THIS SECTION IS FOR NEWS AND INTERESTING STORIES RELATED TO FOOD, NUTRITION AND FOOD PROCESSING. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO KOSHER BUT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE KOSHER CONSUMER, MANUFACTURER OR MASHGIACH.
March 30, 2026 from Reuters:
"Sysco said on Monday it would buy catering supplier Jetro Restaurant Depot in a $29 billion deal expanding the top U.S. food distributor's reach among price-conscious independent restaurants.
"Family-owned Jetro Restaurant Depot operates a wholesale cash-and-carry model, where customers pay upfront for goods such as food, beverages and takeaway containers, complementing Sysco's delivery network serving restaurants, hospitals and hotels.
"The two companies have been engaged in conversations for years, Hourican said, and the question of succession was part of the reason why the Kirsh family behind Restaurant Depot decided to sell now. The founder, Nathan, is in his 90s and his children don't run the business. They decided that Sysco is the best home for their family's business to help take it to the next generation and beyond, Hourican said."
March 25, 2026 from VinNews:
"Deb El Food Products, a family-owned company founded by Elliot P. Gibber, donated 2.1 million eggs to a large Jewish Passover food distribution organized by the Met Council, as part of what organizers described as the group’s largest holiday effort to date.
"he donation was made through the Gibber family’s company, which is based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and produces liquid, frozen and dried egg products. Officials said the eggs were distributed as part of the 'Great American Egg Drive,' a nationwide initiative in partnership with the American Egg Board to move food from farms to food banks and relief organizations."
March 25, 2026 from JNS:
"Manischewitz is reviewing its packaging as some have warned on social media that the brand’s packaging doesn’t adequately differentiate between products that are and are not kosher for Passover and that grocery stores often shelve them together.
"'We’re aware of the conversation and appreciate the community bringing this to our attention, especially at a time as important and detail-oriented as Passover,' Mirit Shalvi, senior vice president of marketing and strategic partnerships at Manischewitz, told JNS.
“At Manischewitz, we take our role in helping families prepare for the holiday very seriously. We understand that kashrut during this time is deeply meaningful,” she added. “That said, we also recognize that in a busy retail environment, particularly during the high-volume Passover season, similar packaging across product lines can sometimes create confusion.”
"Shais Taub, a Chassidic rabbi and author, shared a photo of similar-looking boxes on social media
"'It’s heartbreaking when someone thinks they are keeping Passover and is unknowingly eating chametz,' he wrote, of food that isn’t kosher on Passover. 'It happens way more often than you might think. Look at these two products and tell me nobody would confuse them.'"
March 23, 2026 from JTA:
"On Friday nights, in Jewish homes around the world, a familiar ritual unfolds: a blessing over wine, poured into a cup and passed around the table.
"That ritual, multiplied during Passover, may help explain why kosher wine is holding steady even as the broader wine industry struggles.
"Across the United States and globally, wine consumption is declining. Baby boomers, long the industry’s most reliable customers, are aging out of peak drinking years. Younger consumers are drinking less alcohol overall and are more likely to reach for craft beer, spirits or ready-to-drink cocktails when they do. In California, wineries have begun laying off workers, cutting production and, in some cases, shutting down altogether.
"But in the kosher wine market the downturn looks more like a slowdown.
"Royal Wine, the largest distributor of kosher wine in the United States, is used to seeing year-over-year growth in the double digits, according to Jay Buchsbaum, a vice president at the New Jersey-based company.
"'By that standard, we did not have a great year,' he said in an interview. 'But we did have an increase, whereas the industry has declined by as much as 12% so we’re bucking the trend.'
"'Passover for us is what October, November and December are for the rest of the industry,' said Herzog’s winemaker David Galzignato, describing a seasonal surge that mirrors the year-end rush in most wineries.
"Jewish life, by contrast, has long been structured around wine — not as a lifestyle choice, but as a ritual obligation."
"Another broader trend is generating optimism among industry insiders: the growing demand for kosher wine outside the Jewish community.
"Perhaps the best example is Royal’s Bartenura label, which is the best-selling premium Moscato, a sweet, aromatic white wine, in the United States, selling nearly 10 million bottles a year. Buchsbaum estimates that as little as 15% of Bartenura buyers are Jewish, with the blue-bottled wine developing a particular fan base among Black consumers."
March 26, 2026 from the CPSC : (pictures on CPSC page)
Pariplus Foldable Grill Carts with Wheels, Models NWGS2501 and GSPA-2501A has been recalled because the CPSC is warning consumers to stop using Pariplus Foldable Grill Carts with Wheels, Models NWGS2501 and GSPA-2501A, immediately due to the risk of fingertip amputation and crushing injuries when the products fold or collapse.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to stop using Pariplus Foldable Grill Carts with Wheels, Models NWGS2501 and GSPA-2501A, immediately due to the risk of fingertip amputation and crushing injuries when the products fold or collapse.
CPSC is aware of at least 21 incidents associated with the use of these products. There are reports of incidents where consumers’ fingers have been caught in pinch point areas, including the sliding track for the legs of the product, when the product folds or collapses, resulting in a fingertip amputation, a fractured finger and five lacerations requiring stitches.
The grill carts are made of steel and have an opening or a flat surface on which various tabletop grills can be placed. The tables have wheels on one side of the base, a side shelf, a paper towel holder and hooks for grilling accessories.
The products were sold by Maiduo, of China, online on Amazon.com and on eBay. Maiduo has not agreed to recall the products.
Sold Online At: Amazon.com and eBay.
