In the case of a company or store whose flour was considered uninfested, but a few times insects were found in it, to the point where it seems that its miut ha’matzuy contains shratzim – its presumption of being uninfested ceases, and from that point on, one should be careful to sift the flour bought from that company or store. EarthKosher is a proud and committed member of the Better Business Bureau committed to transparent and ethical business practices. According to Jewish Law a Jews is restricted on the Passover holiday from owning products or derivatives that originate from wheat, barley, oats, spelt, or rye. The liquor may lose its aroma slightly, but not enough for it to be noticeable. The Torah does not specify any reason for these laws, and for a Torah-observant, traditional Jew, there is no need for any other reason. However, there are ingredients that definitely do require a Kosher Certificate. For many people, all processed ingredients used in Passover cooking and baking need to be specifically certified kosher for Passover. Add oil, water, and vinegar to the dry ingredients. Consequently, white flour marketed in sealed packages by reliable companies and by way of responsible chains and stores, and stored in one’s house in a clean place for no more than a few weeks, is b’chezkat naki (presumed not infested), and does not need to be sifted, since the rare cases where worms are found do not amount to the measurement of miut ha’matzuy. For this purpose, reliable companies ensure that flour is well grounded so that most of the eggs are destroyed in the grinding process, and in order to destroy the remaining eggs, nitrogen gas is used, or the flour is heated. In the opinion of many, there is no need to because of safek sfeka (compounded doubt): one safek (doubt) – there may be no worms in it, and a second safek – there may be worms in it, but they did not leave, and consequently they are not prohibited (Taz 84:12; Knesset Hagedolah; Shulchan Gevoha 2; Simchat Cohen, Yoreh Deah, 149). 1) A meal: From the perspective of the person preparing the meal, it does not matter much if he sifts flour for two people who will eat, or ten, for each time he sifts the flour, he focuses on the sifted flour as a single unit. Beeswax may be extracted to create a chemical used in the flavor industry. The Passover holiday is an 8-day period during the Spring season. With that said, it is necessary to point out that there are facilities that produce kosher and non-kosher on the same equipment and within the same facility that are kosher certified and find it worthwhile and fiscally viable. Due to the extra supervision and costs involved, getting kosher certification for a product containing such an ingredient may be cost prohibitive for some but not all companies. However, from Divrei Chachamim (rabbinical ordinance) l’chatchila (ideally), one must check it, but be’di’avad (after-the-fact), when there is no possibility of doing so, it is permissible to follow the rov, and eat it. Considering how much almond flour one has to use in relation to wheat flour, almond flour … Although pure beeswax is generally not eaten, its kosher status is important for various reasons. If only the rest of my business went this well! For example, EarthKosher has turned down requests for kosher certification in Lebanon. It includes most dairy products (e.g. – Any kind of fruit – Any kind of vegetable, excluding those listed under kitniyot – Beef, chicken, turkey, duck, goose, or fish with scales.If keeping strictly kosher, the meat must be kashered by a kosher butcher or sold as a kosher cut of meat. Consequently, as long as the worms did not leave the flour, they are still not prohibited (Aruch HaShulchan 84: 45-46). The dough should feels like dough. Someone who wants to ensure that flour does not get infested after opening the package or after sifting, should store it in the refrigerator. If a company controls the ingredients and equipment, then a kosher program is viable so long as these conform to Kosher certification requirements. Some people mistakenly think that every single ingredient used in a Kosher certified product requires a Kosher Certificate to be approved as kosher certified. ... A. Flour, pasta and rice may develop worms when stored in warm areas such as next to ovens or oven vents. There are countries that are considered unsafe to send a rabbi in order to inspect a company for its kosher certification. Kosher certification requirements are not limited to verifying kosher ingredients and equipment use. I recommend starting with 40 grams each of flour and water. When working with companies that provide Contract Manufacturer services, the simplest situation is where the Contract Manufacturer commits to being a fully kosher facility. Enrich Your Kosher Knowledge. Read the Cake Flour discussion from the Chowhound Kosher food community. and prepared all their meals "from scratch." A: The issue of worms and insects, which in the Torah is called “shratzim“, comprises numerous matters. Place in the pie pan. This does not mean challah failure! These ingredients and their suppliers must also be stable. Most of our products are kosher. All this is according to halakha. These factors depend on the specifics of the company. 