S TA R - K
KO S H E R C E R T I F I C AT I O N
ד ב אלטי מ א ר
הכ ש ר ו ת
ועד
Kashrus Kurrents VOLUME 37
N O. 4
Fall 5776–2015
Dried Fruit NATURE’S WAY OF WRINKLING GRACEFULLY
RABBI TZVI ROSEN EDITOR, K ASHRUS KURRENTS
It has been called nature’s candy and is a sweet source of nutrition whose popularity is on the rise. Commensurate with its growing popularity is its demand. In today’s global economy, the dried fruit trade literally spans the entire globe - apples from China, prunes from Bulgaria, figs from the Middle East, dates from Tunisia, raisins from South America, and of course apples, peaches, plums, raisins, figs, and dates from the good old U.S.A. Naturally, this growth presents a whole new set of challenges to kashrus agencies. How do they send a mashgiach to supervise date productions in Pakistan, raisin productions in Iran, or plum productions in Bulgaria? Let’s learn about this popular healthy snack alternative.
THE PROCESS Fruit is dried through a process known as dehydrating, which removes enough moisture from the fruit to retard the growth of bacteria and mold while retaining the great taste and nutrients of the fruit. The two most popular methods used to dehydrate fruit are sun drying and tunnel drying. The best, most costeffective and least problematic technique is to take advantage of the sun, the Ribbono Shel Olam’s natural dehydrator. Sun drying avoids many of the kashrus issues that are perhaps problematic in other methods, such as oven or tunnel dried fruits and vegetables. When a fruit is sun dried, there are no kosher release agents or other processing equipment to consider. However, there is more to sun drying a fruit than just setting it out in the sun. Sun drying a fruit or vegetable properly requires great care and know-how. Every variety has its own protocol. Turkish apricots, for example, are dried where they are grown – in the Malatya region of East Turkey. Farmers must exercise great care as the apricots dry. Sun burning, poor cutting, or mushy fruit ruins this cash crop. The fruit must be dried to a certain moisture level, gently sliced, and the pit removed. (Next time you eat an apricot, look at the slit on the side). The fruit is then dried further to 24% moisture level, until it is ready to be collected and sent for further processing. Sun drying appeals to the health-conscious consumer because relatively few processing aids are used in the drying process. However, sun dried fruits and vegetables are not additive-free. Pesticides are used to prevent infestation. In the case of light colored fruit, C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2
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Just the Tip of the Iceberg
A Few Facts On the Shortage of Kosher Iceberg Lettuce RABBI SHOLOM TENDLER K ASHRUS ADMINISTRATOR
As many consumers are aware, there has been a shortage of Kosher-certified iceberg lettuce on the market over the last few months. Many people have been wondering why this shortage suddenly happened this year and when it will end. While it is true that iceberg lettuce is generally easier to clean and check than romaine, it still poses some of its own unique challenges. To clarify this issue, it is important to understand some background about how iceberg lettuce is grown, harvested and processed.
HOW ICEBERG GROWS Iceberg lettuce initially grows open, just like romaine [see pic. 1, page 3], during the first few weeks of its development, before cupping over and closing up. Once it cups, all of the newer leaves grow inside the closed head [see pic. 2, page 3]. If the time period when it was open was subjected to high levels of insect pressure, insects could crawl inside the open head and become trapped once the head cups over. They can then live quite comfortably inside this enclosed space – as they are well fed (with lettuce) and well protected from any applications of insecticides. During this time, they can reproduce very rapidly and therefore it may not be unusual to find entire families of insects inside a head, even all the way to the core. It is for this reason that the entire head must be checked every time, and not just the outer leaves.
