Kosher Professionals

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Kavush

If a liquid remains in a container for 24 consecutive hours it becomes kavush k’mivushal, and we are choshesh that there is a transfer of ta’am between the liquid and the entire container[1]. The transfer of ta’am takes place only after 24 hours. Before 24 hours there is no transfer of ta’am. Therefore, bidieved if one did leave cold kosher liquid in a non-kosher container for 24 hours the product remains kosher, since the bliyos in the walls of the container after 24 hours are nosain ta’am lifgam[2].

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Ein Mevatlin Issur Lechatchila

A Jew is not permitted to intentionally be mivatel any issur, even an issur d’rabbanan (Y.D. 99:5-6). Additionally, Chazal instituted a k’nas, forbidding the food for the mivatel and any intended recipient. Rebbi Ekiva Eiger (99:5) based on Teshuvas Rivash (498) includes in this k’nas any consumer for whom the product was intended for sale, and extends the k’nas not only to the food but also to require kashering keilim[1].

Tomintoul Single Malt Whisky from the Scottish Highlands Announces OU KOSHER Certification

From the highest of the Scottish Highlands now come varieties of single malt whisky manufactured by Tomintoul Distillery and newly certified by OU Kosher. Tomintoul, located in the community of the same name, the highest village in the Highlands, is owned by Angus Dundee, an independent company with over 50 years’ experience in producing, blending, bottling and distributing top-quality Scotch whiskies and other spirits.

Pas Yisroel Shiur for Kosher Professionals

A chaburah discussing what foods fall under the category of Pat with regard to the requirement for Pat Yisroel.

Kashering Of HTST Systems-Plate Pasteurizers

Many of our plants feature kashering of HTST plate pasteurization systems. It is particularly common for this kashering to occur via automated CIP, whereby the CIP system is programmed to operate at kashering temperatures.

Fish Industry Kashrus Meeting

For the past several months there has been much public discussion about the presence of parasites found in the flesh of fish, with the OU’s position consistently lenient. On June 1st, the OU hosted Rabbi Moshe Vaie, the world renowned expert in the field of hilchos tolaim and author of Bedikas Hamazon Ke’halacha. Rabbi Vaie, along with two other speakers, gave a thorough presentation about the current issue and its impact on the kosher fish industry. Also in attendance were kashrus professionals and representatives from the major kashrus agencies in the United States and Canada.

Cholov Stam: An Update from the Farm (and Lab)

In a recent issue of Daf HaKashrus, we presented information about the contemporary controls and regulations that pertain to government inspection of milk, demonstrating (with the concurrence of Rav Belsky, shlita) that the Igros Moshe’s heter for cholov stam is alive and even stronger than before[1].

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Cooling Water Systems

Cooling water systems

A common way to cool products is through the use of a cooling water system. In a cooling system, ambient or chilled water is used to cool hot products. The product transfers its heat with the cooling water (for example through the use of a heat exchanger) and then the water in turn is cooled. Most cooling systems accomplish this through the use of a cooling tower. Cooling towers make use of the cooling effect of evaporating water. Allowing a small portion of the water to evaporate into a moving air stream provides significant cooling to the rest of the water. While cooling towers are efficient ways of cooling water, they are also known to breed dangerous pathogens such as legionnaire’s disease. Therefore, although as we will discuss there are situations where we need to be pogem cooling water, under no condition should anyone taste cooling water חמירא סכנתא מאיסורא.

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Being Pogem Water

Being pogem water

A common way to heat products is through the use of a water loop. Steam from a boiler is used to heat water which then cycles through a loop and in turn heats products. This same water loop can be used to heat multiple products either simultaneously or one after the next. The water which heats the non-kosher products will become non-kosher based on the halacha of “tipas chalav shenafal al hakdairah mibachutz” (Y.D. 92:5). Even a dedicated kosher kettle will become non-kosher if it is heated with “tainted” water.

Kashering Ben Yomo

One very practical application of ta’am lifgam is found in the middle of hilchos basar b’chalav. The Mechaber (Y.D. 95:4) says that if one places ash into a pot of hot water before dirty dishes are placed in it, then even if some dishes are milchig and some are fleishig, the pot and the dishes will remain kosher. This is because the ta’am of the ash combines with the ta’am of the fat and gives off a ta’am that is lifgam. This is the basis for the leniency to kasher kailim that are ben yomo, by using a davar hapogem (e.g. caustic).