Notes
2023-8-31 KosherGram PDF PAS YISROEL: The K-COR wishes to remind consumers of the accepted custom to be stringent on Pas Yisroel during Aseres Yemei T’shuva. Please be advised that many K-COR certified establishments produce or sell some bread and cake products that are not Pas Yisroel. Please ask the Mashgiach or call the K-COR office for details regarding specific establishments. The following establishments are totally Pas Yisroel: BAKE STATION, DAKOTA BREAD COMPANY, ZEMAN’S, JERUSALEM PIZZA, PIZZA STOP, PRIME 10, SPREADS BAGELS & CAFÉ, SOUL CAFÉ RESTAURANT, KAPLAN CAKES, and YODELS ‘N MORE. At THE GROVE FRESH BAKERY dept., all items that are sold loose, or repackaged with a Grove label, are Pas Yisroel. KORDAS’ BREADS, ROLLS, AND BUNS from Metropolitan Baking Co. bearing the K-COR symbol are Pas Yisroel*, except for Kordas’ Greek Style Pita Bread which is not Kosher certified and should have the K-COR symbol on the back covered with a sticker. [NOTE: Milano Bakery bread and rolls with the K-COR symbol are not Pas Yisroel.] SIMPLY NATURE KNOCK YOUR SPROUTS OFF SPROUTED 7 GRAIN BREAD at Aldi with an OK symbol is Pas Yisroel*. SPECIALLY SELECTED brand SMALL BATCH SOURDOUGH LOAF, SMALL BATCH ITALIAN LOAF, ITALIAN BREAD and any other Specially Selected breads at Aldi bearing a Scroll K symbol are Pas Yisroel. [Note that some Specially Selected breads bear other symbols and may not be Pas Yisroel.] TRADER JOE’S brand of CHOCOLATE BROOKLYN BABKA and HALF MOON COOKIES that bear OU Pareve are Pas Yisroel. TRADER JOE’S ORGANIC FRENCH ROLLS and TRADER JOE’S ORGANIC FRENCH BAGUETTE that bear MK certification [Montreal] are Pas Yisroel*. TRADER JOE’S CHALLAH – BRAIDED EGG BREAD with an Earth K symbol is Pas Yisroel, as stated on the label. [NOTE: Trader Joe’s Sprouted Wheat Sourdough Bread and Sprouted Wheat Multigrain Bread bearing a Star-K are not Pas Yisroel.] GOLDBERGS FINE FOODS CHALLAH TWIN PACK TRADITIONAL with an OK symbol (available at Costco) is Pas Yisroel, as stated on the label. S. ROSEN’S BREADS, BUNS AND ROLLS with an OU (available at Costco) are Pas Yisroel*. KRONOS PITA BREAD with a cRc symbol is Pas Yisroel*, as stated on the label. FOOD FOR LIFE EZEKIEL SPROUTED GRAIN BREADS with the Kof-K symbol are Pas Yisroel*. The Pocket Bread, however, is not Pas Yisroel. MATT’S BAKERY COOKIES that bear OK Pareve are “Pas Yisroel”*, as stated on the label. * per the “glow-bar method” [an electrical heating element turned on by the Mashgiach], which most Kashrus agencies consider Pas Yisroel. (The OU, however, does not accept this as Pas Yisroel, based on the psak of Rabbi Yisroel Belsky zt’l.) HONEY: Standard honey goes through a filtering process, which removes the non-Kosher bee parts. Even “raw and unfiltered” honey is usually strained to remove the bee parts. However, some completely unprocessed honeys are neither filtered nor strained. If the label or the manufacturer states that the honey is not strained, or if bee parts are visible, that honey should be avoided. “Forest honey”, “Honeydew honey”, and “Beechwood honey” (or honey named after other types of trees such as Pine, Fir, Oak, etc.), generally refer to honey produced by bees that have consumed the non-Kosher excretions of aphids and scale insects left on trees (as opposed to standard honey produced from flower nectar). These are not considered Kosher according to some opinions, and should be avoided. Melipona honey should also be avoided. “Royal Jelly” is a bee product that, unlike regular honey, is an actual secretion of the bee. Some Poskim therefore rule that it is not included in the permitted category of “honey”, and it should be avoided. FISH HEADS: The Farmed Trout fish heads now being sold at Superior Kosher Meats are completely fresh water raised, and do not need to be checked for lice. Rainbow Trout from Norway are heavily infested, and require thorough cleaning and checking [see below]. The following is from New Square Kashrus Council: White fish: White fish heads are free of infestation concern. Salmon/Baby Salmon: Salmon heads [even farm raised] are commonly infested with salmon lice (brownish parasites ranging in size from approximately 1-3 cm). · The entire gills must be removed. (It may be easier to first cut the head in half before cleaning). · Rinse the head thoroughly with water while rubbing all surfaces of the head (inside and outside), including all cracks, crevices and folds, and under and around the tongue. Inspect the head to make sure it is clean. One who wants to avoid the checking process may just rinse the head and cook the head in a separate pot, take