INSECT PRESSURE FACTS Most of the year, iceberg has less insect pressure than romaine or other leafy vegetables because it is a closed head. It is also typically less attractive to insects (and people!) because it is less green and has less nutrients than other lettuce varieties. For these reasons, Koshercertified iceberg is normally widely available throughout the year. But when seasons change or there are unusual weather patterns, insect pressures can increase. There are two primary growing regions in the United States. during the winter (November-April), the Yuma, AZ, region is home to C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3
Inside this issue Dried Fruit..............................................................................................................Page 1 Just the Tip of the Iceberg...............................................................................Page 1 Charting the Course of Shmitta 5775..........................................................Page 4 Last Dates of Kedushas Shevi'is, Shefichin, and Biur 5775/76 ��������������Page 5 New Under STAR-K Certification....................................................................Page 7
Kashrus Education
Dried Fruit
NATURE’S WAY OF WRINKLING GRACEFULLY RABBI TZVI ROSEN EDITOR, K ASHRUS KURRENTS C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1
such as apricots or golden raisins, sulfur dioxide is added to lighten the color. Some fruits use sodium metabisulfite as a preservative. Ascorbic acid could also be added. An organic sun dried fruit, however, is typically additive-free. It contains neither pesticides, additives such as sodium metabisulfite, nor chemicals used for fumigation. A good example of an organic fruit is a natural apricot, which is much darker in color and has a very different taste than its light colored, sulfured counterpart. Another method of drying fruit is known as oven or tunnel drying. The benefit of this method is that the process includes a dehydrator that is climatically controlled, and the fruit is not subject to the moods or pitfalls of Mother Nature. Nevertheless, the kosher consumer must be aware that inherent in tunnel dried fruit are more processing issues than in sun drying. It is not uncommon for oven dried fruit to use oils or release agents which require kosher certification. Some tunnel-dried raisins in Bulgaria are dipped in hot water before drying. Dried cherries from Michigan, the cherry capital of the world, is an excellent example of tunnel-dried fruit. Most fruit, once dried, require no additional additives or sweeteners; others, however, do require the addition of processing aids or sweeteners. For example, some apricot companies season their apricots with fruit flavoring to give their apricots a unique taste. Potassium sorbate is added to prunes and sultana raisins. Pineapple, mango, and papaya from Thailand are sweetened with sugars and flavors (kosher certified Thai dried fruit companies have kosher approval for year-round use). At times, the dried fruit undergoes further processing known as glace, meaning that the dried fruit is cooked in sugar and honey glazed. Consumers might find glace orange peels from Italy on their supermarket shelves. Glace is a process whereby liquid sugar – glucose – is infused into the fruit to give it a bright sheen and longevity. Often the fruit is colored to give a bright luster, hence the name glace. It is common for glace red cherries to be naturally colored with carmine, a lustrous natural red color derived from crushed coccineal beetles, which are not kosher. Obviously, synthetic colors do not present kashrus problems, however, carmine does. Banana chips from the Philippines are another popular dried fruit. After drying, they are fried in vegetable oil and seasoned with flavorings. These products obviously require more rigorous supervision. It is interesting to note that in the Philippines, only refined vegetable oil is used which minimizes the concerns of non-kosher oil. Nevertheless, kosher certified banana chip plants are monitored regularly. When you hear the name Thompson, Currant, Sultana or Golden you think raisin. Raisins are probably the most globally marketed fruit on the market. They are grown not only in California but also Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Turkey and South Africa, as well. They often come into this country in boxes marked “Raisins”. It is very common for raisin producers to coat the fruit with a minute amount of oil to keep the raisins from sticking. Some companies use vegetable oil, such as soy or cottonseed; others may use specially formulated oils. Sometimes, the manufacturer states that the oil is GMO-free or non-GMO. This designation
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means that the vegetable seeds or oils used to make the oil are free from any genetic modification. Typically, these oils are referred to as polishing oils and are kosher certified.
PASSOVER ISSUES One of the most important areas of the kosher dried fruit industry is Kosher for Passover fruit, as well as regular kosher. This is a new year-round certification request. Assuring that dried fruit is Kosher for Passover can be an arduous task. It is common practice for dried fruit producers to roll fruit pieces in flour to prevent them from sticking together. Rice flour is commonly used for apricots, oat flour for dates, and soy oil is typically used for raisins. These products obviously cannot be certified for Passover use. However, the question remains whether the non-floured dried fruit qualifies for Kosher for Passover certification. Before certifying any fruit for Passover, great care must be taken to ensure that the non-floured whole dried fruit is adequately segregated from the floured pieces, or that ascorbic acid is not used in the field. Many companies flour their fruit pieces in a separate room or separate area in the plant. However, this does not always guarantee segregation. In one instance, it was discovered that the flour shaker used to coat the date pieces created an oat powder cloud which spread and covered the packaging belts in an adjoining room. For Passover certification, this situation was disastrous. The solution was to package the Kosher for Passover dates in a different packaging area of the plant. In the past, we have had requests for Kosher for Passover sugar sweetened pineapple from the Philippines. When we researched the project, we discovered that corn syrup was commonly substituted for liquid sucrose. The rabbi told us that it would be very difficult to segregate sugar lines “…even if the mashgiach would live in the factory.” Needless to say, we did not do a Kosher for Passover production. In Argentina, we faced a different Kosher for Passover issue. A manufacturer wanted to import prunes that were specially produced for Passover use. In his facility, only prunes were