3). It is higher in fat and calories than wheat flour, but does not have gluten and is low in carbohydrates, making it a popular choice … Companies that provide Contract Manufacturing services to numerous companies may be averse to some kosher certification requirements. Matzo that is kosher for Passover is limited in Ashkenazi tradition to plain matzo made from flour and water. In any case, one who buys flour from a doubtful source should check it, and if it turns out not a single insect is found for every ten times sifted, it is b’chezkat naki, and does not need to be checked. “When it came time to find a Kosher certifier for my new product, I did my homework. In these situations, the prospective kosher certifier will often contact the original Kosher certification agency for more information. With other companies I found much complication, red tape, unreturned phone calls and what seemed like very excessive costs. We show our obedience to G-d by following these laws even though we do not know the reason. In most cases, companies that don’t respect this requirement will not proceed with Kosher certification. Listed below are some products that do not require kosher certification if they do not have additives, and, if food items are not a product of Israel (if from Israel, needs reliable certification). The laws are also strict about the way you prepare, process, and inspect food if you’re going to call it kosher. It is necessary to understand that although each of these certifications conducts inspections and are concerned with equipment, ingredients, and issues of cross-contamination, the underpinnings of these various certifications are very different. The flour may be whole grain or refined grain, but must be either wheat, spelt, barley, rye, or oat. The following products are kosher: Mission corn tortillas, Mission flour tortillas, Mission wraps, Mission taco shells, and Mission tortilla chips. At EarthKosher, we understand that companies that contact us are protective about their proprietary processes, ingredients, formulas, suppliers, or manufacturing agents. In these instances, these companies are not prepared for what a kosher certifier will charge to certify their products. Nevertheless, their opinion was rejected by all Rishonim and the vast majority of Achronim. “Kosher” describes food that complies with traditional Jewish law. Likewise, with kosher certification, the concerns of kosher products being processed on equipment, or even within the same facility, as truly non-kosher products typically apply. When a Kosher Certificate is required, and if for example, ingredients are being produced in the Amazon Rainforest or in Central Africa and neither the producer, nor the company dealing directly with the kosher certification agency is willing to pay for the the kosher certification to allow for the required Kosher certificate for this ingredient this can be an obvious deal breaker. And if the shratzim grew in the fruit while they were attached to the tree, in the opinion of most poskim they are forbidden from the Torah (S. A., ibid 6). In fact, this may present some unique obstacles, the main issue relating to the Passover holiday. pork) (Shulchan AruchYD 87:1 & 3). But if this happened because, as an exception, they had stored the flour in a place prone to trouble, or for too long a period, it has not lost its presumption of being uninfested. 4) One bite: If we focus our thoughts on the halakhic perspective, we will have to relate to each bite as a unit in itself, because this is the manner of eating, and consequently, the units must be determined accordingly. These ingredients and their suppliers must also be stable. We also have developed other means of protecting a prospective client’s confidentiality considerations when needed. whey, milk powder, casein) but does not apply to lactose (meimei chalav – see Shulchan Aruch YD 87:8, 81:5 and Shach87:12). While kosher certification is possible in these situations, some company’s may find this process cost prohibitive or that the requirements are too restrictive. It would generally be a better alternative for Passover than potato starch because it is low carb(compared to other flours), contains fiber, and contains protein. The only problem is that it can't currently be found Kosher for Passover. All processed foods, however, must be labeled kosher for Passover by a reputable rabbinical organization. After the sifting, the sieve must be cleaned thoroughly, because perhaps some of the flour-dust in it may be tiny vermin that are liable to multiply. Nevertheless, when the packs of flour are left