July 6, 2010 

By Rabbi Sholem Fishbane

Kashrus Administrator of the Chicago Rabbinical Council

http://www.crcweb.org/

Please be advised that as of July 1, 2010 the OK has withdrawn the certification of Galil Restaurant 1252 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10028.  
Kashrut.com reports that contrary to the information on a website, the KOF-K does not currently certify this restaurant.

It has come to the cRc’s attention that certain frozen yogurt stores under the “Yoz” name are selling product claiming to be certified by the cRc. As best as we can determine, the cRc does not certify the frozen yogurt mix that they are selling and we definitely do not certify any of their stores. Additionally, the Yoz website lists their frozen yogurt as being certified by the cRc. This is also not true. Attempts are being made to correct the situation.

Aldi Grandessa Signature Chocolate Covered Fruit Bars contains dairy ingredients as listed on the ingredient panel but the OU dairy designation has been inadvertently omitted. Corrective action is being taken.

This is to advise that Le Jardin Special Event Centre and Banquet Hall is no longer a COR certified banquet venue.

Lee Kum Kee Teriyaki Sauce bears an unauthorized OU symbol and is being withdrawn from the marketplace. Consumers spotting this product are requested to contact the Orthodox Union   

Santorini Stuffed Vine Leaves, Boboris Foods bears an unauthorized OU symbol. Santorinin Stuffed Vine Leaves are not certified by the OU, and the company is removing the OU from this product. If you see this product with an OU, please call the OU 

Dan Hill Dairy Restaurant – Jerusalem, located on Yoel Solomon Street, continues to advertise as being under the Jerusalem Rabbinate Mehadrin Hechsher despite the fact the Hechsher was revoked. 

Van Gogh Vodka is approved for import by the Chief Rabbinate, manufactured by the Luctor Company, in Orlando, USA. This ultra-premium vodka is manufactured by Dirkzwager in Holland. It states kosher under the supervision of the Holland Rabbinate and the Chief Rabbinate approval for import. This kosher certification is for the following flavors – mint, pineapple, melon, blueberry, double espresso, espresso, pomegranate, orange, mango, coffee 19/90 XXO, banana, caramel and blue. Only this brand, from this importer, bearing the required labels is permitted and unauthorized liqueurs/whiskies are not permitted due to kashrus concerns. 

Fudgstix Lite Frozen Fudge Bars contains dairy ingredients as listed on the ingredient panel but the OU dairy designation has been inadvertently omitted. Corrective action is being taken. 

A limited quantity of American Roland canned artichokes mistakenly bear an OU symbol. The OU does not certify this product because of bedikas tolayim concerns.

Havest Fresh Sunfield brand Cut Baby Corn in 106 oz. cans (6lbs 10 oz), distributed by Inteco, bear an unauthorized Star-K.  Corrective action is being taken.

Please be aware that Woolworths calamari, prawns, and possibly other seafood have erroneously been labeled with a Johannesburg Beth Din kosher logo. These products are not kosher and Woolworths have removed them from their stores.

Many TUMS labels inadvertently omit the Diamond-K Kosher symbol from its packaging. The Company has taken steps to have the Kosher designation placed back on its label. All products which appear on the Letter of Kosher Certification remain Kosher Certified whether or not the Diamond-K symbol appears on the label.  
Kashrut.com reports that the new labels will be starting in July, 2010. 

Concord Confection Co. in Canada has been recertified by the O.U. Double Bubble gum and their other products are recommended when bearing the O.U. on the wrapper.

Pasta Quistini products are kosher certified only when bearing special COR hologram stickers, which indicate a specific kosher supervised production. Any Pasta Quistini product which bears a pre-printed COR symbol is not certified kosher. Kindly contact our office at 416.635.9550 if you should find any unauthorized Pasta Quistini product bearing a pre-printed COR symbol on the packaging.

Seaweed used as a warp for Sushi can be infested with tiny sea horses. Please be advised that only seaweed with numbered RCC label or United Kosher Food label is supervised by the RCC. The appearance of “RCC” on any other packaging or label is inadvertent or fraudulent.

All New Harvest Naturals Gluten-Free Products (i.e. muffins, pound cakes and chicken meatballs) sold by Abe’s Place Gourmet Delicacies (www.newharvestnaturals.com) are being misrepresented as STAR-K certified. The STAR-K has no affiliation with Abe’s Place Gourmet Delicacy and does not certify any of its products.

Ben-David Winery based in Moshav Sdei Eliezer is using the OK Kashrus symbol on bottles of wine without authorization. This appears on bottles of Merlot 2008, dry red wine. The label states OK-P (Kosher for Passover) but in actuality, the wine has a regular non-mehadrin supervision and is the product of heter mechira grapes.  
Kashrut.com reports that this product is being marketing in Israel.

Main Street Gourmet Cookies baked and sold exclusively at Breugers Bagel Bakeries have inadvertently been labeled with the Kof-K Dairy symbol. These cookies are not Kof-K certified. Corrective action is being taken. 

America’s Choice Berry Blend mistakenly bears an unauthorized OU symbol. The product is being withdrawn from the marketplace

Green Goddess Thousand Island Dressing produced by E.D. Foods is certified OU Pareve even when bearing the OUD symbol on the label.

It has come to the cRc’s attention that there are several listings in the recent edition of the Jewish News Guide To Jewish Chicago that contain some misinformation regarding the kosher certification of the cRc. The following are the correct revisions:  
CJE SeniorLife -NOT under cRc certification, Affy Tapple -The Retail Store is NOT under cRc certification. However, they do feature some sealed cRc certified products. 
 Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Parlor -mThe Retail Store is NOT under cRc certification. However, they do feature some sealed cRc certified products. 
Custom Candy Design– NOT under cRc certification. Eli’s Cheesecake World –The Retail Store is NOT under cRc certification. However, they do feature some sealed cRc certified products. Long Grove Confectionary -The Retail Store is NOT under cRc certification. However, they do feature some sealed cRc certified products.                                           

For a Directory of Shatnez Laboratories around the World

http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/wp-content/uploads/directory-of-shatnez-laboratories-may-10.pdf 

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

(YWN Kashruth Desk)