By Rabbi Sholem Fishbane

Kashrus Administrator of the Chicago Rabbinical Council

http://www.crcweb.org/

www.twitter.com/crckosher

Effective immediately, River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC is no longer under Star-K Certification. The company has been purchased by Taylor Farms, CA. This should not be confused with Taylor Farms, MD, which is under Star-K Certification. The following brands are affected by this change: Fresh1/Fresh ‘n Easy, The Farmers Market, Dewy Fresh, Promark, Popeye, River Ranch, Shaw’s Market Fresh, Compliments, Sysco Natural, Archer Farms, Cross Valley Farms, Winn Dixie.

Please be advised that the following products made by David Roberts Food Corp were labeled with an unauthorized COR 564: Two for the Road Ju Jubes, 80 g packet and Two for the Road Red Berries, 70 g packet. These products are not kosher even when bearing the COR 564.

Uchida Authentic Rice Malt (Mitoku Macrobiotic) may bear Hebrew stickers (in Israel) stating that the product is certified by OK. Although many Mitoku products are certified by OK Kosher Certification, the Uchida Rice Malt is not certified.  
All certified Mitoku products have the OK kosher symbol printed on the label.

Please be advised that the RCC has discontinued its certification of the following establishments: Bonjour Cafè in North Hollywood and Maohr Catering in North Hollywood.

Some Honeyfields Chocolates and Cones products (e.g., Granadilla Sauce, Go-Go Bars, etc.) bear an unauthorized Johannesburg Beth Din logo. These products are not under the supervision of the Beth Din. Appropriate action is being taken against the manufacturer.

The dairy designation was inadvertently omitted from several packages of Fannie May Chocolates. All Fannie May chocolates bearing the cRc logo are dairy, Cholov Stam. Corrective measures are being taken.

All products from Nikola’s Biscotti & European Specialties Co., Minneapolis, MN 55420 are Blue Ribbon Kosher certified and are Dairy Stam, as listed on the ingredient panels. These products contain dairy ingredients as shown on individual retail packaging and ingredient panels, however, the dairy stam designation has been inadvertently omitted from all shipping cases, both bulk and commercial products (packed without inside labeling) as well as for retail products (with labeling). Future packaging will be revised.

Apple Rush Organic Sparkling 100% Juice, in all flavors, is no longer under Blue Ribbon Kosher Supervision. Apple Rush Organic Sparkling 100% Juice, in all flavors, is no longer certified by Blue Ribbon Kosher. The company had been certified kosher but all certified product has long exceeded its expiration date. There should not be any of the certified products remaining. Anyone spotting product with a Blue Ribbon Kosher claim is urged to contact Blue Ribbon Kosher

Kosherquest.org reports that Kosher To Go restaurant located next to Continental Bakery on Burbank Blvd. in Valley Village, CA is a non kosher restaurant. The “Hechscher” letter on the store says only that they have applied to a kashrus agency and hope someday to be kosher certified.

Maplegrove Gluten Free boxed pasta products that contain white or yellow cheese packets bearing the COR 272 Dairy label may contain white or yellow cheese

packets that are not kosher. Cheese packets that do not have a Circle-K (OK) Dairy symbol on them should be discarded. Cheese packets that do have the Circle-K (OK) symbol may be consumed.

Please be advised that effective immediately House Of Bonjour Restaurant /Bakery in North Hollywood, CA is no longer supervised by the Rabbinical Council of CA.

Please be advised that I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light Margarine, UPC 68400 30030 was inadvertently labeled with COR 47. This product contains non-kosher gelatin and is not kosher. Please note that I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Soft Margarine is kosher dairy when bearing COR 47 Dairy 

A Kashrut.com reader reported finding krill, a small crustacean similar in appearance to a small shrimp in some cans of Brunswick Sardines in Olive Oil. Sardines are a small herring and are a natural seafood product. The main components of the herring diet are krill and other zooplankton present in the ocean in which it lives. Due to the feeding habits of the fish, krill may occasionally be present in a tin of sardines. Krill in the stomachs can bust out and appear in the can. This is a very rare occurrence. Bumble Bee reported that consumers reported approximately 20 incidences in over 20 million cans.  
Kashrut.com advises that if you see this, do not eat the sardines and report the problem to the manufacturer, including all production and date codes. 

