By Rabbi Eli Gersten
Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 134:5) paskens that yayin nesech is batel in 6 parts water. Although bitul usually require 60 parts, wine is an exception. Wine that is diluted 6 times loses its status of wine, and is viewed as becoming nifgam. However, this is not true in all situations. The Gemara (Menachos 87a) relates that Rav Yosef had a vineyard which was so flavorful that standard meziga required dilution in 6 parts water. Likewise, grape juice concentrate can require many dilutions just to reconstitute to single strength, and will clearly not be batel in 6 parts water. Because grape juice concentrate is used so widely as an ingredient in both foods and drinks, it raises many questions regarding bitul and kashering kailim.
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
The Gemarah Chulin 111b tells us that כבוש הרי הוא כמבושל. The Chochmos Adam (58:4) explains that this is a הלכה למשה מסיני, and therefore in cases of safek one must be machmir, ספק דאורייתא לחומרא. Therefore great care should be taken when dealing with even possible situation of kavush, and in any situation of doubt shailos should be asked.
Italian Volcano® Juices, Lemonade and Limeade , and Volcano Lemon Burst® and Volcano Lime Burst® have recently been OU kosher certified by the Orthodox Union. Dream Foods International is delighted to have the widely recognized OU kosher certification. Consumers will start seeing the OU symbol on the product labels in the first quarter of 2011
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
The Gemara Avoda Zara 61b teaches that if one is מטהר יינו של עובד כוכבים ברשותו (produces kosher wine for a non-Jew in the non-Jew’s premises) even a double chosem is inadequate to protect the wine against possible tampering. The wine requires as an additional safeguard the presence of a mashgiach who sits and watches or who makes periodic unannounced visits ((שאינו בא לקיצין. Rav Belsky often quotes this Gemara as the basis for hashgacha today. We see how great was the view that Chazal had for unannounced visits that they equate it to having a mashgiach sitting and watching!
Rabbi Mordechai Merzel, rabbinic coordinator for the Orthodox Union Kosher Division, will be a presenter at the 14th Americas Food and Beverage Show and Conference on Tuesday, October 26 from 3-4 p.m. at the World Trade Center Miami.
Old World Kosher Sausage today announced that it has been certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, the world’s largest kosher certification agency. The new variety of kosher chicken sausage bearing the OU symbol will be distributed nationwide beginning in the next few weeks
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
In general, one is not permitted to be mivatel issur lichatchila. There is a machlokes whether this is an issur d’oreisah (Ravad) or an issur d’Rabbanan (Tosfos). Though most poskim hold that it is only an issur d’rabbanan[1], yet many[2] (including Rav Belsky) feel that one should be choshesh for the opinion of Ravad.
By By Rabbi Menachem Adler
The accompanying sidebar from Martek explains the nutritional importance and benefits of DHA and ARA oils in infant development and growth and actually its nutritional value for all age groups. DHA is a long chain omega-3 fatty acid and ARA is an omega 6 fatty acid. As discussed in the accompanying sidebar, many people mistakenly think that these fatty acids can only be derived from fish. In fact, what prompted this little piece is a prior article in this magazine, which may have given the impression that all DHA and ARA fatty acids are seafood-derived. Fish is of course a category of food which is kosher sensitive, as only fish which have fins and scales are kosher. Thus, in order for fish-derived DHA and ARA oil to be accepted as kosher, we need to know that they were derived from a kosher fish source.
Dear Rabbi:
QUESTION: As an OU company, I have many customers who want their names printed on the label with no mention of the manufacturer (also known as private label products). We understand the need to sign a contract, to ensure that everyone is “on the same page” with the OU requirements for private labels, though the “legalese” of the contract makes it hard for us to understand what exactly we are obligating ourselves (and what our label company is obligating itself) to do to remain OU certified. Can you advise us in “plain talk” what exactly are the responsibilities of the manufacturer and the label company in the agreement? Specifically, what is this “parallel product” clause, and why is it needed?
It’s a textbook of sophisticated food technology that is utilized in refining oil, a compendium of kosher law, and therefore, a remarkable combination of centuries-old halacha and the most up-to-date developments. After a long production process, it is now available to set kashrut standards for the entire industry.
By Rabbi Yisroel Hollander
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Baltic States, the frozen north, and particularly in Lithuania, home to great Jewish communities -- now these communities are gone and only memories remain. I share these memories -- my grandparents trod this ground 70 years ago.
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
I have heard it said that running a successful kosher program is as easy as PIE: Products, Ingredients and Equipment. One must keep an updated schedule B (products) an updated schedule A (ingredients) and have a proper system for keeping track of the kosher/pareve status of equipment. I would like to add another interpretation to this wise adage. Running a successful kosher program is as easy as π (as in 3.14159…).
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