OU Kosher Staff

Eggs And Blood Spots

In the past, most eggs came from fertile hens. It was beneficial to the farmers because a fertilized hen’s increased hormone levels stimulate more egg production. Of course, fertilized eggs will also, in the right conditions, grow into chickens. In modern commercial egg operations, this hormone enhancement is achieved (and controlled), by artificial means through the feed. The eggs themselves are not fertile; they will never develop into chickens. While in the past, every blood spot might have signified the beginning of a new embryo (safek sheretz ha’of), today’s commercial methods virtually insure that this is not the case.

Dairy English Muffins

The OU certifies many brands of English Muffins which are labeled OU-D and many others that are OU-Pareve. In light of the issur to produce dairy bread (Shulchan Aruch 97:1), how can the OU certify muffins as dairy? The following two answers have been suggested to this question, and each is followed by Rav Schachter’s comments:
Muffins have a unique shape.

Kaskeset: Part Two

In part one of this article, we discussed what the requirements are for fish to be kosher (i.e. that the fish needs to have “kaskeses” and what is a “kaskeses” ), as well as some of the common mistakes made in trying to determine which fish would qualify as kosher. In this article, we will discuss two practical methods to determine if a fish is kosher.

Bodek Kosher Produce: First in the Kosher Vegetable Revolution

So You’re Looking For An Easy Salad? No problem. Rip open a bag of lettuce, add dressing, and voilà – you’ve got your salad. Want something more exotic? Try the freezer section – broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, frozen strawberries – all strictly kosher and ready to use. No big deal, you think. Couldn’t be easier.

Family Values Make Sally Sherman Foods a Salad Lover’s Delight

American Has A Soft Spot for entrepreneurs and family operations. But make no mistake: the reputation of Sally Sherman Foods goes far deeper than a sentimental nod to the passage of two generations of leadership.With continued growth over the last half century, the strength of this family-owned business (the Endico family retains ownership) is that it functions as one big family.

Van Drunen Farms: Commitment to Quality for More than a Century

For More Than One Hundred Years the Van Drunen family has been committed to quality. From the selection of the finest raw ingredients to the processing, packaging and shipping of each product, Van Drunen Farms strives to provide ingredients with the best flavor, color and texture. Our fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, dairy and other ingredients are produced to flavor, enhance and create today’s food products.

Sugar Flowers Plus: When A Wedding Becomes An Even Greater Celebration

Welcome to Sugar Flowers Plus’s Garden of Eden, where you will find our magnificent collection of orchids, roses, and bouquets. Our decorative flowers look so real, you may find yourself smelling them or have the inclination to water them (although if you try that, you may end up with syrup).

Michelman: Your One Source For True Kosher Packaging, With OU Quality Assured

Think about the actual packaging materials that hold the products we see on grocery shelves every day… produce, fish, meat, dairy, bakery items, nuts, snack foods, candy, canned foods and beverages. All are packaged primarily with freshness, protection, consumer appeal and convenience in mind.

Case Studies: Michelman – Keeping Ahead of the Game

Food contact applications aren’t exactly the “bread and butter” of kosher certified products.They aren’t designed to get “shmeared” on a bagel, nor do they go particularly well with gefilte fish.What does a company like Michelman gain from OU certification?

OU KOSHER Is “Coming To A Yeshiva Near You:” To Shed Light On The Ever More Complex World Of Kosher C

Orthodox Union rabbis are “Coming to a Yeshiva Near You!” to shed light on the ever more complex world of kosher certification in light of new foods, ingredients, and machinery which are continually coming into existence.