Gary Magder

Anchoring Dietary Needs: U.S. Navy Partners with OU for Streamlined Kosher Meal Access

The Orthodox Union’s (OU) commitment to ensuring kosher food is available to servicemen is not a new endeavor but is deeply rooted in its history. The collaboration with the U.S. Navy and the Aleph Institute to address the complexities of supplying kosher meals on Navy vessels is but the latest chapter in this enduring legacy.  […]

Pectin’s Market Growth, Niche Trends, and Kosher Certification 

People have been savoring the sweet delight of processed fruit for centuries. Originally cultivated in Middle Eastern countries abundant with natural sugar cane, jams and jellies made their journey to Europe courtesy of returning crusaders. By the late Middle Ages, they had become staple delights across the continent. It’s noteworthy that the term “jelly” is […]

Kosher Gelatin: Innovation and Tradition

Kosher gelatin, a common ingredient in a wide array of food products, desserts, candies, yogurts, vitamins, and pharmaceutical applications, has been transforming the culinary and health landscape offering kosher solutions for both consumers and manufacturers. What is Gelatin and Why is Kosher Gelatin Needed? Gelatin is derived from collagen, a component of the skins and […]

Kosher Manufacturing’s Unsung Hero: The Role of Bitrex®

Bitrex®, a product produced by Veranova, is an important player in the Kosher manufacturing industry. Bitrex, chemically known as  Denatonium Benzoate has the distinction of being recognized as the most bitter substance on earth. This unusual characteristic has found an essential application in the Kosher food industry. Kosher manufacturing processes demand stringent cleaning protocols so […]

Tailorzyme Tailor-Made Enzyme Solutions for Feeding the World

  Tailorzyme, co-founded by Lars Peter Andersen and Bent Piil Pedersen, is based in Denmark and has been in business since 2015.   Their focus is on applications where an enzymatic solution will bring value to their customers and benefit society by more efficiently using raw materials and improving the impact on the environment.   In some […]

FIT Gelatins and Kosher Bovine Collagen

FIT (Food Industry Technology) Gelatins, founded by David Holzer, is North America’s largest supplier of verifiable kosher gelatin and has been OU Kosher certified since 1993.  In addition to kosher gelatin FIT Gelatins also produces OU Kosher certified collagen powder which is produced using enzymes. Their products derived from kosher fish and the hides of […]

OU Kosher Convenes Annual Conference for Rabbinic Field Representatives (RFR’s)

As one of the world’s largest yogurt makers was building their newest production facility, they called the OU Kosher certification agency because they wanted to produce a pareve (non-dairy) oat milk. The challenge was producing it in a dairy facility.   This question and others were discussed on May 15th and 16th at a gathering […]

OU Companies Recently Certified BeVeg Vegan Certification 

A survey published by Vegconomist reveals that 91% prefer products with an independent stamp guaranteeing a product is really Vegan, and 96% are more likely to purchase a plant-based product clearly marked as “Vegan,” according to Plant-Based News. That’s why OU Kosher has partnered with BeVeg to offer Vegan certification audits for existing OU Kosher  […]

How the OU Is Helping in Ukraine

When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in late February, OU Kosher, in close contact with the Jewish community there, began coordinating relief efforts.   Over the past month, food shipments and fundraising efforts have helped  provide the Jewish people of Ukraine with food, transportation and evacuation, hotels and shelters, medical supplies, resettlement and more. […]

Why Vegan Certification Standards Matter

While there is a general agreement about what makes something vegan, there are currently no regulations governing the claim that a product is Vegan within North America or Europe.   Vegan claims are not regulated by the FDA or the EU which means that a manufacturer of the broad range of products that vegan can […]