Consumer Kosher Articles
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.
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, […]
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 […]
English Pruzbul Form for Shemittah
Pruzbul Form In the presence of the undersigned three judges (dayanim), duly constituting a Bet Din, there appeared before us who declared before us as follows: “I hereby turn over to you judges [insert names] , and , in this place [insert place name] all of the debts owed to me, whether […]
Summary of OU Insect Checking Policies
Buy the new 5th Edition Guide to Fruits and Vegetables Fruits, vegetables or berries that are expected to possibly contain insects must be checked prior to use. The minimum rate of infestation that requires checking is 10%. Magnification is not required when checking, although it may be used as an aid for training purposes or […]
The Enduring Cholent
As a child, I remember being invited with my class to our rebbe’s house for Shabbos. What stood out to me about that Shabbos was the hot dogs in the cholent. It was my first introduction to this staple Jewish dish. In high school, I would eat the cholent my mother made which had all […]
How is Cheese Made Kosher
An overview of the procedure for making Kosher cheese and answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Kosher cheese.
GE Appliances Embraces OU Kosher and the Jewish Community
Our Plan at GE Appliances is Connecting With Customers At GE Appliances we’re on a journey called Zero Distance. That means we want to get closer to our customers than any manufacturer has ever done before. So when we saw the Jewish community and the way it was being served by the appliance industry, we […]
OU Kosher Meets the Challenge of Certifying the Beverage Industry
A discussion of the challenges and opportunities of Kosher Certification within the beverage industry.
A Closer Look at Sugar
One of the tell-tale signs of the winter months is the sweet smells of fresh baked goods wafting through the air, be it sufganiyot, hamentashen or even challah. It prompts us to consider a basic food staple – a food so vital, its absence would render many foods almost inedible. It delights the sophisticated […]