CHODOSH BULLETIN-ADAR 5775 (Feb ’15) Y. Herman and C. Rosskamm. Phone: Chodosh Hot Line 718-305-5133.
Email: yher...@earthlink.net Update of the Malt Problem The Guide to Chodosh has a full treatment of the malt problem. It mentioned that some poskim hold that malt added to baking flour, where it is used in tiny amount for its chemical action, is botul. The Guide gave date codes for some flours to serve those who want to be machmir on malt in baking flour. However, in many other applications malt is used for coloring and/or flavoring. In those cases there is more of a reason to be machmir and not to hold that it is botul. Such applications include beer, cereals, pretzels, candies and some baked products. When the ingredients list “malt”, almost always that refers to malt made from barley. In past years, all malt manufacturers agreed that the new, Chodosh barley crop is not used to make malt before Dec. 15. This year, one major manufacturer of malt told us that they are using new-crop barley as early as Oct. 15 to make malt. This malt is used in cereals and maybe other applications. Even though other manufacturers have still delayed the introduction of the new crop to their malt to Dec 15 or later, to be safe, we have urged consumers to avoid products containing malt if packed after Oct. 15, or purchased after Jan. 15. It is possible to make malt from other crops. Companies such as Great Western sometimes produce malt from other crops such as rice. We do not know how widespread is the use of non-barley malt. Nor do we know whether the production of those malts does or does not involve using barley malt during processing. We urge manufacturers and mashgichim of Yoshon products that use malt to start looking now into the possibility of substituting non-Chodosh ingredients next year for the barley malt now being used. It is also possible to avoid malt in applications when it is unusually used. One example of this are pretzels in which barley malt has been almost universally used for both coloring and flavoring. Liebers has been successful in having other non-Chodosh ingredients be substituted for barley malt (see below). THE OVEN PROBLEM For several years we have published a warning that some pizza shops and restaurants use frying oil for possibly Chodosh items such as spicy fries and then use the same oil for food that is supposed to be Yoshon. We have recently become aware of a similar potential problem. Pizza shops and some other establishments sometimes heat Yoshon items such as pizza in the oven at the same time as Chodosh items may be in the same oven. We have not yet had a chance to investigate how common this practice is. We urge mashgichim and consumers to look at this potential problem as it affects them. ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE GUIDE *4.1 Cakes, cookies and crackers* *Liebers* cookies and crackers without oats are basically Yoshon. However some items susch as crackers may have malt (check the ingredients). This malt may be Chodosh at this time. *4.2 Pretzels and Potato Chips* *א Leiber’s Pretzels all varieties *are Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbi Weissmandl. This includes the honey twists and multigrain products. All these pretzels are produced without any malt. *ד* *Herrs Pretzels* now have a code of November 24, 2014. This code is 14 weeks after packing. *4.3 Rice cakes * *ס Blooms Rice Cakes *that contain spelt are made in Belgium. We have no information as far as the Chodosh/Yoshon status of such products. *5.1 Regular noodles, pasta, mandlen and croutons* *ב Kemach Heimishe Egg Noodles *are Yoshon through a code of 01-26-2016, under the hashgocho of Rabbi Nussen N. Horowitz *5.2 Chow mein noodles* *ב Kemach Chow Mein Noodles *are Yoshon through a code of 1614I (16=day of the month, 14=year, I=September in alph.order). Exception: SPECIAL YOSHON PRODUCTION ONLY with code: 0915B & 1015B. Only those 2 codes are Yoshon after the code of 1614I. Under the Hashgocho of Rabbi Nussen N. Horowitz. *6.2 Whole wheat flour * *ד Shoprite