processed in drying ovens. The company took great pains to clean the ovens for this production, and everything appeared to be in order … except for one item. Potassium sorbate was sometimes added to the prunes to regulate their moisture level. It is usually not difficult to purchase synthetic Kosher for Passover potassium sorbate in the U.S. However, the particular potassium sorbate that this company used has been produced in China, which today is a major player in the manufacture of chemical food ingredients. Typically, Chinese potassium sorbate is a derivative of corn or rice, which is a kitniyos (legume) source. Consequently, this manufacturer’s product was disqualified for Pesach use. Packaging equipment used for both Kosher for Passover and non-Kosher for Passover productions usually present challenges for companies that want to manufacture special Kosher for Passover productions. Some mixes tend to blend snack crackers, candies and an array of salted, roasted, and fried items which would require careful cleaning and supervision before certifying a Kosher for Passover fruit production. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6
Kashrus Education
Just the Tip of the Iceberg A FEW FACTS ON THE SHORTAGE OF KOSHER ICEBERG LETTUCE
RABBI SHOLOM TENDLER K ASHRUS ADMINISTRATOR C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1
most of the country’s growing operations.1 The rest of the year Additionally, there are many different types of washing (April-November), the Salinas, CA, region is the main growing systems used in different companies, from flume systems area. This past winter, the Yuma region was subjected and hydro loops, to shaker/sprayer tables and simple to above average temperatures and humidity. This conveyor rinse tanks. The exclusive or combined caused very high levels of insect pressure in all use of any of these can permit a product to be the crops. Even once it subsequently cooled called “triple washed.” Yet in terms of insect down, those initial weeks of abnormally removal, some of these systems can hardly warm weather were precisely the time be considered significant or effective. when much of the iceberg crop was in its Therefore, the fact that lettuce is claimed preliminary growth stages.2 to be “triple washed” is not necessarily an indication of adequate cleansing from It was initially hoped that the insect insects, unless it has a proper hashgocho pressure would subside once the seasons verifying the kashrus of that particular changed and the growers moved to product. California, especially since the lettuce that was to be harvested in Salinas in April had In order for processed iceberg to bear been planted during the cold winter. But the a reliable hechsher, careful monitoring is insect pressure in California has also remained necessary. If the iceberg is only minimally elevated, as a result of the longstanding drought. infested, which in most years is the case, a decent PICTURE 1 Interestingly, the Salinas Valley actually sits on the wash system will usually be adequate to remove all the largest underground river in the world, which means that insects. If it is highly infested, however, it is unlikely to produce grown there requires almost no rainfall. be certified without a rigorous set of filtration or But since the surrounding areas do not have flush systems in place in which the water that benefit, insects from all the surrounding either gets filtered properly or is flushed mountains (which are bare of vegetation with enough fresh water on a constant due to the drought) have swooped in and basis to avoid insect buildup. Due to the infested the lush Salinas Valley produce fact that infestation levels can fluctuate fields. and change suddenly, careful monitoring by trained mashgichim is necessary. This is why STAR-K has always required “TRIPLE WASHED” – REALLY? commercially produced iceberg to bear a As noted above, iceberg tends to be reliable certification. easier to wash effectively than romaine. It is typically less infested and its leaves are CONSUMER AWARENESS smoother and firmer than romaine’s; therefore, it is harder for insects to cling to them. This is Due to the many variables and factors especially true in a home kitchen, in which a decent involved in producing insect-free iceberg lettuce, PICTURE 2 wash will often lead to the lettuce passing the insect STAR-K policy has always been to require a reliable check. In industrial settings, however, where there can be hechsher on iceberg. Careful oversight and constant thousands of pounds of produce washed throughout monitoring by trained mashgichim is necessary the day, a whole new set of challenges must be in order to certify iceberg reliably. We hope addressed. these seasonal/weather issues will end soon, allowing more iceberg lettuce to pass In many plants, industrial washing inspections. Consumers are urged to always systems operate constantly. The wash check bags of prewashed lettuces for water is generally used again and again reliable kosher symbols that ensure the on the same processing lines.3 This means produce is properly certified and that no that you can have thousands of pounds further checking is required. of lettuce essentially being washed in the same water. If the lettuce has high levels There is much written about the of insect infestation, the sheer volume tremendous rewards and kedusha that being processed increases the possibility we merit by avoiding forbidden foods,4 that insects washed off the leaves will build particularly insects. During these turbulent up a presence in the water and either re-attach times, when we are faced with great challenges themselves to the produce or simply end up in to maintaining our level of kedusha, as well as FULL HEAD the bagged finished product. Although the wash the physical threats to many of Acheinu Bnei Yisroel, water is gradually turned over every few hours, the rate of may our heightened awareness of these issues be a source of replenishment may not be fast enough to avoid insect buildup. merit for all of us and strengthen the level of kedusha in our lives. May we all be zoche to a Kesiva Vchasima Tova. 1. The Belleglade, FL, area also has significant output, although not nearly as much as Yuma. 2. Iceberg can take anywhere from 60-120 days to grow, depending on the weather. In Yuma, the average is 80-90 days. We actually reviewed the weather history and saw that much of the iceberg that was harvested in February and March, when the insect pressure levels were high, was planted and started growing during unseasonably warm weather. 3. This is done for three reasons: (1) environmental - to conserve water; (2) financial - to save money on water usage costs; and (3) to save money on costs associated with cooling the wash water and maintaining a proper temperature of 34-36° F. Since cooling water is very costly, they reuse the already cooled water.
