symbol were produced before this change. Containers bearing a KD are not recommended. Stores currently have a mixture of OU-D and KD containers; please check each container carefully.
PRODUCT RECALL
GOLD MEDAL UNBLEACHED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR in 5 lb. bags (UPC# 0-16000-19610-0) with a Better If Used By date of 20APR2020KC has been recalled due to potential presence of Salmonella contamination. Consumers who have had to discard products covered by this recall may contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103 or visit www.generalmills.com/flour for a replacement coupon. This recall affects only this one date code of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour 5 lb. bags. All other types of Gold Medal Flour are not affected by this recall.
The FDA and CDC remind consumers that flour is not a “ready to eat” ingredient. Flour is made from wheat that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present, and flour is typically not treated to kill bacteria during the normal milling process. Anything made with flour must be cooked or baked before eating. Salmonella is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing or boiling products made with flour. All surfaces, hands and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or dough.
BELL PEPPERS FROM ISRAEL (red, yellow and orange) are now being sold at many local stores (Meijer, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Holiday Market, etc.) and require taking of Terumos and Maaseros. They include Sunset brand, Gilad, Arava, Field & Farm, Mor, NatureFresh Farms, Pero Family Farms, Mucci Farms, Glad and other brands of colored peppers, both regular and organic. 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 countries, all in the same produce bin, so each package or pepper should be checked. Details of the tithing procedure can be found (courtesy of cRc Chicago) at http://kshr.us/cRcMaaser
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, lemons, mandarins, clementines and pomelos), persimmons (“Sharon Fruit”), mangos, dates, dill and parsley.
GENERAL MILLS new PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BLASTED SHREDS shredded wheat cereal is not Kosher approved and does not bear an OU. (Cinnamon Toast Crunch Blasted Shreds, a discontinued variety, is also not approved.)
One 16 oz. can of BUSH’S BEST HONEY SWEET BAKED BEANS with no OU and containing bacon was mistakenly sold this week at One Stop Kosher Food Market and has not been accounted for. Please check your products.
Only Bush’s Best Vegetarian Baked Beans (labeled in Canada as “Sweet & Tangy Vegetarian Baked Beans “) is Kosher and bears the OU symbol. Always check the label of every can.
2018-11-28 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.
Mexican Coke and Pepsi information:
• COCA-COLA PRODUCTS FROM MEXICO, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and Fresca products, are not OU certified and are not recommended.
• PEPSI PRODUCTS FROM MEXICO, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew (except Kickstart) and Mist Twist products, are Kosher. (Mountain Dew Kickstart energy drink is Kosher only when bearing the letters XG in the middle of the second line of the inkjet code on bottom of the can, or when bearing a reliable certification on the label.)
BELL PEPPERS FROM ISRAEL (red, yellow and orange) will soon begin appearing in U.S. stores, and will require taking of Terumos and Maaseros. Consumers should carefully check the fine print on the package, or the sticker on individual peppers sold loose, for the country of origin. Often the same brand has some peppers from Israel and some from other locations, so each individual package or pepper should be checked. Details of the tithing procedure can be found (courtesy of cRc Chicago) at http://kshr.us/cRcMaaser
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, lemons, mandarins, clementines and pomelos), persimmons (“Sharon Fruit”), mangos, dates, dill and parsley.
TRADER JOE’S ROASTED GORGONZOLA CRACKERS bears an OU-D, and lists animal rennet in the ingredients. The OU has informed us that this product is Kosher and does not contain animal rennet; the listing is in error.
RICOLA COUGH / THROAT DROPS: Only the following five varieties are recommended by the cRc (Chicago Rabbinical Council). They do not require a certification sticker: Honey Herb, Lemon Mint – regular and Sugar Free, Mountain Herb – Sugar Free, and Natural Herb (Original). — Please note that this does not include Ricola Swiss Herbal Sweets.
