Common Passover Queries:
Almond Meal It is preferable to purchase almond meal with Pesach certification. If this is not possible, certain brands are approved when bearing a regular OU symbol. Please consult the OU Guide to Consumer Products (page 63) or check the OU Passover product search for a complete list.
Coconut Oil All virgin coconut oils are Kosher for Passover, as long as it bears the OU symbol.
Eggs Whole eggs in their shell may be used without special Passover certification.
Fish Due to the frequent application of glazes to raw fish, it should be purchased only with reliable kosher certification. However, Kirkland Frozen Wild Salmon bearing the standard OU symbol is acceptable after rinsing, while the Kirkland Atlantic (Farm Raised) Salmon bearing the standard OU symbol is acceptable as is for Passover.
Fruits & Vegetables (frozen) Frozen vegetables are washed in water that often contains anti-foaming agents, which are not appropriate for Passover use. Moreover, some companies also pack pasta products on shared packing machinery. Therefore, frozen vegetables require Passover certification.
However, these issues are not a concern at facilities that process frozen fruit, which does not require Passover certification. One must be careful that no additives, i.e. corn syrup, are used.
Honey Honey requires special Passover certification, as our research shows that some companies adulterate it with corn syrup.
Meat & Poultry Whilst meat and poultry in their pristine raw state are inherently chametz-free year-round and should not require any additional special supervision for Passover, contemporary production methods could invalidate the Passover status of even the plainest cut of butchered raw meat.
In some meat packing plants, meat and poultry might be packed on equipment that had previously processed chametz products. While cold equipment used with raw product will not have absorbed any chametz (kosher law assumes that equipment will absorb only via hot processes), there may be residual chametz on the machinery, which could then chametz-contaminate the surface of the meat.
In reality, cuts of raw meat can be remedied for Pesach by an effective rinsing of their surface under cold water. However, ground meat, which is often processed in grinders that also process chametz-containing products such as kishke, understandably cannot be “cleansed” by rinsing. Without a thorough sanitation of the machinery between different products, the
ground meat can potentially contain actual kishke particles, nullifying its use for Pesach.
Products from local butcher stores and supermarkets, with the plethora of products (including chametz ones) being processed nearby, cannot be recommended without there being a special Passover program in place – even for raw meat and poultry products.
Milk Milk contains added vitamins that contain a slight chametz risk. Therefore, it is best to purchase milk made with special Passover supervision. Please find a complete list beginning on page 86 in the Consumer Guide or check the OU Passover product search online. If one cannot obtain Passover certified milk, regular milk should be bought before Passover at which time chametz can be nullified (batel).
Milk Substitutes
Milk substitutes, even when not kitniyot based often contain flavors and emulsifiers, potentially of chametz and/or kitniyot origin. Furthermore, these can be processed on chametz equipment. Consequently, OU only recommends these products when required for infants or the infirm.
Nuts Raw nuts in their shell do not require Passover certification.
Shelled nuts that list BHA or BHT (preservatives) in the ingredients require special Passover certification. The preservatives are sprayed on the nuts using corn derivatives (kitniyot). If no additives are added, most nuts may be used without special Passover certification. That includes pasteurized nuts. Pecans are only acceptable with special Passover certification.
Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
All extra virgin olive oils (only) are Kosher for Passover, as long as it bears the OU symbol.
Kosher Salt
Iodized salt is often processed with corn (kitniyot) and requires Passover certification. Non-iodized salt does not require Passover certification, nor does sea salt.
Seltzer and Water
All unflavored bottled water, seltzer and sparkling water without added minerals is Kosher for Passover, even without any Kosher supervision.
Spices Ground spices require Passover certification. They can be processed on equipment that contains chametz and can also be adulterated with kitniyot or chametz.
Sugar
Brown Sugar: Both light and dark brown sugar require special supervision since other ingredients aside from sugar may be used in production.
Certain brown sugar brands are approved when featuring a regular OU symbol. Please consult the OU Guide to Consumer Products (page 74) or check the OU Passover product search for a complete list.
White Granulated Sugar: All white granulated sugar is approved for Passover when bearing an OU symbol.
Kitniyot List
The following are considered kitniyot:
- Beans
- Buckwheat
- Caraway
- Cardamom
- Corn
- Edamame
- Fennel Seeds
- Fenugreek
- Flaxseed (Linseed)
- Green Beans
- Hemp Seeds
- Lentils
- Millet
- Mustard
- Peas
- Poppy Seeds
- Rapeseed
- Rice
- Sesame Seeds
- Soybeans
- Sunflower Seeds
- Teff
The following are not considered kitniyot, but may require special checking:
- Anis
- Carob
- Chia Seeds
- Coriander
- Cottonseed
- Cumin
- Guar Gum
- Locust Bean Gum
- Safflower
- Saffron
The following may be kitniyot and are therefore not used:
- Amaranth
- Peanuts