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העמק דבר עה"פ והייתם, ערוה"ש סי' פ"ד ס"ק ס"ד,' חכמת אדם סי' ל"ח ס"ק כ,ע' יומא ל"ט ע"א ) מ"ד,קדושים (ויקרא י"א
Kashrus Education
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Charting the Course of Shmitta 5775 RABBI DOVID STEIN STAR-K REPRESENTATIVE IN ISRAEL
The mitzvah of shmitta poses many challenges for those who live in Eretz Yisrael. The main challenge, of course, is for the farmers. However, the consumer has his challenges, as well. It is always preferable to purchase produce from stores that have reliable kosher certification to ensure that there are no halachic problems. If there is no such store available, one must be certain not to transgress the laws of shmitta in the purchase, consumption, or interaction with shmitta produce. These are the different categories of halachos that one has to take into consideration: 1. Sfichin 2. Kedushas shevi’is 3. Schora (doing business) with shevi’is produce 4. Dmei shevi’is (shevi’is money) The laws of sfichin refer to a rabbinic prohibition of eating produce that started to grow during the shmitta year,1 i.e., the plant started to grow from Rosh Hashanah תשע״ה until תשע״ו. This is the opinion of the Chazon Ish, the most widely accepted custom among Ashkenazim in Eretz Yisrael. Regarding grains and legumes, there is a different critical date after which sfichin are not permitted to be eaten. Obviously, if one wants to buy vegetables he/she must be certain that the vegetables did not start to grow during the shmitta year. How can one know when the produce began to grow if it is bought in a store that is not under reliable rabbinic supervision? In order to overcome this problem, charts were developed with the information needed to ascertain whether the produce started to grow during shmitta. For example, it takes between 58 and 78 days after a tomato seed is planted until it produces its first ripe tomato. It takes a few more weeks until the new tomato crop constitutes a majority of the tomatoes in the market. Until that time, we may be able to say “kol deparish meruba parish,” and assume that the fruit in question comes from the prevailing majority in the marketplace, which in this case is a non-shevi’is product. The date on the chart is usually when the majority of the vegetable production is shevi’is (although there are charts that give the date of the first produce on the market). One should be mindful of the cut-off date for a particular type of produce before buying any fruits or vegetables that might possibly be prohibited for consumption resulting from sfichin. Kedushas shevi’is applies to all vegetables picked during the shmitta year. Picking, lekita, invests the vegetable with kedushas shevi’is when it is picked during the shmitta year.2 Since many vegetables (such as carrots and potatoes) can be stored for relatively long periods of time, most of the produce
in the market does not have to be picked during the shmitta year until well after Rosh Hashanah. The date on the chart for a given vegetable for kedushas shevi’is indicates when a particular type of produce was picked during the shmitta year. Besides the issur of sfichin, there are other issues regarding produce grown during the shmitta year without rabbinic supervision. The following are a few examples: Shamur v’neevad: Some authorities prohibit using produce that was “guarded” (shevi’is produce is supposed to be “hefker,” ownerless, and permitted to be taken by anyone) or upon which non-permissible work was performed during shmitta. Produce without rabbinic supervision can fall under this category. The Chazon Ish permitted the use of shamur v’neevad b’shaas hadchak (in difficult circumstances). Schora: Doing business with shevi’is produce. One is not permitted to buy produce that has kedushas shevi’is (weighing, buying in a regular store, etc.) in the usual way. Mesiras dmei shevi’is l’am haaretz: When one buys shevi’is produce for immediate use, the money that is used to pay for the item is imbued with kedushas shevi’is and may be used only to purchase food. Therefore, it is not permitted to give this money to a storekeeper who will not observe the laws of shevi’is. There are ways to circumvent the above noted problems. If one uses a credit card, there is no issue of dmei shevi’is. If one buys behavlaa (two things together, but paying only for the item that does not have kedushas shevi’is), there may not be a problem of schora. If one buys produce in stores that have reliable rabbinic supervision, one does not need to refer to the charts. Produce that has kedushas shevi’is should be marked (sometimes there are codes). If you do need to use the chart, there is a column indicating when sfichin and kedushas shevi’is end. Produce that was picked during the shmitta year will always have the application of kedushas shevi’is/sfichin. Produce picked in the eighth year ( )תשע״וhas kedushas shevi’is/sfichin, either until the new crop starts or until Chanukah (whichever comes first.) Biur: Produce that has kedushas shevi’is can be kept at home only while there is some of the same produce still in the fields. The column for biur indicates when one must dispose of all the produce (take it outside and make it hefker), after which time it can be taken back inside the house. If the z’man biur elapsed, and biur was not performed, the produce is forbidden to be eaten. The times for biur are very inexact, and it is not a good idea to store a lot of produce towards the end of shmitta (less than three meals for the whole family are exempt from the laws of biur).
1. ב׳ וד׳. רמב״ם הלכות שמיטה ויובל פרק ד׳ הל 2. י״ב מהגמרא ר״ה דף י״ב. רמב״ם הלכות שמיטה ויובל פרק ד׳ הל
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Kashrus Education
Last Dates of Kedushas
Shevi ’is, Sefichin and Biur 5775/5776
The following are ending dates of Kedushas Shevi’is, Sefichin and the dates of Biur. ITEM
KEDUSHAS SHEVI’IS/ SEFICHIN UNTIL
Does SEFICHIN Apply?
BIUR
ITEM
KEDUSHAS SHEVI’IS/ SEFICHIN UNTIL
Does SEFICHIN Apply?