UNGER’S BARLEY, CHICKPEAS & BEANS: Unger’s has issued a notice regarding infestation found in certain batches of these products. It is posted on the K-COR website at https://cordetroit.com/
GORDON CHOICE FRUIT COCKTAIL IN EXTRA LIGHT SYRUP (UPC# 093901225306) and GORDON CHOICE FRUIT COCKTAIL IN PEAR JUICE (UPC# 093901610232) in #10 foodservice size cans, distributed by Gordon Food Service, mistakenly bear an OU symbol on the outer case. The individual cans do not bear an OU (but bear a different symbol), and contain carmine, an insect derivative, as listed in the ingredients. These products are not OU certified. — Please note that Gordon Choice Mixed Fruit in Light Syrup (UPC#093901118264) and Gordon Choice Mixed Fruit in Pear Juice (UPC #093901610348) are OU certified and correctly bear the OU symbol on the cans.
CONCORD GRAPE JUICE CONCENTRATE and WHITE GRAPE JUICE CONCENTRATE distributed by Coloma Frozen Foods Inc., Coloma Michigan, bear an unauthorized cRc symbol on the label. These items are not certified Kosher.
CHESHNI FOODS PRODUCTS are neither OU nor Star-K certified. Some Cheshni Foods products, including black olives, dried fruit, tea biscuits and others, bear an unauthorized OU or Star-K symbol.
“LUCKY LEAF PREMIUM CARAMEL APPLE FRUIT FILLING OR TOPPING” in 9.5 lb. foodservice size pails contains dairy ingredients, as listed on the label, but mistakenly bears a plain OU without a D on some labels. — Please note that the 21 oz. retail size can of “Lucky Leaf Premium Caramel Apple Fruit Filling & Topping” does not contain dairy ingredients, and is correctly labeled with a plain OU.
BENTON’S SKELETON CHOCOLATE COOKIE KIT, sold at Aldi in the U.S., mistakenly bears a COR (Canada) symbol without a Dairy designation. This product is certified Dairy.
WILD COAST FRUIT CO. Dark Chocolate Blueberries and Dark Chocolate Cranberries mistakenly bear the Kosher Check Pareve logo. They are certified as Dairy. Consumers finding this product are asked to contact BC (British Columbia) Kosher at 604- 731-1803 or at info@koshercheck.org
RACCONTO PASTA SAUCES have OU certification on several, but not all, varieties; check each label. Note that the Vodka variety contains cream and states OU Dairy.
DUNCAN HINES is recalling certain batches of its Classic Butter Golden, Classic White, Classic Yellow and Signature Confetti Cake cake mixes with Best If Used By dates ranging from March 7 through March 13, 2019, due to possible salmonella contamination. Details are available at https://www.prnewswire.com/news/Conagra+Brands or 888-299-7646.
BARCELONA NUT CO. is recalling certain batches of its Roasted and Salted Pistachios (in-shell) with expiration dates ranging from 9/17 through 10/10/2019, due to possible salmonella contamination. Details are available from michelleo@barcelonanut.com (e-mail) or 443.552.5366.
UNGER’S Public Notice
2018-10-22 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.
KELLOGG’S CEREALS: The following “Limited Edition” Kellogg’s cereals do not bear a K or OU symbol and are not certified
Kosher, due to the addition of marshmallows (which contain non-Kosher gelatin): Apple Jacks with Spooky Marshmallows,
Chocolate Frosted Flakes with Spooky Marshmallows, and Froot Loops with Spooky Marshmallows. Other Kellogg’s cereals
that contain marshmallows or gelatin are also not certified, including Frosted Mini-Wheats (all varieties), Rice Krispies Treats cereal, and some others.
Kellogg’s cereals that are Kosher bear an OU or OU-D symbol on newer packages. Older packages that bear a K or KD are also OU
approved, except for Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats Unfrosted Cereal, which is not OU approved even when the package bears a K.
FIBER ONE BROWNIES and NATURE VALLEY SOFT BAKED OATMEAL SQUARES: Due to changes in production procedures, the following Fiber One Brownie varieties and Nature Valley Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares varieties will no longer be certified by the OU, and will not bear the OU symbol. Products in stores that still bear the OU are certified and were manufactured prior to this change.