New Ravens Pizza, located at 116 Chartley Drive, Reisterstown, MD 21136, recently distributed flyers bearing a Star-K logo. New Ravens Pizza is not Star-K certified and is not Kosher. Corrective action has been taken.

Please be advised that Nature’s Blend Premium Bagels Whole Grain Whole Wheat being sold at Safeway stores was labeled with an unauthorized COR 153. This product is not under COR certification.

Please be advised that JERRY’S SUBS PIZZA (a non-kosher establishment) in Silver Spring, MDis advertising their Carvel ice cream as OK certified. OK Kosher does not certify any Carvel ice cream or their stoers (Carvel Packaged Ice Cream premixes may be certified, but this does not cover the ice cream or the stores.)

It has recently been discovered that Red Cabbage can be infested with insects. As a result, the Star-K has upgraded its Red Cabbage inspection procedures from a simple thorough wash to the same procedure used for other leafy vegetables. Packaged Red Cabbage that is kosher certified as insect-free remains acceptable.

As of September 1, 2010, the following EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS stores are no longer certified by Star-K: Edible Arrangements 3530 Johnson Avenue Riverdale, NY 10463, Edible Arrangements 1788 3rd Avenue New York, NY10028, Edible Arrangements 62 West 38th Street New York, NY 10018, Edible Arrangements 239 West 105th Street New York, NY 10025

The Rabbinical Council of California  would like to inform the public that only the following industrial bakeries are Pas Yisrael: International Pita and Ara-z Lavash. Other industrial bakeries such as Global, Glendale fine, Original Jack’s, etc. are not Pas Yisrael.

The Torah Center and Catering by Chani operating out of 2942 E. Broad St. Columbus, Ohio 43209 are no longer certified by the Vaad Hoir of Columbus, Ohio Inc.

The following Pace products, Campbell”s Sales Co. – Camden, NJ are no longer certified by the OU or the KOAOA: Chipotle Salsa, Chunky Salsa, Chunky Salsa – Hot, Chunky Salsa – Med, Chunky Salsa – Mild, Pace Chunky Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Garlic, Picante Sauce, Picante Sauce – Hot, Picante Sauce – Med, Picante Sauce – Mild, Roasted Pepper & Garlic Salsa and Salsa Dip  

The Chicago Rabbinical Council has started “tweeting” on Twitter (www.twitter.com/crckosher) some of their common daily questions. Below are some of the most recent “tweets” that will be helpful for the kosher consumer:

1. Lecithin granules require a reliable hashgacha.
2. All unflavored tea leaves and tea bags do not require hashgacha.
3. Parchment paper sheets and bags normally require a reliable Hashgacha.
4. Bean sprouts, other than a cursory inspection for obvious infestation, do not need to be checked for bugs.
5. Cooking for Yom Tov? Aluminum pans and aluminum foil sheets and bags do not require hashgacha.
6. Metal or glass salt and pepper shakers must be toiveled in a mikva prior to use.
7. Dried dates with no added flavors or ingredients do not need a hechsher. Non-pitted or foreign would need to be checked for bugs
8. Blanched almonds require a reliable hashgacha.
9. Brown Basmati Rice from India does not need a hechsher, as well as all unprocessed raw rice which isn’t flavored, seasoned or colored.
10. Canned vegetable soup, even “Vegetarian Vegetable Soup” requires a reliable hashgacha.

Kashrus Updates from Israel: 

The Eida Chareidit announces it has removed its hechsher from the Kilufei Katif factory, and as such, assumes no responsibility for the product. This includes bags circulating in the marketplace bearing an Eida logo.Anyone who has purchased the product is instructed to set aside trumos and ma’asros (without a bracha) since there is a doubt, as well as to inspect the greens for possible insect infestation.

SHATNEZ ALERTS

Shatnez finding in Delhaye Men’s Suit points out the need for vigilance as the garment label states “100% wool” but in actuality, the garment in question is polyester, and yet, it contained shatnez. 

The Flatbush Shatnez lab discovered a lady’s DKNY wool coat containing linen in an unusual place, the piping of the garment. 

To receive email kashrus alerts, send your name and email address to: [email protected]   

Alerts are compiled from Kashrut.com http://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/ , kashrus agencies’ websites; Kashrus magazine; Kosher Information Bureau; Jerusalem Kosher News www.jerusalemkoshernews.com, Shatnez Laboratory; and from the Guide to Chodosh (Rabbi Yoseph Herman).