BIUR
Almonds
17 Av 5776
No
1 Cheshvan 5776
Apples
17 Sivan 5776
No
21 Teves 5776
(caraway seeds)
Kimmel
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Apricots
7 Nisan 5776
No
20 Tamuz 5775
Kiwi
17 Av 5776
No
1 Adar I 5776
Artichoke
25 Kislev 5776
No
6 Tamuz 5775
Kohlrabi
18 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Asparagus
25 Kislev 5776
No
No Biur4
Lemon
16 Iyar 5776
No
1 Elul 5776
1 Av 5776
Lentils
No Kedushah
No
2
Avocado
16 Tam uz 5776
No
No Biur2
Banana
11 Tishrei 5776
No3
No Biur4
Lettuce
3 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Barley
25 Iyar 5776
Yes
20 Sivan 5775
Lychee2
6 Iyar 5776
No
11 Tishrei 5776
Basil
25 Kislev 5776
No3
No Biur4
Mango
17 Sivan 5776
No
1 Shevat 5776
Beans
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Medlar (Shesek)
16 Shevat 5776
No
1 Tamuz 5775
Beets
10 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Melon9
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Blueberries
No Kedushah2
No
No Biur2
Mint
25 Kislev 5776
No3
No Biur4
Broccoli
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
15 Iyar 5775
Mushrooms
Butternut Squash
15 Teves 5776
Yes
15 Tishrei 5776
Cabbage (White)
4 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Cabbage (Red)
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Carob
15 Elul 5776
No
1 Adar I 5776
Carrots
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Cashews
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Cauliflower
24 Kislev 5776
Yes
Celery
24 Kislev 5776
Cherries
3
3
2
Laws of Shmittah are not applicable
Mustard
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Nectarine
21 Adar I 5776
No
1 Teves 5776
Oats
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Olives
16 Tamuz 5776
No
6 Sivan 5776
Olive Oil
16 Elul 5776
No
6 Sivan 5776
(incl. powder)
Onion
1 Shevat 5776
Yes
No Biur4
No Biur4
Oranges
17 Av 5776
No
15 Sivan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Paprika (fresh)
28 Av 5776
Yes
20 Kislev 5775
17 Nisan 5776
No
15 Tamuz 5775
Parsley
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Chickpeas
(incl. root)
25 Sivan 5776
Yes
1 Av 5775
Cinnamon
No Kedushah
No
No Biur2
Peaches
21 Adar I 5776
No
1 Teves 5776
Coriander
10 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Peanuts
28 Av 5776
Yes
No Biur
Corn (Fresh)
10 Tishrei 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Pears
9 Sivan 5776
No
11 Tishrei 5776
Cranberries
No Kedushah2
No
No Biur2
Peas (Dried)
No Kedushah2
No
No Biur2
Cucumbers
5 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Peas in Pod
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
7 Sivan 5775
Cumin
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Pecan
15 Elul 5776
No
19 Teves 5776
Dates
6 Elul 5776
No
14 Adar I 5776
(Powder B&W)
Pepper
No Kedushah2
No
No Biur2
Dill
29 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Pepper (Jalapeno)
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Eggplant8
15 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Peppers10
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Esrog7
17 Sivan 5776
No
1 Shevat 5776
Persimmon
26 Sivan 5776
No
15 Teves 5776
Fennel
1 Kislev 5776
Yes
1 Cheshvan 5776
Pineapple
25 Kislev 5776
No
No Biur4
Figs
29 Adar II 5776
No
25 Kislev 5776
Pistachio
No Kedushah2
No
No Biur2
Garlic
25 Adar II 5776
Yes
5 Sivan 5775
(Euro. Longated)
Plums
16 Tamuz 5776
No
15 Cheshvan 5776
Ginger
No Kedushah
No
No Biur
Plums
Grapefruit
17 Av 5776
No
1 Av 5776
(Japanese Round)
17 Nisan 5776
No
15 Cheshvan 5776
Grapes
6 Adar II 5776
No
14 Nisan 5776
Pomegranate
9 Tamuz 5776
No
1 Teves 5776
Grapes for Wine
17 Sivan 5776
No
14 Nisan 5776
Pomelo
17 Av 5776
No
1 Sivan 5776
Guava
16 Tamuz 5776
No
1 Teves 5776
Popcorn
11 Av 5776
Yes
No Biur
Poppy Seeds
No Kedushah
No
2
No Biur2
Potatoes
4 Teves 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Pumpkin
1 Shevat 5776
Yes
1 Cheshvan 5776
2
2
2
2
Horseradish
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Hyssop
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Kidney Beans
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
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5
Last Dates of Kedushas
Shevi ’is, Sefichin and Biur 5775/5776
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5
ITEM
KEDUSHAS SHEVI’IS/ SEFICHIN UNTIL
Does SEFICHIN Apply?
BIUR
ITEM
KEDUSHAS SHEVI’IS/ SEFICHIN UNTIL
Does SEFICHIN Apply?
BIUR
Pumpkin Seeds
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
11 Av 5776
Yes
7 Elul 5775
Radish
13 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Sunflower Seeds
Radish-Small
8 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Sweet Potatoes
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No info.