• Chocolate Fudge Brownie
• Mint Fudge Brownie
• Lemon Brownie
• Chocolate Chip Brownie
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake Brownie
• Orange Cranberry Cake Brownie
• Birthday Cake Brownie
• Pumpkin Brownie
• Strawberries & Cream Brownie
• Peanut Butter Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares
• Banana Dark Chocolate Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares
• Blueberry Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares
• Cinnamon Brown Sugar Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares
BREADS & BUNS from many national and major brands [such as Arnold, Beefsteak, Bimbo, Brownberry, Bunny,
Freihofer’s, Sara Lee and others] have Kosher certification on some products. Consumers should be aware that in most
cases, only some varieties are certified, while others are not and do not bear any Kosher marking. In addition, some
companies have many plants, of which some have reliable certification, and others may have an unreliable certification or
none at all. Consequently, even the same type of bread may have reliable certification on some packages, and on other
packages have unreliable or no certification. It is important to always check every package label for a reliable certification symbol.
STREIT’S EGG NOODLES (all sizes): Due to improper handling after product was manufactured, a number of bags have
been found to be infested. Any bag with a Best Buy date of December 2019 or earlier should be returned to the store for a
refund.
GOLD MEDAL BREAD FLOUR and GOLD MEDAL ALL PURPOSE FLOUR from the KC mill, in all sizes of bags, are both
made from winter wheat and are always Yoshon. [This is an update to the information in Rabbi Herman’s Guide to
Chodosh.] The KC mill is indicated by the letters KC after the year in the second line of the code on top of the bag. [For
those makpid on malt, the cut-off date code is 25 JUN 2020.] Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flour, even from KC mill, is
Yoshon only if the date code is prior to 1 FEB 2019.
VERA’S KOSHER CUISINE is no longer under K-COR supervision. (This is not due to any Kashrus violations or issues.)
KETTLE brand KRINKLE CUT WASABI RANCH POTATO CHIPS in the 5 oz. size has been incorrectly labeled with a
Kof-K Parve symbol. This product contains natural flavors that contain milk, and should be treated as Kof-K Dairy.
365 EVERYDAY VALUE WHITE CORN TORTILLA CHIPS-SALTED sold at Whole Foods in 20 oz. “Party Size” bags
bearing a plain OU symbol (UPC code 9948247145), with Best-By dates of January 24 or January 25, 2019, has been
recalled because it may mistakenly contain other snack mix products. All affected product has been removed from store
shelves. (The other snack mix products contain dairy. We are awaiting information regarding their Kosher or non-Kosher
status.)
SEASON’S CHOICE frozen BROCCOLI FLORETS and SEASON’S CHOICE frozen CALIFORNIA MEDLEY sold at Aldi,
products of Mexico, bear an MK that is not the MK symbol of Montreal or Manchester, and are not recommended.
FUTTER’S NUT BUTTERS PRODUCTS are not certified by EarthKosher. They bear an unauthorized EarthKosher symbol.
ROASTED SEAWEED SUSHI NORI distributed by Takarakom Inc. bears an unauthorized Kof-K symbol. This product is not
Kof-K certified
SYSCO YASOU FETA CHEESE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING is not OU certified. Some one gallon containers of this product
were labeled with an unauthorized OU symbol.
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.
2018-8-26 Kashrus Alerts PDF available for download.
FRESH AND DRIED DATES FROM ISRAEL are sold at many stores in the U.S., including locally at Trader Joe’s, Plum Market and others. If they do not bear a reliable Kosher certification, they require taking of Terumos and Maaseros by the consumer. Details of the tithing procedure can be found (courtesy of cRc Chicago) at http://kshr.us/cRcMaaser
HONEY: Please be aware that “Forest honey”, “Honeydew honey”, and “Beechwood honey” (or honey named after other types of trees such as Pine, Fir, etc.), generally refer to honey produced by bees that have consumed the non-Kosher excretions of aphids and scale insects left on trees (as opposed to standard honey produced from flower nectar). These are not considered Kosher according to some opinions, and should be avoided.
