Consumer Kosher Articles
Rabbi Gavriel Price Demystifies the Kosher Flavor Industry
Currently, cookie butter is one of a select number of flavors that are trending. I had the privilege to address questions to Rabbi Gavriel Price who manages flavor companies for the OU and is an expert in the flavor industry. He elaborated on the role of a flavorist, how confidential flavors can be certified, the […]
Rabbi Chaim Goldberg Talks Kosher Tinned Fish
Already, in 2023, tinned fish is enjoying great popularity. We spoke with Rabbi Chaim Goldberg, the fish expert at the OU, to get his thoughts in this area, including the origins of tinned fish, industry practices, kashrut protocols and personal anecdotes. Steven Genack: When I contacted you regarding an interview, I mentioned that tinned fish […]
Kosher Fermented Foods: Ready-Made and DIY
Fermentation breaks down foods to yield new tastes and flavors. Bacteria-based starter cultures serve as the medium to effectuate this change. Fermented foods are packed with probiotics, which are bacterial microorganisms, that replenish the bacteria-filled gut. A healthy gut is crucial for good digestion and can help with mood, anxiety and sleep. Convenience tends to […]
When It’s Enzyme Time, Call On The OU
THE ENZYME INDUSTRY and its component, the food grade enzyme industry, are areas that have grown rapidly over the last forty to fifty years. Enzymes are currently used to create all sorts of different properties in foods, throughout food manufacturing. Examples include the starch industry, production of cheese and other dairy products, bakery products, the egg industry, juice and wine production – and we could go on and on. Enzymes have been found to do all sorts of interesting things such as liquefy solids, sweeten starch syrups, curdle milk for cheese production, act as a clarifier in juice production, de-sugar egg whites to prevent browning during drying – and again the list goes on and on. It can truly be said that the use of food grade enzymes is now “mainstream,” as their usage is found in all sorts of production situations, large, medium and small.
Gluten-Free Chickpea Pasta
The gluten-free market is growing. A primary driver of this expansion is the rising number of people adopting a protein-rich plant-based diet. Flour substitutes that are plant-based and protein-rich, like chickpea flour, are being used to make pasta. This is just another wonderful development for gluten-free consumers who also have the option to benefit from […]
Yemenite Breads
Not so long ago, we traversed the area of cholent. One could say that a “close sister” to cholent is Yemenite breads, especially kubaneh and jachnun, as they are heated from Friday night until the next day. I had the privilege to speak with Doreet Jehassi, owner of The Ma’lawah Bar in Northern California, who […]
Vegetarian Casings
In an exciting development, certain vegetarian casings from Europe are now OU kosher-certified. This will allow kosher-producing hot dog companies and consumers to avoid casings that are usually made of collagen, which are proteins extracted from cow hides that weren’t slaughtered properly. If slaughtered properly, then the collagen from the cow hides would be kosher, […]
Nutritious and Savory Kosher Honey
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, honey takes center stage. Incredibly, kosher honey comes from the bee, a non-kosher animal. The Talmud’s explanation for why it is permissible to eat reveals a deeper message relevant to the Jewish New Year. The journey into the world of honey is vast and involved, but important, as it brings to […]
Pas Yisroel List For 5783 – 2022
Updated September 19, 2022 – Elul 5782 The Tur (Orach Chaim, Siman 603), based upon the Talmud Yerushalmi, cites the custom for Jews to be stringent during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva to eat exclusively ‘Pas Yisroel’ bread. Even those Jews who generally do not exclusively eat ‘Pas Yisroel’ are encouraged to accept this practice during […]
Pruzbul: Ask the Rabbi
I have a friend who owes me 1,000 dollars. He told me that once Rosh Hashanah comes, he will not have to pay me back. Is that true? To answer we have to start from the beginning. The Torah says in Devarim (Chapter 15, verses 1-2) “at the end of seven years…every creditor should release […]