From The Star-K: Newly Certified – Bountouris Olives
Bountouris Olives are now certified Kosher under Star-K supervision.
From The RCC: Basbussa Restaurant in Los Angeles
The RCC announces that Basbussa Restaurant on W. 3rd St. in Los Angeles is now newly certified Kosher under RCC supervision.
Clarification: Nature Source Smokey Bacon Flavored Snack Mix
People reached out because they saw the OU on the Nature Source Smokey Bacon Flavored Snack Mix. It is correct. It is only bacon flavored and there is no actual bacon in it. It is pareve and under the hashgacha of the OU.
From The O/U: DE Equipment Project
From The O/U:
“On a constant basis, we receive requests from consumers whether products bearing the O/UD symbol actually contain dairy ingredients or are run on “dairy equipment” lines and are therefore really “DE”.
To meet that demand, we will be displaying on O/UKosher.org, which O/UD products are designated as “dairy equipment”. It will appear as a filter option on the O/U Kosher product search page”.
From The Star-K: Newly Certified – Sincerely, Brigitte Tapas
Sincerely, Brigitte brand Apricot & Almond and Fig & Walnut Tapas are now certified Kosher under Star-K supervision.
From The Star-K: Newly Certified – Honey Love Honey
Honey Love brand Honey in Jar, Honey Spoon and Honey Tube or Stick are now certified Kosher under Star-K supervision.
From The COR: Vernors Black Cherry Ginger Soda
Vernors Black Cherry Ginger Soda, available in Michigan and the Toledo, Ohio area, is Kosher and Pareve with no kosher symbol required.
From The Star-K: Newly Certified – Cosmo Olives and Capers
Cosmo brand Capers in Brine, Gaeta Olives, Green Olives and Oil Cured Olives are now certified Kosher under Star-K supervision.
From The Star-K – Newly Certified: Food To Live Pasta
Food To Live brand Organic Chickpea Pasta Fusilli and Organic Red Lentil Pasta Penne are now certified Kosher under the Star-K.
From The COR: Restaurants in Niagra Falls
The COR is pleased to announce the COR certification of two restaurants in Niagra Falls, which compliments the existing supervision of Rabbi Zalman of Chabad Niagra. These restaurants are…
Top Nosh Kosher Pizza
Taste (meat fine dining)
Both are located in the Chabad of Niagra Falls complex at 6417 Main St. in Niagra Falls, Ontario.
Star-K Slurpee List
STAR-K UPDATE
June 27, 2023
Kosher Slurpee Flavors
The Slurpees listed below are recommended only when produced in the USA. Flavors refer to both Regular and Diet versions and are certified by either STAR-K or by reliable kashrus agencies.
Since the kosher status of flavors can change at any time, STAR-K takes no responsibility when changes occur.
STAR-K does not certify individual 7-Eleven locations. Consumers are urged to use discretion when patronizing any particular store.
The following list is for consumer information only and is accurate at the time of printing.
Click here to download a PDF of the most current Kosher Slurpee List – https://www.star-k.org/articles/wp-content/uploads/kosher-slurpee-listing.pdf
From The O/U: Marshmallow Fluff
Marshmallow Fluff, manufactured by Durkee-Mower, does not bear an O/U symbol on some 16 oz. containers due to a printing error, but it is, in fact, Kosher and pareve.
From The COR: Hard Mountain Dew Malt Beverage
Hard Mountain Dew Zero Sugar Malt Beverage in several flavors is Kosher when bearing the Star-K symbol.
From The COR: New Kosher Slurpee Syrups
The following new Slurpee Syrups are Kosher and pareve (no symbol required):
Fanta Dragon Fruit Zero Sugar FCB
Fruitworks Lemon Candy Freeze FCB
From The COR: New Kosher Sodas
The following new sodas are Kosher and pareve (no symbol required):
Mountain Dew Summer Freeze
Pepsi X Peeps (marshmallow flavored Pepsi)
Sunkisht Mango Orange
Sunkist Watermelon Lemonade
From The KIB: Pita Bu Restaurant in Malibu
Chabad of Malibu (Rabbi Cunin) has taken over running and the hashgacha of what was Fish Grill on Pacific Coast Highway across from the Malibu pier. It is now called Pita Bu, with an Israeli cuisine.
