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The Following OU Kosher Advisories and Alerts were released by the Orthodox Union’s Kosher Division on the date indicated.

Please remember to always check the label before purchasing any item that needs Kosher certification!

March 20, 2007

• Benefiber Pesach Advisory

  Issue:

  In previous years, Benefiber, a nutritional supplement not certified as Kosher for Passover, was neither chometz nor kitniyos.
  
  However, the situation has changed and some forms of Benefiber are now made with “wheat dextrin”, which is chometz.
  
  Currently Retail Benefiber contains actual chometz (chometz gamur) and can neither be consumed nor owned on Pesach.
  
  Institutional Benefiber does not contain chometz or kitniyos, however it is not certified as Kosher for Passover.
  
  If you need to use Benefiber over Passover, it is best to obtain the institutional Benefiber. Institutional Benefiber can easily be identified by the inclusion of “guar gum” in the ingredients as opposed to “wheat dextrin”.
  
  Finally, not all Benefiber products are certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union. Those certified as OU Kosher Pareve will bear an OU symbol on the label.
  

• Valdoliva Assorted Oil

  Issue:

  An olive oil manufacturer, Valdoliva International, Cincinnati, OH, has placed an unauthorized OU symbol on various oils distributed in the United States. Affected products, grouped by their respective distributors (as appears on the product label) appear below:
  
  Federated Group- Arlington Heights, IL
  Brand: Le Torri
  Products:
  1. Olive Oil Light
  2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  3. Pure Olive Oil
  
  IGA Supermarkets- Chicago, IL
  Brand: IGA
  Products:
  1. Olive Oil
  2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
  Topco Associated LLC- Skokie, IL
  Brand: Sistina
  Products:
  1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  2. Olive Oil Light
  3. Pure Olive Oil
  
  Valdoliva International- Cincinnati, OH
  Brand: Valli
  Products:
  1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Blend)
  2. Olive Oil (Blend)
  
  Brand: Valdoliva
  Product: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
  Brand: Val TorrE
  Product: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
  Consumers spotting these products are requested to contact the Orthodox Union at 212-613-8148 or via email at kashalerts@ou.org.
  
  

February 28, 2007

• Ma Cohen’s Assorted Herring Products

  Brands:

  Ma Cohen's

  Products:

  Assorted Herring Products

  Company:

  Sea Fare Foods- Detroit, MI

  Issue:

  Ma Cohen’s Herring Products are certified kosher for Passover when manufactured under special supervision. A limited number of products were manufactured without Passover supervision and were distributed while bearing an unauthorized OU-P symbol. These products have a date code system listing the month, date, and year (i.e. Jan1608). The mislabeled products are being withdrawn from the marketplace. Customers are encouraged to contact the Orthodox Union at 212-613-8148 or via email at kashalerts@ou.org if the mislabeled products are found.

February 27, 2007

• Rocky Mountain Gummi Bears

  Brands:

  Rocky Mountain Chocolate

  Products:

  Gummi Bears

  Company:

  Rocky Mountain Chocolate Inc.-Durango, CO

  Issue:

  This product, sold in Rocky Mountain Chocolate Stores, bears a mislabeled OU-D symbol and is not certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. The product is being withdrawn from the marketplace.

February 23, 2007

• Beech-Nut Baby Foods

  Brands:

  Beech-Nut

  Products:

  Assorted Baby Foods

  Company:

  Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp- Canajoharie, NY

  Issue:

  Several previously certified varieties or stages of Beech-Nut products are no longer certified kosher. These non-certified products’ labels do not bear the OU symbol. As always, the public is encouraged to check for the OU symbol on every product which is purchased.

February 22, 2007

• Starbucks Coffee Liqueurs

  Brands:

  Starbucks

  Products:

  Coffee Liqueurs

  Issue:

  Although the OU symbol is not yet on the bottles, please be advised that these products are certified as follows:
  Starbucks™ Coffee Liqueur is OU, Kosher and Parve.
  Starbucks™ Cream Liqueur is OU-D, Kosher and Dairy.
  
  

February 21, 2007

• America’s Choice Sixteen Bean Soup Mixes

  Brands:

  America's Choice

  Products:

  Sixteen Bean Soup Mix with Ham Seasoning
  UPC #75480753595
  Sixteen Bean Soup Mix with Chili Seasoning
  UPC #754807535943
  

  Company:

  The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company-Montvale, NJ

  Issue:

  These products bear an unauthorized OU symbol and are being withdrawn from the marketplace. Individuals spotting these products are requested to contact the Orthodox Union at 212-613-8148 or via email at kashalerts@ou.org.

February 09, 2007

• Godiva Chocolate Liqueurs

  Brands:

  Godiva

  Products:

  Chocolate Liqueurs

  Issue:

  Due to an error, the OU symbol was omitted from the labels. These products continue to be certified without change as follows:
  Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur, White Chocolate Cream Liqueur and Cappuccino Liqueur are Kosher and Dairy.
  Godiva Chocolate Liqueur is Kosher and Parve.
  

February 07, 2007

• 365 Organic 5 Grain Cereal with Soy

  Brands:

  365 Organic

  Products:

  Organic 5 Grain Cereal with Soy

  Company:

  Whole Foods Market, Austin, TX

  Issue:

  This certified product contains dairy ingredients as listed on the ingredient panel, but the dairy designation has been inadvertently omitted. Future packaging will be revised.

February 02, 2007

• Southern Style Hunter Mix

  Brands:

  Southern Style

  Products:

  Gourmet Hunter Mix (36 oz)
  UPC# 8583991640
  

  Company:

  The Squirrel Brand Company- McKinney, TX

  Issue:

  This product contains dairy ingredients as listed on the ingredient panel but the dairy designation has been inadvertently omitted.