in dirty places or on the ground, or for a long time on a shelf or in a storage room, there is a good chance that insects will puncture the packages, and hatch eggs in the flour. However, white flour purchased wholesale or in the marketplace needs to be sifted. The following products are not kosher: Mission Chicharrones, Mission salsas and dips, and taco shell dinner kits. If you are not a food manufacturer, then please feel free to contact us directly to discuss what unique issues may pertain to the viability of your product or services becoming Kosher certified. Almond Flour Muffins. Is there anything more kosher than water? (of food or places where food is sold, etc.) In organic certification, there is a concern of equipment being used for non-organic foods, especially if it’s also used for certified organic products. Immediately afterwards, the flour is packed in closed bags to protect it. A Jew, as relevant to Kosher certification, is defined as someone born of a Jewish mother or a person who has converted to Judaism via an Orthodox rabbinic court. For most of the year, flour mixed with water is considered a kosher-friendly combination. In the beginning, you're going to have to feed it twice every day until it's nice and active. While there are countless numbers of companies that engage kosher certification agencies under these circumstances, there are many others that don’t deem these certification costs worthwhile. According to the machmirim they are forbidden, and in order to remove them, the flour must be sifted in a sieve whose netting is 70 Mesh (70 holes per inch), or be’di’avd (after-the-fact), 60 Mesh. The reason why a 70 Mesh sieve is useful for sifting them, despite their being the same size of a grain of flour, is probably because their tiny legs slightly enlarge their volume. These ingredient often requires full- time rabbinic supervision during production or at a minimum a more intensive and thus costly inspection regimen. Fresh salmon fillets do not need a hechsher either, but there are other concerns regarding the knives and cutting boards that need to be addressed before the purchasing them from a … The more frequent the inspections, the more costly the certification. Your liquor cabinet could itself be an inheritable item, passed down from generation to generation. The easiest way to establish a kosher certification program is if a company has its own facility that is exclusively dedicated to kosher certified products. Q: For many years, when sifting flour with a sieve, I have never found insects. One must also sift flour from reliable companies bought in stores where the merchandise is left on a shelf or in a storeroom for a long period of time, or stored in a dirty place, because in such places there are insects that penetrate the bags and lay eggs. Therefore things that might not inherently be prohibited (like packaged coconut milk or coconut flour) still can’t be used on Passover in a strictly kosher kitchen. What Does it Mean to be Kosher? It is limited to beef, lamb, or goat meat (even if they are not kosher), and does not apply to poultry or to non-kosher species (e.g. kosher definition: 1. No need to hurry and finish that magnum bottle of rum, hard liquor will keep in a cool dark place for longer than necessary. But special production requirements come into play when blending the two for Passover. This law is divided into three situations: 1) foods that usually have no shratzim – may be eaten without being checked. A kosher certification organization may deem this a high risk situation and won’t get involved or the company will nix the idea due to the cost of full-time Kosher supervision of production which can at times be required by the Kosher certification agency. The second reason is that flying and crawling insects came in contact with the flour and laid eggs in it, from which worms hatched. For example: wine, vinegar, cheese, or flavorings that are not available as kosher or do not offer kosher options that have the same quality, taste, or pricing, this will make kosher certification not possible. How can this be? Place flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. The Torah forbade shratzim that breed on land, as it is written: “Every small animal that breeds on land shall be avoided by you and shall not be eaten” (Leviticus 11: 41). Kosher definition is - sanctioned by Jewish law; especially : ritually fit for use. In the opinion of most poskim, when there is concern that the shratzim left and returned, they are forbidden (Rosh, Maharach, Or Zaruah, Shulchan Aruch 84: 5, Shach, Taz, Plati, and Aruch HaShulchan). Other certifications often require an annual inspection if that. Coconut flour is gluten free, non kitnyiot, and non gebrokhts. Just as there is no prohibition of insects that grew in detached fruit that did not leave it, so too, there is no prohibition of worms that grew in flour and did not leave. (Year-round, not