From The O/U: Hard Cheeses
The O/U reminds us about the rule of refraining from consuming meat after eating certain types of cheese. In Yoreh Deah 89:2, the Remo writes: “And there are those who are strict and do not consume meat after eating cheese (source: Mordechai and Beis Yosef in the name of Maharam: v. tur Yoreh Deah 90), and such is our minhag: that we do not eat any meat, even poultry, after hard cheese. And there are those who are lenient (and one should not protest their practice), but they must cleanse and rinse the mouth and wash the hands before partaking of meat after cheese. However, it is preferable to be strict (and wait).” This is the basis for waiting the same time period after eating certain cheeses before then partaking of meat that one waits after eating meat before then partaking of dairy. (v. Taz ibid. s.k. 4). (usually 6 hours)
The Shach (ibid. s.k. 16) explains that “hard cheese” as reverenced by the Remo means cheese which has aged (approximately) 6 months. Poskim note that after eating pungent, strong-tasting cheeses, one should similarly wait before eating meat regardless of the cheese’s age. (V. Taz ibid. s.k. 4)
It is the position of the O/U’s poskim that one need only wait between eating aged cheese and meat if the cheese is of a variety that is intentionally aged in production, such as Parmesan (must be aged in production at least 10 months) and Emmental (must be aged in production at least 6 months). One need not wait after consuming non-aged cheese that is then incidentally aged on refrigerator shelves and exhibits the same texture and taste as it should exhibit in its non-aged state.
Some foods that “officially” contain very aged cheeses are often made with less expensive, fresh (non-aged) cheeses. (Aged cheese is more costly, as potential revenue is lost while the cheese ages). For example: eggplant parmesan is frequently made with cheeses other than Parmesan. Many establishments instead use mozzarella as the primary cheese here. Consumers are advised to inquire when purchasing such foods.
The Yad Yehuda (YYK 89:30) comments that one need not wait after eating aged cheese that has been melted (as the cheese’s brittle texture is lost through melting). Many poskim, including those of the O/U, rule like the Yad Yehuda on this point. However, there appears to be a dispute as to which foods the Yad Yehuda’s comment pertains:
1.) The Yad Yehuda’s comment was written in reference to a tavshil shel gevina (a pareve food which contains cheese,k with the cheese indiscernibly melted into the food): many poskim therefore maintain that the Yad Yehuda’s approach pertains only too foods into which aged cheese is melted as an unnoticeable component (i.e. the cheese is NOT b’eyn). The O/U adopts this approach.
2.) However, the logic of the Yad Yehuda (that aged cheese which is melted loses its brittle texture and should be treated like non-aged cheese) would appear to apply to any melted aged cheese, even if the cheese stands alone. Some poskim thus seem to apply the approach of the Yad Yehuda to any melted cheese (see Mesorah Journal v. 20, p. 92 and see also Badei HaShulchan: Bi’urim 89:2 d.h. V Chain nohagin)
Some examples of such (above) cheeses are…
Bleu (pungent cheese) – 2-4.5 months
Cheddar (Medium, Sharp, Aged) – Close to 6 months and up to 7 years.
Double Gloucester – Aged 6-9 months
Emmental Reserve – Aged at least 8 months
Gruyere – 5 months-12 months
Havarti (Aged) – 1 year
Monterey Jack, Dry – 7-10 months
Parmesan – 10-24 months or more
Pepper Jack (Foreign Market) – Can be aged 6 months to 1 year
Provolone, Piccante – 6-12 months
Romano – 5-12 months
From The Atlantic Kosher Commission: Gerbers Baby Food and Pesach
Although last year, there were some Gerber Baby Foods that were Kosher for Pesach even without a KFP, this year, NONE of the Gerber Baby Foods are Kosher for Pesach.
