Major manufacturers are pouring multi-billion-dollar budgets into digital production and logistics
Major manufacturers are pouring multi-billion-dollar budgets into digital production and logistics—including OU Kosher certified brands and companies such as Oreo (Mondelez), Kellogg’s, Chobani, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo. As plants add sensors, data historians, and automated workflows, OU Kosher is evolving with them. In many cases, validated sensor logs from kosherized equipment (cleaned at required temperatures for kosher production) may be considered on a case-by-case basis—and are reviewed by an OU RFR (inspector). OU may also conduct on-site inspection at its discretion. Automation brings speed and traceability; OU’s human oversight adds the verification layer that strengthens compliance and confidence.
How OU’s Case-by-Case Approach Works
Digital records—considered case by case, reviewed by people.
Modern lines capture temperature, dwell time, and cycle records. When sensors are validated and logs are secure, OU may consider those records—subject to RC (Rabbinic Coordinator) and RFR review—to confirm that requirements were met for that equipment and run. This is not automated certification; a person still confirms the details.
RFR involvement—determined by OU.
Depending on the product, process, and facility, OU may require on-site observation and sign-off. The level and form of oversight are set at OU’s discretion.
Acceptance of digital records is determined by OU review and can vary by product, process, and facility.
Transportation & Logistics: Digital Trails, Human Checks
Operations increasingly use digital documentation. Records such as wash tickets, bills of lading, and seal numbers—digital or printed—are reviewed by RFRs to confirm status at each hand-off. Digital logs can streamline reviews, and OU may conduct on-site checks at its discretion. Documentation supports status; human oversight clarifies the boundaries.
Manufacturing & Production: Automation Equipped, People Assured
Automated lines generate electronic logs for cleaning cycles, temperatures, and timing. RFRs review digital records where appropriate and may be present on site as determined by OU. In short: digital evidence doesn’t replace people; it equips them to verify more efficiently.
Vendor Qualification & OU Tools: Build on Digital Rails
Manufacturers streamline onboarding by aligning with OU-approved partners and using OU tools to keep documentation consistent and accessible:
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LOC Search to verify Letters of Certification
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OU Direct for account management, ingredient workflows (Schedules A/B), and the copacker directory
These systems help RC/RFR teams line up digital records with what inspectors review on the floor.
The Trust Advantage (Global Scale Matters)
As the world’s largest kosher certification agency, OU Kosher certifies over 1 million products in 14,000+ plants across approximately 110 countries, supported by thousands of annual inspections. The consistent standard—case-by-case consideration of reliable digital evidence with human verification—helps multi-site manufacturers move quickly while staying aligned with kosher requirements.
What This Means for Manufacturers
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Make data usable for review. Ensure your systems can surface the production details an RFR needs and provide read-only exports with clear timestamps.
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Connect records to your process. Keep SOPs and production records organized so reviewers can see how the data supports what happened on the line.
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Coordinate early. Discuss with your RC/RFR how digital evidence will be considered for upcoming runs and what level of oversight may be involved.
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Keep a living plan. Maintain a simple, site-specific outline noting where digital records are typically considered and where on-site observation may be involved; update it as equipment and SOPs evolve.
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Use OU’s digital ecosystem. Leverage LOC Search and OU Direct (ingredients, copackers, Schedules A/B) to keep partners aligned and reduce back-and-forth during reviews.
Closing
Automation provides speed and data. OU Kosher’s case-by-case consideration of reliable digital records—reviewed by RFRs, with on-site inspection when OU deems appropriate—adds the human verification that strengthens kosher compliance. It’s a practical way to run modern plants with clarity, confidence, and consistency.