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I went to two restaurants in Lakewood. Both under KCL. Both have corn on the cob on their menu, but don’t serve it because the mashgiach said its not kosher. Can someone please tell me what is the kashrus problem with corn on the cob?
Small bugs that hide between kernels as soon as they are exposed. So far nobody has discovered a method to effectively get rid of them.
because of the checking for little bugs. we do not buy it here in eretz yisroel.
ALL corn on the cob is now not allowed to be eaten??
Is this the psak of specific kashrus agencies or all major poskim?
What?!?!
I’ve always eaten corn on the cob
heres a link to the star-k website regarding corn on the cob
Corn is not suitable for human consumption anyway. It’s animal fodder.
Not Kosher? Please phrase your sentences correctly. They’re very kosher, yet can be very highly infested so many people don’t eat them.
My 2 year old loves corn on the cob. We made it once and my wife gave him some. He loved it!
Lakewood must have a bug issue (I guess the area around Lakewood is infested with bugs), so they should watch for them. B’Derech Klal in the rest of the US, it is not a problem.
It is not allowed in eretz yisroel. There is a major and ubiquitous infestation there. It is not a problem in the us. I dont know what the op was talking about.
i have been informed by “smartcookie” that indeed there is a problem in the us as well
http://www.star-k.org/cons-vegdetail.php?ID=21
Corn on the Cob is kosher. The insects that may be infesting the cob are not. This hashgacha does not want to take the time to properly check (which is certainly their choice) the ears of corn for insects, or the store does not want to pay for someone to properly check. To state that the corn is not kosher is foolish, and false. They should have told you, we dont want to check for bugs (or, we’d rather not pay the mashgiach to do this because it isnt worth it) , so are not serving it at this time.
starK and cRc both say there is no problem. you just have to take a look and make sure there is no obvious bugs present. you dont even have to wash it. i cant find anything on the OK site
tomim tihye – In the early 1950’s my parents took a motor trip from Canada to Mexico. While driving through Texas they saw countless field of corn growing, but could never find any on the menus of any restaurants they went to. Because it was the middle of winter, it would have been a real treat for them. Finally, they asked at one restaurant why nobody served corn on the cob. They were informed(with an extreme southern drawl): “Man, that is hog food. We never eat it.”
on the other hand an alert from kashrut.com, dated 6/3/11:
“Corn on the Cob: Recently, kashrus agencies have reported finding insects in corn on the cob. When the husk is removed, these insects scurry inside in between the niblets. Frozen corn on the cob and canned corn do not appear to have a problem.
Guidelines to preparing corn on the cob:
Do not cook with the husk on.
Do not barbeque raw corn. Cook it first.
Remove the husks, wash the corn, and inspect well. Do not cook what has holes or is rotting.
After cooking, check the water, especially the top of the water. If insects or worms are found there, discard the corn.
Ed. note (6/15/11): The cRc and Star-K have not found infestation in the corn that they examined.
Sweet corn (the type we boil or grill to eat as “corn on the cob”) I believe is a different variety than most of the stuff you see growing in the vast corn fields of the midwest (a big component of which is animal feed).
The thread being open or closed has something to do with if corn is a problem in America or not!?
The Kashrus orginization in Denver found a problem with bugs that burrow deep into the corn as soon as you remove the husks. The star-K and cRc have not found this problem.
A) even Denver says canned is fine
B) perhaps it is regional and the New York area isn’t infested with the same bugs
it was closed because of all the anti-frum posts coming in (deleted) decrying the unnecessary chumros.
it was re-opened because smartccokie understood that there IS a problem in america and that my post was mistaken and could cause some people to stumble. on the chance that he was correct i felt it important to modify my post and hear some more discussion
Farmers grow three types of corn (I learned this on a trip to a pick your own farm a few summers ago). Flint, sweet and dent, also called field. As Avram said, sweet corn is what you buy at the local grocery to eat off the cob. Flint corn is quite hard and is sold as popping corn and is used as animal feed. Field corn is used to make masa dough (think tortillas) and is also animal feed.
I have no idea what type of corn is used to make ethanol, but it is driving up the price of animal feed, resulting in higher costs for meat and poultry. what you save on the gas to the grocery store, you pay in the form of higher meat and poultry prices. 🙁
There was an interview conducted with R’ Moshe Vaye, in which it is indicated that he feels it’s a problem in the U.S. Although it doesn’t say it outright, the only thing he mentions which is problematic in E.Y. but not in the U.S. is flour.