Whole Wheat Flour *has a Chodosh code of April 18, 2015 (8 months after packing) *6.3 High gluten or bread flour * *ד Gold Medal Bread Flour and Bread Wheat Blend Flour *have a code of Feb. 27, 2016 (558 days after packing). Check the bag. If the best if used by date is followed by a factory code of KC it is always Yoshon. All other factory codes use dates given above. The Better for Bread flour line has been discontinued; however it is still being sold out. Any flour still on the shelves is Yoshon. *ד General Mills Flour *All flour manufactured in the Buffalo Mill is Yoshon through a date code of August 31, 2014. It has a Chodosh code of 31 AUG 4 BF. Bakery flour only has a code of 1 SEP 4 BF. This only applies to flour with a factory code of BF after the date code. This has been verified by the OU. *7.2 Bread and corn flake crumbs and matzo meal* *ד Taanug Corn Flake Crumbs *has a code of 14288 (14-year 288-day of year). This is a packaging date. *7.3 Soy, teriyaki and other sauces* *ד Wan Ja Shan *Soy Sauce is Yoshon through a code of 15/Oct/17. (3 years after packing) *8.1 Breakfast cereals* *ב Kemach Cereals *The date on all Kemach cereals is 1 year after packing. Cereals Containing Oats: (Fruit Whirls, Honey Crunch, Corn Crisp, & Bunch 'o Krunch) CHODOSH code is Nov. 1 2015. Toasted Oats also contain wheat starch CHODOSH code date is: Nov. 1 2015 (for those who are machmir on wheat starch, see page 38 of the Guide). Honey Nut Toasted Oats also contain *wheat germ* Chodosh code date is: Nov. 1 2015. Sugar Puffed Wheat is made with Durum Wheat Chodosh code date is Oct. 1 2015. Cereals containing malt have a Chodosh code of January 31, 2016, aside from Nougat Nuggets which are always Yoshon. Under the Hashgocho of Rabbi Nussen N. Horowitz. *9.1 Frozen and other packaged foods * *ב B’Gan/Eden Breaded Cauliflower, eggplant, and breaded onion rings *are Yoshon under the Hashgocho of Rabbi Ahron Teitelbaim, the Nirbater Rav. *ד Apollo Filo Dough *The guide states that this dough has a code of August 18, 2015. This code does NOT apply to the organic filo dough. Due to quality issues associated with organic products the company constantly adjusts the date codes. Each batch can be different. Therefore, we cannot give a definitive Chodosh cutoff date. *ב Dagim Falafal Balls *are Yoshon under the hashgocho of the CRC – Hisachdus. *ד Glick’s Graham Cracker Pie Crust *has a Chodosh code of 20150818, Aug 18, 2015. Any date later than this may be Chodosh. In addition, a package with the code 11026082 is Yoshon. (We were not informed about how to interpret this code.) *ב Kineret Brownies *are Yoshon under the Hashgocho of Rabbi Weissmandl. *ב Klein’s* granola is Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbi S. Stern. *ב Norman’s Greek Yoghurt* with granola topping is Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rav S. Stern. *א Pride of the Farm *Cookies and Cream Ice Cream as well as any other products containing flour are Yoshon under the Hashgocho of the Star-K. *9.5.1 Beer* *ד Beck’s Beer *is marked with a production code. The Chodosh code is 14288 AA## (14-year, 288-day of year, AA-factory code, ## is shift information. *ד Samuel Adams Beer *is brewed with wheat as opposed to most beers that contain barley malt. The Chodosh date is April 2015 under the hashgocho of the Star K. *9.6 Baby foods * *ד Gerber Baby Food in Boxes *has an updated code of 456 days. Chodosh code for oats is Dec 1, 2015, for wheat and barley, the code is November 17, 2015. *12.2 Monsey* *ב Hatzlacha Grocery *takeout in Monsey is Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbi Binyomin Gruber *א Hava Java *in Evergreen in Monsey is Yoshon under the CRC – Hisachdus. *13.4 Cleveland area* *א Kineret Pizza* on South Taylor Road is Yoshon under the Hashgocho of Rabbi M. Kaplovitz *15.2 Canada * It is not true that all items from wheat or oats are Yoshon up to packing date of Sept 22. Consult the COR of Toronto (416-635-0550) or MK of Montreal (514-739-6363) for accurate information about Canada.