Pesach/Passover) 6 1. Some have suggested that the laws of kashrut fall into the category of "chukkim," laws for which there is no reason. Consequently, there are some kosher certification organizations or individual rabbis whose Kosher certificate for an ingredient or product will not be accepted by other kosher certification organizations. Water, flour, salt. Foods that commonly have shratzim – must be checked, and as long as they have not been checked or cleaned of the shratzim, they are forbidden to be eaten. Some removable scales are still on the fish. Alcoholic Beverage List; Guide to Kashrus – Does it Need Certification? This is a very important question. Almond flour does not have gluten and has more moisture than wheat flour, resulting in baked goods that rise less and are more dense. Why Does Some Produce Require Special Cleaning to be Fit for Kosher Consumption? If a company has been kosher certified in the past and violated its contractual terms (whether technical or fiscal violations) with its prior kosher certification organization, other kosher certifiers may be reluctant to work with this company. The reality is detergent obviously does not require kosher certification nor do many other foods, even some processed ones. And it is contrary halakhically, because one does not have to concern himself with such miniscule shratzim, for the Torah was not given to ministering angels but to human beings, and therefore it is sufficient to sift flour that is not b’chezkat naki in a sieve of 30 Mesh. Roll it out between two pieces of wax paper. However, in our experience we know that there is a more critical question that must be addressed first. The question is: what is the size of the unit by which the percentages are determined. Guide to Kashrus – Does it Need a Hechsher (Certification)? 2. This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper and was translated from Hebrew. We love our almond flour desserts around here. Prior to cooking the fish, one should take a straight edged knife and, using only minimal pressure, scrape off What about bottled water? In order to have a kosher product you need to have kosher ingredients. This will involve additional costs. There are a wide range of standards, competency ratings and levels of acceptance among the community of kosher certification organizations, which should be noted is a self- regulated industry. In Jewish law, Pas Yisroel or Pat Yisrael (Hebrew: פת ישראל ‎ lit:"Bread of an Israelite") products are grain-products that were cooked or baked with the participation of an observant Jew. There are also for limited products where kosher requirements involve the production process itself that is to say certain food products require that the kosher inspector/supervisor actually be involved in the actual production process. In practice, there are four options, and each one is correct from a different perspective. I can’t recommend EarthKosher highly enough!”. However, there are machmirim (poskimwho are stringent), who claim the reason shratzim are not found after sifting is because their color and size are the same as a grain of flour, and without special conditions, cannot be distinguished. Kosher cheese and wine production are two examples of this scenario and there are some others. Mix with fork until side of bowl is clean. This is not an accurate assumption in some cases as there are many ingredients that are generally recognized as Kosher. We are talking about a tiny insect of the mite family, called kardit ha’kemach (Acarus siro), or the flour mite, whose color and size resemble a grain of flour, and measures between 0.3 and 0.6 millimeters, such that a normal person cannot see it. Sounds pretty kosher to us. However, in the opinion of some poskim (Pri Toar and Chochmat Adam) even if the worms crawled in the flour – it is forbidden, for each particle of flour is considered a “fruit” in its own right, and when crawling from particle to particle, they leave the place where they grew. However, there are some creative solutions, such as having a non-Jewish partner, and other possible solutions that fall under the general category of legal fictions. Whisk together. 3. They made it so easy and, very importantly, affordable. You may need to get a new set of knives. To be clear, there are hundreds of companies who have faced these issues and found ways of successfully resolving them to become kosher certified by a reliable agency it does take some flexibility to resolve this issue absent which it can be an obstacle towards obtaining Kosher certification. Raw, kosher meat, fish and chicken, fruit and vegetables and other such produce are essentially kosher for Passover and need not be labeled as such, provided that they did not come into close contact with chametz. Some companies are committed to a very specific and exact ingredient. However, there are kosher certified products coming out of Iran and Pakistan, so there