I received a call this week relating to an OU-D product that has no actual dairy ingredients in it. I passed on the question to the OU department that handles these types of questions. However, I know this is a question that comes up often, and I felt that addressing it with the OU Recorder of Psak, Rabbi Eli Gersten, would be helpful. Here are his responses.
Steven Genack: What makes something OU Dairy?
Rabbi Eli Gersten: The OU will label a product as dairy if it includes any dairy ingredients no matter how minute. The OU will also label a product as OU-D or OU-DE if it was made on dairy equipment even if it contains no dairy.
Steven Genack: Why are some products listed OU-D even though they don’t actually have dairy ingredients in them?
Rabbi Eli Gersten: Some products contain actual dairy ingredients, but it is not obvious. For example, the dairy ingredient can be hidden in a flavor. If a product contains “natural flavors” these could be made with dairy ingredients. Also, even if a product contains no dairy, but it is made on dairy equipment, the OU might label this product as dairy (OU-D) or dairy equipment (OU-DE). It is best to contact the OU to verify if a product is really only dairy equipment or if it contains actual dairy. You can contact the OU at: Kosherq@OU.org or 212-613-8241 or you can check online at OUKosher.org (Consumers -> Product Search).
Steven Genack: Can it be mixed with actual meat to prepare a dish?
Rabbi Eli Gersten: One should not serve products that are labeled OU-D with meat even if you can ascertain that they do not contain any dairy, since they were made on dairy equipment, the custom of Ashkenazim is not to serve it with meat.
Steven Genack: Let’s say someone is making a pareve quiche for Shabbos that they mix with an OU-D product with no dairy ingredients. Can they serve it with meat at the Shabbos meal?
Rabbi Eli Gersten: They should speak to a rabbi. Although a DE product may not be served with meat, however, if the DE product was a minor ingredient in the quiche, it is possible that the amount of DE flavor in the quiche is less than 1 part in 60 in which case, if it was already made, it can be served with meat. However, in the first instance, it is not appropriate to use this ingredient if you are planning on serving it at a meat meal.
Steven Genack: If one had meat and then wanted to then have an OU-D product with no dairy ingredients, would any waiting time be necessary? Would they have to wash out their mouth or eat a cracker after having the meat? Can you elaborate in general on what one must do if they want to have real dairy after meat, and how much time they must wait?
Rabbi Eli Gersten: There is no need to wait 6 hours or for that matter any amount of time after eating meat before eating pareve foods that were cooked with dairy equipment. All that is necessary is that you stop eating meat and clean out your mouth. This can be accomplished by eating and drinking something in between.