Rice
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Tarragon
No Kedushah2
No3
No Biur5
Sabra
17 Cheshvan 5776
No
16 Shevat 5776
Tomatoes
13 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Scallion
20 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Turnip
15 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Sesame
No Kedushah1
No1
No Biur1
Walnut
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Soya
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Watermelon
25 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Spelt
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
Spinach
1 Kislev 5776
Yes
No Biur
Wheat Products6
Strawberries
4 Kislev 5776
Yes
1 Tamuz 5775
Zucchini (Squash)
3 Cheshvan 5776
Yes
No Biur4
Sugar
No Kedushah2
No2
No Biur2
4
We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Rabbi Shaul Goldman in the translation of the above chart. 1. Gidulei Nochri – in Israel 2. Imported 3. Multi Year plant 4. Available all year 5. Intended for Flavor Only 6. Most wheat products used in Israel are of imported wheat and not subject to shmittah laws. This must be ascertained from the baker or from the packaging label.
Dried Fruit
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2
TO CHECK OR NOT TO CHECK – THAT IS THE QUESTION Along with the rise of general consumer awareness, one of the most daunting kashrus challenges that kosher certification faces today is making sure that fruits and vegetables are halachically insect-free. Kosher food certification is now working with effective pest management programs in the field, as well as cleaning/ washing procedures and preventative measures in their processing facilities. However, we know that with all the herculean efforts and well meaning intentions, nature is still nature and no system is infallible. Halacha clearly forbids us to eat toloyim, insects. The halacha also tells us that the obligation to check for insects in a fruit or vegetable is directly tied to the regularity and propensity of insect presence in a particular fruit or vegetable. In short, fruits and vegetables can be categorized into four general groups: 1. Category 1 - Produce that never requires inspection; fruits and vegetables that do not have infestation issues e.g., bananas 2. Category 2 – Aino Matzui, rare to occasional; produce that one is not halachically obligated to be checked 3. Category 3 – Miut Hamatzui, occasional to prevalent; produce requiring further checking1 4. Category 4 – Muchzak, prevalent; produce that cannot be used without special handling and is not recommended for consumption 1.. STAR-K follows the opinion of the Mishkenos Yaakov that the cut-off point between a miut hamatzui and aino matzui is 10%. This means that if an insect is found in 1 out of 10 portions, the insect presence in such a variety is considered miut hamatzui and the variety must be checked before eating. For example, if one is checking dates a portion size is four dates. Therefore, if one checked 40 dates (10 portions) and they were 100% clean, the dates would fall into the aino matzui category, and no further checking would be necessary. If any insects were found in the sample, it is considered miut hamatzui.
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7. Most esrogim for Succos 5776 (2016) will be available from the crop harvested through Otzar Beis Din and, therefore, the rules of kedushas shvi’is apply. 8. Most eggplant between Cheshvan and Adar Aleph are from the Southern Aravah and gentiles. 9. In the winter, most melons are from Southern Aravah. 10. From Kislev until Adar Aleph, grown in areas that may not have been inhabited during Aliyas Bavel. 11. 90% is from Import.
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The need to control infestation and disease is of paramount concern for any fruit producer, dried fruit notwithstanding. If an infested container was used for a shipment, that container would be rejected and the manufacturer would suffer a great loss. All dried fruit is subject to some insect control. When dried fruits enter the production facility, they are placed in a special chamber and are treated with methyl bromide, a gas used to kill any insects. These fruits are then washed. The insects are then separated from the fruit before going through further processing. Furthermore, as an added precaution, if the fruit remains in the factory for 90 days this treatment is repeated. Even organic fruit is subject to some degree of treatment for possible infestation, usually involving freezing the fruit to kill any insects. Based on these processing practices, statistics indicate that as long as the dried fruit is properly stored in a cool and moisture-free environment, infestation should be minimal. However, storage conditions that are less than optimum can promote new infestation. STAR-K ensures that proper insect control is in place at each production facility that it certifies. However, once it leaves the production facility proper storage conditions are beyond the hashgacha’s control. As such, there are a number of dried fruit items that are more susceptible to infestation and STAR-K recommends checking a few of those items in each container in order to ensure that it was properly processed and stored (i.e., dates, figs and carob). Undoubtedly, with our greater understanding, we will certainly appreciate the efforts of all of the hardworking men and women throughout the world who bring us these popular treats and allow us to truly appreciate the fruits of their labor.
Kashrus Education
NEW UNDER STAR-K KOSHER CERTIFICATION FA L L 2 0 1 5 / 5 7 7 6
NATURE’S WAREHOUSE
CONSUMER PRODUCTS (only when bearing Star-K symbol)
Howell, NJ SALADS (PREPARED); SAUCES & DIPS
ALTER ECO AMERICA PBC
NEAL’S YARD REMEDIES
San Francisco, CA QUINOA
UNITED KINGDOM HERBAL EXTRACTS
ANHUI BEIBAO FOODS
CHINA CANNED FRUIT
Glendale, CA PICKLED PRODUCTS
ON POINT, INC.
