Kosher Professionals

The Kashrus of Dishwashing Soap

Over the past several decades the kosher industry has grown considerably. Food companies recognizing the profitability of the kosher market have pursued kosher certification in an effort to increase marketability and sales of their products. What has been especially remarkable is that the pursuit of kosher certification has not stopped with food. It is not […]

Following Major Success of Previous Event, The OU’s Harry H. Beren ASK OU Outreach Program Returns

Following Major Success of Previous Event, The OU’s Harry H. Beren Ask Outreach Program Returns To Lakewood For Programs Motzei Shabbat, December 6 And 13, January 10 And 17

Shechitah Seforim

A selection of Seforim about Shechitah

Keeping Tabs on Kosher Glycerin Totes

Soon after he came to the OU, Rabbi Chaim Loike became troubled by the following problem: one of his companies sells totes of kosher glycerin as well as totes of non-kosher glycerin. When a customer of theirs requests more kosher glycerin, the customer gets a new tote of kosher glycerin. A non-kosher customer has it […]

More Notes on Totes

One more important point about totes: it is not unheard of for a supplier of a product transported in totes to recover the tote from the user after the tote has been vacated of product. Don’t take my word for it. I found the following promotional literature says it better than I could: Folding bulk […]

Retail Dairy Products: Whats, Hows and Whys

Previous installments in this series have investigated dairy foods from the perspective of the posek, mashgiach and kashrus administrator. We delved into halachic and highly-technical material, attempting to gain insight into the many complexities of dairy kashrus.

Hydroponics and Greenhouses

One of the greatest challenges in kashrus for Rabanim Hamachshirim today is protecting consumers from tolaim. One method that has become popular, especially in Eretz Yisroel, is to grow vegetables in greenhouses. Also known as glasshouses or hothouses, their objective is to provide a pest-free environment. Farmers working in conjunction with Rabbanim Hamachshirim have successfully perfected this method, which has proven to be an invaluable tool in the fight against tolaim in produce.

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Creating Adequate Mirsas

Discussion of sensitive ingredients

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Pasteurizers – Changing the Water

If a kettle is used to cook a non-kosher product then the hot water or steam that was used to heat the kettle becomes non-kosher as well. Chazal tell us that we must be concerned that some non-kosher taste may pass through the wall of the utensil and leach into the product on the other […]

Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Kashering Belts

It is common in many plants to have a product come out of an oven and go onto a belt. If the product is hot and non-kosher and it falls onto a cold belt, how must we kasher this belt?