is a lot of grey area to take into account. Before understanding the cost of kosher certification, companies need to ask, “Is my product or product line capable of becoming kosher certified?” Since there are several potential obstacles that may keep food manufacturers from obtaining kosher certification, kosher certification viability cannot be assumed. There some poskim who say that the measurement of “miut ha’matzuy” which requires being checked from Divrei Chachamim, is more than 25 percent (Rivash), while others say it is more than 10 percent (Mishkanot Yaacov). Our favorites include a mug cake, brownies, and these almond flour muffins.. I’ve been using more and more almond flour in my baking recently, especially with how common this keto baking staple has become. Rooted in history and religion, each law is specific about what types of food you can and can’t eat. For example, it is common for Kosher certification agencies to conduct monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly inspections. Apparently, because in some stores in Haredi populated areas outdated merchandise is occasionally sold at lower prices, members of Haredi society find more worms in flour and legumes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/23653 In addition, there are companies that market flour that from the time of grinding is kept refrigerated, and as long as they are careful that it does not go for 24 hours without refrigeration, it does not require checking, because the eggs do not hatch in cold conditions. The kosher consumer brought his chickens to a reliable butcher for slaughtering, and performed the kashering process at home. It is contrary to tradition, because until about fifty years ago, God-fearing people did not have sieves in their houses. 3) The fruit: If we consider the food, then the unit is measured as the fruit or vegetable appears before us, whether large or small. ... kosher consumers have become more conscious about the need to check produce for insects. Animal food ingredients, whether from a land animal, fowl, or fish, are  highly sensitive ingredients in kosher law. Check with your rabbi. In addition, almond flour is not as dense as wheat or coconut flour, and therefore more of this particular flour has to be used. When companies share a facility, produce kosher and non-kosher in the same facility, or use a Contract Manufacturer that produces non-kosher, it may be impossible to provide kosher certification under these circumstances. Even flour that is known to be uninfested or already sifted, if placed in the open air or in an open container for 24 hours – and on a hot day, even for a few hours – is liable to become infested, and therefore it should be sifted. However, the chumra (a voluntarily assumed restriction more stringent than what is required by Jewish law) of the machmirim is contrary to tradition and halakha. If a buyer does not know the quality of the whole wheat flour from the company he bought, he should check it, and if he does not find one bug in every ten checking, it is b’chezkat naki, and does not need to be checked. While any bread with kosher ingredients is considered kosher on a basic level, it is considered praiseworthy to fulfill the stricter standard of only eating pas yisroel. In whole wheat flour, since it is coarsely ground, sometimes eggs remain, and therefore it should be sifted. One did not actually see the kosher fish soaking amidst non-kosher fish. Accordingly, frozen salmon with no other kosher sensitive ingredients does not need a hechsher. COPYRIGHT ©2020 EarthKosher | Privacy Policy, To consult with a Rabbi Please Call: (888) 312-3559, Determine Your Company’s Kosher Viability. I will attempt to breakdown the halakhic issues, describe reality, and summarize the halakha. In the past, flour was worm-infested for two reasons. When I spoke about this with a Haredi friend, she told me she finds insects in her flour. You mix flour and water in equal amounts, always by weight. 2) A serving: From the perspective of the person eating, the dish is the only thing he focuses on. Like any library, Mi Yodeya offers tons of great information, but does not offer personalized, professional advice , and does not take the place of seeking such advice from your rabbi . According to Jewish law, milk and meat should not be eaten in the same meal. Look for the kosher symbol on our packaging. Keeping kosher is much more complex than that. Why does my Dasani need that little OU on the label? However, given that kosher certification is essentially a risk management business, most kosher certifiers are averse to these kinds of situations unless there is a solid explanation for the violations with the prior agency or clear changes that have been made in ownership or management. Nevertheless, all agree that if one baked or cooked unchecked flour, the pastry or dish is kosher. And as far as packaged foods go, such as flour or beans, – they