OU Kosher Staff

Aged Cheese and Cheese Powders: New Discussion of an Age-Old Issue

We are familiar with the rule of refraining from consuming meat after eating certain types of cheese. In Yoreh Deah 89:2, the Rama writes, “And there are those who are strict and do not consume meat after eating cheese (source: Mordechai and Beis Yosef in the name of Maharam; v. Tur Yoreh Deah 89), and […]

Almost Kosher is Not Really Kosher

IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO EAT OUT AT A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN-FRIENDLY INDIAN RESTAURANT IF THE HASHGACHAH (CERTIFYING RABBI OR AGENCY) IS UNRELIABLE? In some circles, it has become increasingly common, and even acceptable, to eat out at Indian restaurants that are vegetarian or vegan-friendly even though the hashgacha may be unreliable. The thinking goes something like this: Indian […]

OU Kosher Presents Consumer Hotline FAQ’s for Sukkot

OU Kosher presents frequently asked questions to-date on the OU Kosher Hotline (212-613-8241) by consumers in preparation for Sukkot. Questions may also be submitted to kosherq@ou.org. Are there any rules as to where a sukkah may or may not be located? The sukkah should not be located in an area that has a bad smell.1 It cannot be […]

An Eruv Tavshilin Primer

by Rabbi Moshe Zywica, Executive Rabbinic Coordinator (Sign up for Eruv Tavshilin email reminders here.) What is the reason for Eruv Tavshilin? When the second day of Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, or if Shabbos falls immediately after Yom Tov, as it does this year, it is rabbinically forbidden to cook or prepare on Yom Tov for Shabbos.  […]

Kellogg’s Expands their OU Kosher Certification

For almost 4 decades the Orthodox Union has been proud to kosher certify a wide range of delicious and nutritious Kellogg Company brand products. These include such famous brands as Keebler, Austin, Murray, Mother’s, Famous Amos, Kashi, Kellogg’s, Eggo, Special K, Pringles, Pure Organic, and a host of others. Now the Orthodox Union is delighted […]

Encyclopedia of Jewish Food: Matzah, Rugelach And A Whole Lot More

Communities can be defined by their food. American food — reflecting a penchant for accessibility, convenience, versatility, and portability -— reveals much about who we are and how we got here. Waves of various immigrants brought new dishes and ways of thinking about food to the repertoire. Beginning in the 1880s, two obscure German dishes, […]

Kosher Travel 101: Kosher Summer & Travel Videos

Dont Look at the KARMA Cap – Look at What’s in it!

KARMA Wellness Water is a relatively new kosher line of products certified by the OU. These nutritional beverages come in several flavors. The driving force behind Karma is the fact that water-soluble vitamins lose their potency while sitting in water or when they are exposed to moisture. Additionally, those vitamins suffer degradation when they are […]

MDS Trip to the OU

Attending a Yeshiva in Manhattan certainly has its pluses. This Wednesday, our 8B class took a fascinating trip to the center of the Kashrut world, the OU. There we learned all that it takes to make sure that what we are eating is kosher. It is really astonishing how many ingredients and sub-ingredients there are […]

New to the OU: Maruyama Tea Corporation: Tasty Cups of Tradition and Health