The third and last issue of the Guide to Chodosh for the season, has gone
to the printer. We hope to mail out the printed copies by Feb 15. Meanwhile
you can request the PDF version of the new Guide by sending a blank email
message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
I will let you know, when the second source of this file, the sefer.org
site is ready to send out this new Guide.
The following is a reprint of all the changes from the previous issue of
the Guide:
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ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE GUIDE
ALERT FOR MASHGICHIM: It is important to check the Yoshon status not only
of major ingredients such as flour, but also of flavorings. For example,
Rabbi Binyomin Taub reported finding wheat flour in a red pepper spice
mixture used to flavor some wraps. If you find such unexpected discoveries,
please inform the Guide to Chodosh.
CANADIAN UPDATE: Consumers in Canada are notified that the COR in Toronto
and the Jewish Community Council of Montreal (MK) have both issued updated
Chodosh Bulletins during the week of Dec 17 06. Contact these organizations
directly for copies of these bulletins.
MALT ALERT FOR CANADA: The COR of Toronto informed us that malt used in
foods produced in Canada has become Chodosh earlier than usual, in some
cases as early as mid October. In the USA, the normal malt schedule is
being followed, with malt becoming Chodosh for USA packing dates starting
Dec 15 or later. (In Canada, the 2005 barley crop was of very poor quality.
That required the malt manufacturers to switch to the new 2006 barley crop
earlier than usual.) For more information about the Canadian malt
situation, contact the COR in Toronto, at 416-635-9550.
MALT ALERT IN USA FOR PRODUCTS FROM CANADA: In view of the earlier start of
Chodosh malt in Canada (see previous paragraph) consumers are advised
caution in purchasing food items in the USA if they are a product of Canada
and contain malt. As a preliminary advice, avoid purchasing such items if
the dating code indicates packing on or after Oct 15. If no dating code is
known, then they should not be purchased after Jan 15.
NOTE ABOUT PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN MALT: The Guide lists many products with a
warning that the mashgiach for Yoshon does not take responsibility for the
Yoshon status of malt. If the item has a Yoshon label and several
hashgochos for kashrus, then check the other hashgochos to see if any of
them do check for the Yoshon status of malt. The lists of hashgochos that
do or do not take responsibility for malt is listed in Section 3.1 of the
Guide.
INFORMATION ABOUT SPICY FRIES IS BEING AMMENDED: In Section 3.5 of the
Guide there is a list of hashgochos that do not allow spicy fries that may
be Chodosh in their establishments. Some allow such spicy fries if there is
a clear sign stating that fried items may be Chodosh.
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO LIST OF PRODUCTS AND ESTABLISHMENTS
Ñ Ave R Café, Rt 59, Monsey, all items are Yoshon under the hashgocho of
Rabbi Shlomo Ullman. However, the muffins and whole grain bread are NOT
Yoshon, as of Jan 1 07. There is a sign in the store stating these exceptions.
Ó Barilla pasta Chodosh codes: Multi Grain Pasta and Pasta Plus Aug 16 07
(1 year after packing. All other pasta Chodosh code is April 16 09 (32
months after packing.)
Ñ Browns Best Barley Chodosh date is listed on the package as, Packed Sept
18 2006. Before that date, Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbis Klein and
Binyomin Taub.
Ñ Chantilly Bakery or the World of Chantilly in Brooklyn is Yoshon under
the hashgocho of the KAJ (note: this hashgocho does not check the Yoshon
status of malt.)
Ñ Dependable Egg Noodles in bulk 10 pound packages with codes of 3616 or
3626 are Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbi Binyomin Taub. Dependable High
Gluten flour sold in groceries in 5 and 6 pound bags. Most of these bags
contain Yoshon and have a Yoshon label. A few groceries have requested such
bags without a Yoshon label. The bags without the Yoshon label may contain
Chodosh flour. Check for the label before purchase.
0 Different Twist Cafee, 76-02 Main St. Kew Gardens Hills, NY 718-575-5015,
All items Yoshon under the hashgocho of the Vaad Hakashrus of Queens.
0 Eden Palace catering in Brooklyn Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbi Y.
Gornish.
Gefen matzos update. Category 0: The 16 ounce size regular matzos are made
in Israel and are Yoshon. Category Ó: The 10 ounce regular matzos and the
whole wheat matzos are Yoshon. The Yoshon status of these latter items are
known from independed sources, but not confirmed by a mashgiach, hence the
category Ó.
Ó GENERAL MILLS CEREALS the codes have changed. Check Section 8.1 for the
updated table of General Mills cereal Chodosh codes
Ñ Jerusalem II pizza 1424 Avenue M is Yoshon under Rabbi Gornish. However,
the spicy fries and other fried foods are not Yoshon. There are signs in
the store stating this fact. This store should not be confused with
Jerusalem II Pizza at 1312 Ave. J.
Ó Kashi cereals code update. For all hot and cold Kashi cereals, the code
is 12 months after packing. For cereals with oats this would have a Chodosh
code of July 26 07. For wheat without oats, the code is Aug 9 07. The
exception is Pilaf for which the code is 24 months.
Ñ Kemach update: The malt Chodosh code for Kemach cereals is Jan2 2008.
WARNING: Kemach Corn Flakes and Rice Crispies with possibly Chodosh malt
are already being sold as of early Feb. 07! Kemach flours. The malt in the
all purpose flour, the high-gluten bread flour and the whole wheat flour
may be Chodosh sometime after the packing date of Jan. 31 07, code July 31
08 (18 months after packing.) (Note that many poskim allow Chodosh malt in
baking flour. Consult your own posek.) Kemach pasta Chodosh code is: For
spaghetti and elbows Oct 15 2007 (1 year after packing). For lasagna the
code is 10/15/08 (2 years after packing). This pertains only to the 1 pound
grocery size packages, not the large bulk packages.