a small piece from the flesh of the head, and visually inspect it before eating to make sure there is no foreign object on it. Carp: Carp heads may be infested with very small transparent insects called Argulus that are very hard to detect. There is no known method to clean infested carp heads properly, and they should not be used unless checked by an expert. BLACK EYED PEAS are often infested and require careful checking. The following is based on the Star-K procedure for checking dried, canned or frozen black eyed peas, and applies even if the product bears Kashrus certification. (Note: All canned peas and beans always require Kashrus certification, for general Kashrus concerns.) Dried black eyed peas should first be boiled in water. After they have been fully cooked, turn off the flame and allow them to soak in the water for 2-3 hours. The peas will swell and the peel will become translucent. Then check as below. Canned or frozen black eyed peas may be checked straight out of the can/bag; there is no need to boil or soak. To check (all types): Take the black eyed peas and inspect for holes or dark-colored stains, as this may indicate an insect beneath the thin peel. If there is a dark spot on the peel, remove the thin skin and check if there is a cavity with a bug in it. (The black “eye” spot is not a sign of infestation. Similarly, orange colored stains on the surface are not signs of infestation; only dark or black stains are of concern.) [Note: For those who prefer not to rely on checking, some Poskim advise that the Rosh Hashana simanim custom can be fulfilled without eating the item, by placing it on the table and looking at it.] DOLE GARDEN SALAD: Some 12 oz. bags sold recently at The Grove and other stores do not bear an OK symbol, due to an infestation issue. Check each bag. All Dole Salads always need to be checked for the OK symbol on each bag. OASIS MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE TABOULE SALAD is currently not Star-K certified, and the Star-K symbol on the label is covered with a sticker. VERNORS BLACK CHERRY GINGER SODA – LIMITED EDITION, available in Michigan and the Toledo, Ohio area, is Kosher and pareve (no symbol required). JALAPENO SEASONED PISTACHIOS from Vacaville Fruit Company – Update from Star-K: This product correctly bears a Star-K symbol and is certified Pareve; it does not contain any dairy. KRINOS FETA CHEESE produced in Greece bears an unauthorized Kof-K symbol. Product with a production date of Jan. 1, 2023 and beyond should be considered non–Kosher regardless of it bearing a Kof-K symbol. Anyone who finds this item is requested to notify the Kof-K office at 201-837-0500 #2143. SECRET ISLAND SALMON HOT DOGS, sold online, bear an unauthorized Kof-K symbol. This product is not Kosher. STRONGER SNACKS PROTEIN SNACKS bear an unauthorized Star-K or Star-D symbol. Stronger Snacks is not certified by Star-K or Star-D. SHIN GOLD YAKI SUSHI NORI ROASTED SEAWEED distributed by BNT Int’l Trading bears an unauthorized Star-K symbol. PASTENE brand PICKLED VEGETABLES GIARDINIERA bears an unauthorized KVH symbol. PRODUCT RECALLS “SOFT SERVE ON THE GO” ICE CREAM and SORBET CUPS from Real Kosher Ice Cream of Brooklyn, NY, all flavors, have been recalled due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, that has been linked to two hospitalizations. Details are available at https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-ice-cream-august-2023#Product or 845-668-4346. ICE CREAM HOUSE brand ICE CREAM and SORBET products have been recalled due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Details are available at https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ice-cream-house-voluntarily-recalling-all-dairy-ice-cream-products-and-non-dairy-parve-frozen or 845-445-7644. KROGER brand frozen SUPER SWEET CUT CORN and frozen MIXED VEGETABLES have been recalled due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Details are available at https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/twin-city-foods-inc-recalls-frozen-super-sweet-corn-and-mixed-vegetables-because-possible-health?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery or 360-629-5678. NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH “break and bake” bars with two specific batch codes have been recalled due to the potential presence of wood fragments. Details are available at https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/nestle-usa-announces-voluntary-recall-limited-quantity-nestler-toll-houser-chocolate-chip-cookie#recall-photos or 800-681-1678. We Wish All a K’siva v’Chasima Tova