are viewed as they appear before us in their package, whether it be a kilo, a pound, etc. Join the discussion today. The merging of these ingredients to make Passover matzah necessitates a meticulously monitored environment, one that prevents the product from becoming chametz , which is defined by our rabbis as fermented grain. While kosher certification organizations do not restrict companies to a specific supplier of an ingredient, they do insist that any new supplier needs to be pre-approved by the kosher certification organization. How much more kosher could you get? Nevertheless, even if we are machmir (stringent) and determine that the miut ha’matzuy is already measured from 10 percent, and that the unit of measurement is the quantity prepared at one time, then if a worm is not found at least once in ten times flour is sifted, then the flour does not contain worms in the amount of miut ha’matzuy, and it is b’chezkat naki (presumed to be uninfested), and does not require checking. One reason is that the grinding process was not complete, and therefore, eggs from which worms were hatched remained in the flour. In practice, in recent generations the rabbis instructed to sift flour, since worms were often found in it. Selections from How to Keep Kosher … When this is not an option in the kosher certification process, keeping Kosher certification may require the frequent kosherization of equipment and more frequent inspections. Before coming to any conclusions, the best course of action is to. It’s not a means to deter you, it’s simply an important piece of information that will help you get to know your dough If it does not, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it does. Rules are the foundation of kosher food. Companies sometimes assume that kosher certification pricing should be similar to Organic certification pricing. Learn more. prepared or kept in conditions that follow the…. In order to have a kosher product you need to have kosher ingredients. How to use kosher in a sentence. Some people assume that being Jewish provides an edge in the kosher certification process. How about a can of peas? Some companies that market whole wheat flour, destroy the eggs by using nitrogen, and pack it in vacuum-sealed packages, and their flour is b’chezkat naki and does not need to be checked. For this reason, we put our clients’ minds at ease and when asked will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. There are some poskim who say that the flour should be checked, because in some laws we find that when there is concern and it is possible to check, we do not posek leniently not to check on the basis of the argument of safek sfeka (Pelati 47: 7; Minchat Yaacov 80:4 footnote 14). Peas, water, salt. Perhaps I will discuss this issue in my next column. Many great cooking knives have bolted plas­tic or wooden handles; few are one continuous piece, and there is the real possibility that unkosher food might get caught between the various cracks. Browse other questions tagged kashrut-kosher food medicine. This article explores the kosher diet, including its foods and rules. Nevertheless, while pouring the flour, it is desirable to examine it with a normal look-over, in order to see that it is indeed clean as usual. D… Therefore, some poskim say that even if one sees there are worms in flour, as long as we did not see they left it and returned, there is no prohibition to eat the flour (Rokeach 461; Sha’arei Dura 54: Agudah). Check back from time-to-time, since there may be changes. Depending on the weather, season, brand of flour, and so on, the quantities of flour listed in a recipe are not always going to be what you will need. Keeping kosher is a commitment. And as long as the flour continues looking as good as it did before, one does not have to check it. Today, however, as a result of the technological improvements and the demand of the public for high-quality goods free of bugs, the state of flour marketed for domestic consumption in developed countries has improved greatly. Thus expecting Kosher certification to cost what Organic certification costs is often a mistake as this is generally not an apples to apples comparison. However, one glaringly obvious issue with almond flour is the price tag. Rabbi Goldman was really helpful and always available when I needed assistance. Feeding means you put an equal amount of flour and water into the jar, into the existing starter. This extract is a kosher chemical (provided that all additives and solvents are approved), since the actual beeswax is not considered food. – Eggs and egg whites – Nuts, nut flours, and pure nut butters (no additives), excluding those listed under kitniyot (peanuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds) – Dairy products, like cheese, yogurt, and kefir, are acceptable when they are not mixed with additives (like corn syrup).
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