Mod 80, thanks for reopening. It did seem as if you were paskening the shaila and closing the thread for further discussion!
http://www.lakewood246.com/news/15573/beware-the-bugs-an-interview-with-rav-moshe-vaye.html
yes quark, until very recently there has been no problem with cotc in america according to all (or certainly the majority) of major kashrus agencies. although the interview with R’ Vaye was from a year ago and indicated there IS a problem, he lives in Yerushalayim.
this apparently is a problem only a few weeks old, as far as i can tell so far, that is why i didnt know what the op was talking about in his anectodal reporting of an incident.
This thread is corny
This thread is corny
wump wump
The op was talking about the opinion if the KCL, one of the most respected kashrus agencies in Lakewood and the entire frum world
I keep reading it as potassium.
Make that potassium chloride.
“Corn is not suitable for human consumption anyway. It’s animal fodder.”
Corn has been eaten by humans for thousands of years.
Corn on the cob is kosher. It’s just those little bugs that burrow their way under the kernels so you can’t see them that are the problem.
some kinds of corn are eaten by humans
some kinds are only suitable for animal fodder
it also depends at what stage it is picked
wikipedia has a nice description
Corn on the cob is kosher. It’s just those little bugs that burrow their way under the kernels so you can’t see them that are the problem.
I guess the waiter who said it’s not kosher is not such a big lamdan.
it’s kosher for me…..:)
Corn on the cob is not kosher. It is made from pigs feet.
Rabbi Blumenkrantz zt”l in his Pesach sefer from several years back indicated a problem with corn on the cob. This is not new, but maybe wasn’t discussed so much in the past. And over three years ago, I saw
(I know. Ashkenazim don’t eat corn on Pesach – kitniyos. Rabbi Blumenkrantz’s sefer has a section on checking fruits and veggies; the section isn’t limited to Pesach.)
The following information is found on the Union of Orthodox Synagogues – South Africa. I know many readers here are not from South Africa, but it’s still of interest:
CORN (MIELIES)
In this country, both white and yellow mielies on the cob have often been found to be infested. It is impossible to get rid of the infestation whilst still on the cob, as the thrip hides between the kernels.
In order to eat mielies:
Equipment required: detergent, bowl, sieve / colander
1. Cut all the kernels off the cob,
2. Soak them for 3 minutes in very soapy water, and
3. Thoroughly rinse them through a sieve or colander.
4. Cook and enjoy!
Alternatively:
Equipment required: sieve / colander
1. Cook the corn whilst still on the cob
2. Cut all the kernels off the cob,
3. Thoroughly rinse them through a sieve or colander.
4. Discard the water that the corn was cooked in.
Frozen or Tinned Corn may be used as these have been extremely thoroughly rinsed in the factory.
80: Why are posts saying that a vegetable is kosher “anti-frum”? Or were people being rude about it?
FWIW, I never heard of any problem with corn and I’ve never found a bug in it.
Have you looked for them?
Joseph: Yes.
I really hope this doesn’t turn into yet another “thing” in kashrus. We have enough worthwhile things to fight about like the porcine coffee of starbucks. 😛
Thanks, 80. I can only imagine.
It is unlikely that a commercial food establishment is going to cut fruit with a knife used for other foods since that knife even when clean, will impart a strange unpleasant flavor to the fruit.
The mishigasim that come from the “holy” city of lakewood are amazing. Bugs in corn? I looked on a number of ears. THERE WAS NOTHING!
i like corn on the cob
mark levin- maybe they arent visible to the naked eye like the bugs in strawberries and broccoli
Rince and boil in water, add a little salt and if you are eating milchech, some butter and enjoy
This is not a “new” problem I heard it a few years ago! And if u don’t know what the bugs look like u will not find them. I believe I was told it is the same color as the corn itself so it hides very well
Cotc Is definitely kosher, and it doesn’t have the requirement of chewing it’s cud and having slit feet, the reason why it has been an issue to eat is because it is known to be infested with bugs, to the extent that it is impossible to check to ensure that everysingle one has been cleared out!
@Cinderella: If bugs aren’t visible to the naked eye then they have no Halachic status whatsoever and are perfectly fine to eat. I think you may have meant to say that they are camouflaged/blend into the vegetables.
Can someone explain how all the heimish companies sell canned corn. How do they “debug” all the corn for thousands of cans a year? Do they all grow in greenhouses? Doubtful.
quark -“The op was talking about the opinion if the KCL, one of the most respected kashrus agencies in Lakewood and the entire frum world”
Give it a break – enough with the propaganda.
And the COOP has frozen corn on the cob, just not fresh.
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