ROME LUBRICANTS
ORIGINAL LIVING COCONUT, LLC
Stockton, MO COCONUT PRODUCTS; ICE CREAM & NOVELTIES
GREECE OLIVES
RIGGIO DISTRIBUTION
ARABICA COFFEE
Detroit, MI FRUIT (FRESH PACKAGED)
Garfield, NJ COFFEES
SEDANO’S MANAGEMENT, INC.
BIG Y FOODS, INC.
Hialeah, FL ICE CREAM & NOVELTIES
Springfield, MA ICE CREAM CONES
SHINN SPRING WATER CO.
CAFF COFFEE
Birdsboro, PA WATER
Brooklyn, NY COFFEES
SIAM MUD MUK
CENTRAL GROCERS, INC.
THAILAND COCONUT PRODUCTS
Joliet, IL BAGELS
COST PLUS MANAGEMENT SVCS
Oakland, CA COFFEES
DAN-D FOODS
CANADA COCONUT PRODUCTS
FLAMINGO, LLC FLP, LLC
WEAVER NUT CO.
H&M WAGNER
WEGMANS FOOD MARKETS COCONUT OIL DIVISION
Glen Burnie, MD COFFEES
Rochester, NY COCONUT PRODUCTS
INGLES SUPERMARKETS
Black Mountain, NC COFFEES
GREEN VIRGIN PRODUCTS
INDUSTRIAL/ INSTITUTIONAL PRODUCTS (see letter of certification)
INNHERB ISRAEL LTD.
ACCURATE PACKAGING & FULFILLMENT
MAMA’S MUNDEL BREAD
Owings Mills, MD COOKIES (SPECIALTY)
Mechanicsburg, PA VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
MARGARITA’S TORTILLA FACTORY
AGRI EXIM GLOBAL PHILIPPINES
WUXI TIANFENG FOOD INGREDIENT
CHINA INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
CHINA SWEETENERS
HANGZHOU OUQI FOOD CO., LTD.
XINING YUANLING ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SCIENCE & TECH
CHINA NUTRITIONAL COMPONENTS; VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
HEBEI JIAFENG PLANT OILS
CHINA SEED OILS
HIGH HOPE FOODS
JIASHAN JIANQUIAO BIOCHEM
CHINA AMINO ACIDS
LINCHENG GOLDEN SUGAR FOOD
CHINA AMINO ACIDS
LINYI DASHAN FOOD CO., LTD.
CHINA CANNED VEGETABLES
MELIKA TARIM
FRUIT (DRIED)
MM8 GROUP LLC
Dresden, TN COFFEES; K-CUPS-COFFEE/TEA
MUN KSJO ROTTERSAC
FRANCE PARCHMENT PAPER
NATIONAL IMPORTERS, INC.
Canned Water Chestnuts Div. CANADA CANNED FRUIT
QUINOA
APOSTOLOS NACOS SINGLE MEMBER P.C.
SHANXI JC BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY
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ZHUCHENG HUAYUAN BIOENGINEERING
NEW UNDER STAR-D (only when bearing Star-D symbol)
CHINA INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
CHINA HERBAL EXTRACTS
GREECE OLIVES
CHINA VEGETABLES (CANNED)
INNER MONGOLIA UNISPLENDOUR
San Francisco, CA
MOLINO NICOLI SPA
YICHANG TIANYUAN CANNED FOOD
CHINA FOOD ACIDS & PRESERVATIVES
MATERNAL SCIENCE, INC.
ITALY CEREAL PRODUCTS; GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS
CHINA FRUIT (CANNED)
HUBEI XIQUAN FOOD & BEVERAGE
PHILIPPINES COCONUT PRODUCTS
Montvale, NJ TEAS
WUHAN ZONECHEM NATURAL PRODUCTS
GUILIN ZHUORUI FOOD INGREDIENTS
Lockhart, TX TORTILLAS/TACOS
ALTER ECO AMERICA PBC
WUFENG CHICHENG BIOTECH
CHINA ACIDS & ACIDULANTS
CHINA VITAMIN COMPONENTS
TURKEY
ISRAEL ESSENTIAL OILS & OLEORESINS; VITAMINS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
TAKAOKAYA USA, INC.
Los Angeles, CA SEAWEED PRODUCTS
Tampa, FL HERBAL EXTRACTS
CHINA CANNED FRUIT
Ephrata, PA NUTS & SEEDS
SYSCO CANADA
CANADA VEGETABLES (CANNED)
UNIVAR USA INC.
CHINA FRUIT (CANNED)
THE FRESH MARKET COFFEE DIVISION U-LINE CORPORATION
SHINN SPRING WATER CO.
Birdsboro, PA WATER
Downers Grove, IL FOOD ACIDS
FUYANG TONGCHUANG FOODSTUFFS
CHINA FOOD ADDITIVES
Milwaukee, WI KITCHEN APPLIANCE (SABBATH COMPLIANT)
Tempe, AZ PLASTIC PRODUCTS
ENI S.P.A.
TECNO SPA
ITALY KITCHEN APPLIANCES (SABBATH COMPLIANT)
Greensboro, NC COFFEES
Palm Beach Gardens, FL CANNED FRUIT
CHEMETALL US, INC.