TRADER JOE’S brand of CHOCOLATE BROOKLYN BABKA, MANGO BROOKLYN BABKA and HALF MOON COOKIES that bear OU Pareve, are Pas Yisroel and Yoshon.
KEEBLER READY CRUST MINI GRAHAM CRACKER PIE CRUSTS is certified OU Pareve, and correctly bears a plain OU on the individual packages. The outer case (of 12 packages) bears a plain OU on one side, but mistakenly bears an OU-D on the other side.
PRINGLES new EXTRA HOT Potato Crisps contains whey and is certified OU Dairy. Some cans with Spanish text mistakenly bear a plain OU without the D.
7-ELEVEN COCO PALETA COCONUT & CREAM BAR and 7-ELEVEN FRESA PALETA STRAWBERRY & CREAM BAR are mistakenly labeled with a plain OU symbol. These products contain dairy ingredients and are certified OU Dairy.
The 7-ELEVEN STORE at 11 Mile & Lahser is no longer under K-COR supervision for slurpees and iced coffee.
SHOTTYS Party-Ready GELATIN SHOTS claims on the box “We’re Kosher”. In fact, this product has no Kashrus certification and contains animal derived gelatin, and should not be considered Kosher.
“BEANBOY” CHOCOLATE COVERED ESPRESSO BEANS are not OU certified. Some packages bear an unauthorized OU symbol. (They also list butterfat in the ingredients.)
CATAWBA CANDY CO. DINNER MINTS sold at Family Dollar is not OU certified. Some packages mistakenly bear an unauthorized OU symbol.
Many “SWAD” brand products from India, including spice powders, flours, etc., dist. by Raja Foods LLC, bear a small OK symbol on the back of the package in the bottom left corner. This is not intended to be a Kashrus symbol, and these products are not certified.
JULY ALERTS
New MINUTE MAID TROPICAL FCB Slurpee Syrup is Kosher and pareve. The name on the syrup box label should be inspected, as explained in our 6/28/18 Kashrus Alerts.
STARBUCKS COFFEE STORES: Starbucks has decided to end its relationship with the expanded Star-K Kosher information program. Therefore, effective immediately, the Star-K can no longer vouch for the Kashrus of many of the items that it previously listed as recommended at these stores. Items no longer approved include Frappuccinos, Mocha, and Caramel Sauce.
Updated lists of acceptable Starbucks items can be found on the Star-K website https://www.star-k.org/ articles/kosher-lists/1709/ starbucks/ and on the cRc website http://www.crcweb.org/starbucksoverview.php
In addition, Starbucks has also decided to end the Kosher-Friendly store program, which was available in select stores in NY and NJ.
L’OVEN FRESH HAWAIIAN SWEET HOT DOG BUNS and L’OVEN FRESH HAWAIIAN SWEET HAMBURGER BUNS sold at Aldi bear an unauthorized Kosher – Dairy symbol. These products contain milk and butter, as listed in the ingredients, and are not acceptable. – However, L’OVEN FRESH HAWAIIAN SWEET ROLLS sold at Aldi bears a plain OU symbol, and is OU certified and pareve.
CAPE COD “WAVES” WHITE CHEDDAR & SOUR CREAM POTATO CHIPS contains many dairy ingredients, as listed on the package, but mistakenly bears a plain OU without a D. [Source: KashrusMagazine.com]
Most “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT BUTTER” Vegetable Oil Spreads contain dairy ingredients and bear an OU-D. Some varieties are pareve and bear a plain OU symbol. One pareve variety, called “the LIGHT one”, correctly bears a plain OU on the container itself, but mistakenly bears an OU-D on the lid. This product is pareve.
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
QUICKEN LOANS / ROCKET MORTGAGE: AGUDAH RABBANIM: QUICKEN LOANS INSTITUTES HETER ISKA, RESOLVING HALACHIC CONCERN