Food Items
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.
Wine
Please note that not all OU wines are certified for Passover use. Some wines, are flavored and colored and may contain Kitniyot, and therefore are not marked for Passover use. The vast majority of OU certified wines are OU-P. Please be sure to check your wine products before purchasing.
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages must bear certification to be used for Passover. There are numerous issues involving what the alcohol is made from, the equipment it is produced in, and the fermentation process itself. We encourage all Kosher consumers to find alcoholic beverages with reliable certification or to abstain for the eight days of Passover.
Quinoa
Quinoa, the grain-like seed grown in South America, is Kosher for Passover when processed with special OU Passover supervision and bearing the OU-P symbol. Rabbi Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, has released the following statement: “It is only recently that quinoa has become popular outside of its high-altitude growing area in the Andean mountain region of South America. Known for […]
Coffee and Tea
All unflavored ground coffees are acceptable for Passover use when bearing an OU. Decaffeinated coffee: Coffee is often decaffeinated by means of ethyl acetate, which is derived from either kitniyot or chometz. Certain brands of decaffeinated coffee are approved when appearing a regular OU symbol. Please check the OU Passover product search or consult the OU Passover guide for a complete list. […]
Spices
Ground spices require Passover certification. They can be processed on equipment that contains chametz and can also be adulterated with kitniyot or chametz.
Honey
Honey requires special Passover certification, as our research shows that some companies adulterate it with corn syrup.
Nuts
Raw nuts in their shell do not require Passover certification. Shelled raw nuts that list BHA, BHT, or any other additive on the ingredient label require special Passover certification. If no additives are listed, raw nuts may be acceptable when bearing an OU symbol. Pecans that are whole or half are acceptable with an OU […]
Fish
The following OU certified frozen fish portions are acceptable for Passover. Please note these refer to raw frozen fish portions, not smoked, spiced or seasoned. 365 Everyday Value – Atlantic Salmon Blue Circle – Atlantic Salmon Canadian Fishing Company – Sockeye Salmon Fillet Blue Planet – Steelhead Trout – Dressed and Filets Changing Seas – […]
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are usually treated with oils derived from kitniyos and therefore require special Passover certification.