New Providence, NJ INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
Montvale, NJ COFFEES
APOSTOLOS NACOS SINGLE MEMBER P.C.
CABOT NORIT NEDERLAND B.V.
NETHERLANDS FILTERING AGENTS
NIRWAMA FOODS LLC
Jersey City, NJ SPICES & SEASONINGS
AMEXIM, INC.
BRIDGEWELL RESOURCES
Clackamas, OR COCONUT PRODUCTS
SHAANXI LONGFU BIOCHEMICAL
The Star-D is a kashrus symbol of the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI). The Star-K, in its relationship with the NCYI, administers the kashrus of the Star-D. All Star-D products are dairy – cholov stam (non-cholov Yisroel).
BLENDING SOLUTIONS
Carmel, IN BAKING MIXES
CREAM-O-LAND DAIRIES, LLC
Florence, NJ JUICE & JUICE CONCENTRATE
ERIN MCKENNA’S BAKERY
Buena Park, CA ICE CREAM & NOVELTIES; ICE CREAM MIXES
TASTY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
Commack, NY BAKERY SUPPLIES; BAKING MIXES; DRY MIXES
THE FRESH MARKET DRY MIX DIVISION
Greensboro, NC BAKING MIXES; COOKIE MIXES; PANCAKE MIXES
URBAN ACCENTS
Chicago, IL PANCAKE MIXES
CHINA VITAMIN COMPONENTS
Kashrus Education
7
STAR-K CERTIFICATION, INC.
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID BROOKLYN, NY PERMIT #7379
122 Slade Avenue, Suite 300 Baltimore, Maryland 21208-4996
Got Questions? STAR-K HAS ANSWERS
BY MARGIE PENSAK
To further promote the mission of halacha observance “beyond milk and meat”, STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Zvi Goldberg hosts a monthly 30-60 minute TeleKosher Conference Series. Listeners call in from across the U.S., Israel, Spain, Peru, Canada, and elsewhere around the world to learn about topics ranging from A Visitor’s Halachic Guide to Hospitals to Modern Appliances and the Kosher World. “We try to pick a timely topic, one that will grab people’s attention, and not only about kashrus,” notes Rabbi Goldberg. “If there is inclement weather, we might discuss the halachos relevant to storm weather and what you can do about it on Shabbos. Obviously, before Pesach we talk about Pesach. We even received some requests for a webinar every day for two weeks prior to last Pesach. That wasn’t feasible, but our dramatically increased daily email and phone call volume were testimony of the need for consumers to get answers to their queries—from March 4 to April 1, 2015, the STAR-K Hotline received approximately 8,600 calls.” “It’s most gratifying when the viewers are engaged and chatting with us, then we know we are accomplishing our goals,” says Rabbi Goldberg, who encourages audience participation. “There are lots of lectures people can listen to, but very few places to go to interact live with kashrus professionals. Some listeners are colleagues of ours from other agencies, which is especially gratifying. We all learn from each other!” STAR-K’s Advanced Halacha Webinar Series features STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator, Harav Moshe Heinemann, shlit”a, who has always been on the cutting edge of advanced technology and halacha. Past webinars include such topics as Eruvinar (a two-part series for eruv professionals that discusses hilchos Eruv, as they apply to the challenges of a city-wide eruv); Mikvanar (addresses questions that arise during mikvah construction and maintenance), and Chicken Shayla Webinar (teaches how to differentiate between a chicken’s perfectly normal imperfection resulting from processing and an imperfection that presents a true shayla in need of being addressed by one’s rav). Ask our Kosher experts your questions, the last Wednesday of each month at 12 noon, EST. For signup info, visit www.star-k.org/ telekosher. Join the live video broadcasting via the web, Smartphone or telephone. Replays are available on STAR-K’s Vimeo channel https://vimeo.com/channels/721503.
STAR-K Kosher Certification A non-profit agency representing the Kosher consumer in promoting Kashrus through Education, Research and Supervision.
Subscriptions
$10(USD) annually for 4 issues -US & Canada $15(USD) annually for 4 issues -Overseas
Kashrus Kurrents is also available on the web at www.star-k.org/cons-kash.htm.
FOUNDING EDITOR: A.J. Levin EDITOR: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen MANAGING EDITOR: Mrs. Pesi Herskovitz COPY EDITOR/COORDINATOR: Ms. D. Rosenstein CONTRIBUTING WRITER: Mrs. Margie Pensak GRAPHIC ARTIST: Miss Perel Leah Heber
Phone: (410) 484-4110 Fax: (410) 653-9294 E-mail: info@star-k.org www.star-k.org Copyright: 2015. STAR-K Certification, Inc. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission of STAR-K Certification, Inc.
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This publication is dedicated to the memory of M. Leo Storch, of blessed memory, through a grant from Mrs. M. Leo Storch & Family.
(The Star-K Passover Book, not included in this subscription, is available for purchase in Jewish bookstores during the Passover season.)
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Kashrus Education