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Kosher for Consumers
Useful articles and interesting information about Keeping Kosher and Kosher Supervision.
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Kashering of HTST Systems-Plate Pasteurizers
Many of our plants feature kashering of HTST plate pasteurization systems. It is particularly common for this kashering to occur via automated CIP, whereby the CIP system is programmed to operate at kashering temperatures.
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For the past several months there has been much public discussion about the presence of parasites found in the flesh of fish, with the OU’s position consistently lenient. On June 1st, the OU hosted Rabbi Moshe Vaie, the world renowned expert in the field of hilchos tolaim and author of Bedikas Hamazon Ke’halacha. Rabbi Vaie, along with two other speakers, gave a thorough presentation about the current issue and its impact on the kosher fish industry. Also in attendance were kashrus professionals and representatives from the major kashrus agencies in the United States and Canada.
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Cholov Stam: An Update from the Farm (and Lab)
In a recent issue of Daf HaKashrus, we presented information about the contemporary controls and regulations that pertain to government inspection of milk, demonstrating (with the concurrence of Rav Belsky, shlita) that the Igros Moshe’s heter for cholov stam is alive and even stronger than before[1].
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OU Kosher Experts Provide Hands-on Knowledge for Advanced YU Rabbinical Students in June Workshops
OU Kosher brought its Harry H. Beren ASK OU Outreach program, Kashrut in the Community, to Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) for a well-received series of lectures and field trips to OU certified facilities for advanced rabbinical students.
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Lo Basi Ella L’orer - Cooling water systems
Cooling water systems A common way to cool products is through the use of a cooling water system. In a cooling system, ambient or chilled water is used to cool hot products. The product transfers its heat with the cooling water (for example through the use of a heat exchanger) and then the water in turn is cooled. Most cooling systems accomplish this through the use of a cooling tower. Cooling towers make use of the cooling effect of evaporating water. Allowing a small portion of the water to evaporate into a moving air stream provides significant cooling to the rest of the water. While cooling towers are efficient ways of cooling water, they are also known to breed dangerous pathogens such as legionnaire’s disease. Therefore, although as we will discuss there are situations where we need to be pogem cooling water, under no condition should anyone taste cooling water חמירא סכנתא מאיסורא.
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What’s the Beracha on? Larabar
A Larabar is a date bar made by the Larabar company, and is certified kosher by the OU. There are multiple varieties, but each of them contains, as the primary ingredient, dates. The other ingredients, depending on the variety, are nuts, spices, and other fruits. What is the beracha rishona? How many bars must be eaten before making a beracha achrona, and what should the beracha achrona be?
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Glenmorangie, Scotland’s Favorite Single Malt, Announces OU Kosher Certification
The Glenmorangie Company and Moet Hennessy USA announced today that Glenmorangie Original, Scotland’s favorite single malt, has become kosher certified by the Orthodox Union (OU), the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency. Additionally, its pioneering new expression, Glenmorangie Astar, has also become kosher-certified.
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Lo Basi Ella L’orer - Being pogem water
Being pogem water A common way to heat products is through the use of a water loop. Steam from a boiler is used to heat water which then cycles through a loop and in turn heats products. This same water loop can be used to heat multiple products either simultaneously or one after the next. The water which heats the non-kosher products will become non-kosher based on the halacha of “tipas chalav shenafal al hakdairah mibachutz” (Y.D. 92:5). Even a dedicated kosher kettle will become non-kosher if it is heated with “tainted” water.
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OU Kosher Experts Provide Hands-On Knowledge to YU Rabbincal Students in June
Following up on a successful program first presented two years ago, Orthodox Union kashrut experts will once again travel from the Lower Manhattan headquarters of OU Kosher to the Upper Manhattan campus of Yeshiva University in June to bring a treasure trove of practical information on kosher certification to rabbinical students at YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. The Harry H. Beren ASK OU Outreach program, Kashrut in the Community, will consist of a wide variety of lectures as well as field trips to OU certified facilities.http://www.oukosher.org/pdf/daf18-7da.pdf
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One very practical application of ta’am lifgam is found in the middle of hilchos basar b'chalav. The Mechaber (Y.D. 95:4) says that if one places ash into a pot of hot water before dirty dishes are placed in it, then even if some dishes are milchig and some are fleishig, the pot and the dishes will remain kosher. This is because the ta'am of the ash combines with the ta'am of the fat and gives off a ta'am that is lifgam. This is the basis for the leniency to kasher kailim that are ben yomo, by using a davar hapogem (e.g. caustic).