á Landau whole wheat pasta, whole wheat pretzels, spelt pretzels and other
Landau products by Landtev Corp can not be listed as Yoshon because they
have no mashgiach for Yoshon and they have not provided any dating codes.
Ñ LIEBERS ALERT: The mashgiach has asked us to alert the public that the
following cookies which have Yoshon ingredients were made in an oven in
which Chodosh oatmeal cookies were baked earlier on the same day (but not
at the same time). Consult your Rov or posek about whether such a ben
yomaoven is a problem or not. For those who want to be machmir, these
cookies should not be purchased between the dates of Dec 24 06 and Feb 24
07. These Liebers cookies are chocolate chip, animal crackers, butterthins,
fudge&chip cookies, Royal chocolate chip, chocolate chip thins, chocolate
chiplets, ABC chocolate chip cookies.
Ñ Masbia barley has a Chodosh code of 09 08 (09=Sept, 08=year+2). Under the
hashgocho of Rabbis Klein and Taub.
á Martisco barley can not be recommended as Yoshon due to insufficient
information
á Mishpacha barley can not be guaranteed to be Yoshon at this time,
according to the mashgiach.
0 Mishpacha chocolate and yellow cake mixes are Yoshon under the hashgocho
of Rabbi Teitelbaum.
Ó Nature Valley Granola update: WARNING: Often the outside box that holds a
number of granola bars that may have a different date on it than the
individual bars inside. Each individual bar must be checked since the date
on the bars, not the date on the outside package, is relevant. The Chodosh
code for all Crunchygranola bars is Aug 1 07 (372 days after packing.) This
may not hold with bars with Spanish print on them that are being produced
in South America.
Ñ Podrigals Bakery claims that all their baked products are Yoshon under
the hashgocho of the O-K Labs. However, O-K Labs informed us that they
certify as Yoshon only items for which there is both an O-K label and a
Yoshon label on the package. (Prodigal also has the hashgocho of the
Hisachdus. However, Hisachdus does not take responsibility for Yoshon.)
Ó Rice Select pasta codes: Royal Blend Whole grain pasta and Couscous 18
months, Other Royal Blend pastas and Orzo the code is 2 years. The Chodosh
code for pastas for 18 months is Feb 16 08, for 2 year items it is Aug 16 08.
á Rokeach homontashen under the hashgocho of Rav Babad. The mashgiach
reports that the Yoshon status can not be determined. Rokeach soups can not
be recommended as Yoshon due to the lack of information from the company.
Ó Ronzoni pasta codes updates: To determine the Chodosh package code, add
the following number of years to the packing date of Aug 16 06. All
oven-ready pastas 1 year, egg noodles and Healthy Harvest from Canada and
whole wheat pasta (sold in the US) 2 years, all other pasta such as
macaroni and spaghetti 3 years.
Ñ Sammys New York Bagels, Rt 59, Monsey is now under the hashgocho of the
Star-K of Baltimore. Only the bagels are certified as Yoshon.
0 Smunchy Honey Yums, Mr. Softs, Mrs. Softs are Yoshon under the hashgocho
of the O-U.
0 Pizza King formerly known as Shalom Pizza in Brooklyn is Yoshon under the
hashgocho of Rav Babad.
Ñ Shellys Pizza, Maple Ave, Spring Valley, NY all baked items (only baked
items) are Yoshon under the hashgocho of Rabbi Shlomo Ullman.
Ñ Smackin Good potato knishes have been Chodosh. However, one batch of
Yoshon knishes was now produced. These knishes have codes of W06BE or
W06BD. These will be available after Jan 3 in the stores. Only these codes
are Yoshon, others are Chodosh. Under the hashgocho of Rabbi Weissmandl.
á The new Streits candy and nut line packed in plastic tubs is produced in
a facility under the supervision of the cRc (Chicago Rabbinical
Council). Some of these containers inadvertently showed the name of Rabbi
Soloveichik which was in error. The Yoshon status of this product was not
checked by either hashgocho and Rabbi Soloveichiks name should not have
appeared on the product. All future product runs will only contain the cRc
kasruth symbol.
á Ungers update. As of approximately Dec 1 06, Rabbi Mordechai Unger is no
longer the mashgiach for Unger products. The new hashgocho for kashrus is
the Beis Din of New Squre. The few Unger products that are still certified
as Yoshon have must have both the symbol of the Bais Din of New Square and
a Yoshon label on the package. The Guide stated that Ungers barley
purchased after Dec 1 may be Chodosh. Claims have been made that Ungers
barley being currently (in January 07) delivered to the local stores is
Yoshon. I have contacted the company and still have not received
confirmation of the Yoshon status of Ungers barley. Until such confirmation
is provided, caution is urged on the barley. Unger frozen products can not
be recommended as Yoshon either unless the Yoshon label and the hashgocho
are printed on the package.
Ñ Zomicks and Steinberg Bakeries in the Five Towns, LI, NY update: All
products under Zomick and Steinberg label except 6 grain bread are Yoshon
under the hashgocho of the O-K Labs. The same goes for the wholesale items
under the Gotta-Getta-Bagel and Bessys Famous labels sold in groceries.
Warning: Retail stores with the Gotta-Getta-Bagel name ARE NOT under this
hashgocho for Yoshon.
END OF CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE GUIDE