March 19, 2026 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada: (pictures on CPSC page)
Wagner 900 Series Power Steamers have been recalled because the attached hose can get excessively hot and the nozzle/gun can expel hot water during use and after the trigger is engaged, posing a serious burn hazard to consumers.
Consumer Contact: Wagner toll-free at 800 962-6118 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at us-wagnerrecall@wagner-group.com or online at www.wagnerspraytech.com/900-series-recall or go to www.wagnerspraytech.com and click on “Product Recalls” at the top of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves Wagner 900 Series power steamers. Models 905e Auto Steamer, 915e On-Demand Power Steamer, and 925e Steam Machine Elite Steamer are included in this recall. All steamer models contain the same base steamer but include different accessories. The steamers include a yellow and black pressurized boiler base with “Wagner” written on the sides of the product. The model number may also appear on the sides of the product. The base also contains a clear storage compartment for accessories, a handle, wheels, an eight-foot-long black steam hose, and a nozzle/gun with trigger to start and stop the steam.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled steamers immediately and contact Wagner for a free repair kit consisting of a hose sleeve, nozzle cover and funnel.
Incidents/Injuries: Wagner has received at least 156 incidents involving the hose getting too hot or the nozzle/gun expelling hot water. This includes over 50 reported burn injuries to consumers’ arms, hands, feet, and face, many of which resulted in first- or second-degree burns.
Sold At: The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, HSN and QVC, and online at Amazon.com and www.wagnerspraytech.com from November 2018 to March 2026 for between $130 and $200.
March 19, 2026 from the CPSC : (pictures on CPSC page)
BUILT LUUM Tumblers have been recalled because the recalled LED tumblers can break, making the button cell batteries accessible to children and posing choking and ingestion hazards. When button cell or coin batteries are swallowed, the ingested batteries can cause serious injuries, internal chemical burns and death.
Consumer Contact: Lifetime Brands toll-free at 888-561-2269 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at Recall@Builtny.com, or online at https://www.builtny.com/pages/recall or www.builtny.com and click “Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves the LUUM collection of BUILT-branded light up tumblers. The recalled plastic 16 oz. or 18 oz. drinking cups with a lid and a straw were sold in various winter holiday and Fourth of July themes. The tumblers have a bottom compartment containing a LED light that has a preinstalled button cell battery. “lumm,” the tumbler’s theme name and the following corresponding item numbers and UPC codes are printed on a label located on the tumblers’ underside or hangtag. A full list of recalled products is here
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled tumblers immediately, place them in an area that children cannot access and properly dispose of the battery. Contact Lifetime Brands for a full refund. Consumers will be asked to throw the piece with the LED light away and upload a photo of the product in the trash when completing a Product Recall Refund Form at https://www.builtny.com/pages/recall.
Note: Button cell batteries are hazardous. Batteries should be disposed of or recycled by following local hazardous waste procedures.
Sold At: Kroger, Hy-Vee, Meijer, Nordstrom Rack and Winn-Dixie stores nationwide and online at Builtny.com from October 2024 through December 2025 for between $10 and $15.
March 26, 2026 from the CPSC : (pictures on CPSC page)
Metal Wire Bristle Grill Brushes have been recalled because small metal wire bristles can detach from the brushes and stick to the grill or food, posing an ingestion hazard and risk of serious internal injuries that could require surgery.
Description: This recall involves Nexgrill metal wire bristle grill brushes with black plastic or wood handles measuring between 18 and 21 inches long. The following model numbers are included in this recall and can be found on the product packaging: 530-0024, 530-0024G, 530-0034, 530-0039, 530-0041, 530-0042. Only the model numbers listed below are part of this recall. The word “Nexgrill” is included on each model.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled grill brushes and contact Nexgrill for a full refund to be issued as a gift card. Consumers will be provided with a registration code as part of the recall process and will be directed to upload a photograph of their grill brush with that code and their initials to the recall website to register for the recall. After receiving a confirmation email that their registration has been successfully processed, consumers will then receive directions on how to discard of the recalled grill brush.
Incidents/Injuries: Nexgrill is aware of at least 68 reports and reviews where small wire bristles detached from the grill brushes, including five reports of consumers who swallowed metal bristles and sought medical treatment to remove the bristles from their digestive tract or throat.
Sold At: The recalled grill brushes were sold in stores at Home Depot and online at homedepot.com from 2015 through 2026 for between about $5 and $15.
March 20, 2026 from the BoroPark24:
"The well-known Tandoory Bread bakery at 1311 48th Street, long recognized for its traditional wall oven, fresh pita, and signature large crackers, has been sold to a non-Jew as of today.
"For years, the bakery has been a staple in the community, drawing customers for its authentic style of baking and unique products prepared in its classic tandoor oven.
"As a result, the Tartikov hechsher has been removed.
All products sold until today (March 20) were under kosher supervision and considered kosher. As of today, the establishment is no longer operating under a hechsher, and items produced going forward are not certified kosher."
March 19, 2026 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada:
Frigidaire Gas Ranges have been recalled because the ovens in the ranges can experience a delayed ignition of the oven's bake burner, posing a risk of burn hazards to users.
Consumer Contact: Electrolux Group toll-free at 866-291-7633 from 8:30 am to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at gasovenburnerrecall@electrolux.com, online at www.GasOvenBurnerRecall.com or www.frigidaire.com and click on Recall Information for more information.
Description: This recall involves Frigidaire, Frigidaire Gallery, and Frigidaire Professional Gas Ranges Models FCFG3083AS, FCRG3083AD, FCRG3083AS, GCFG3060BD, GCFG3060BF, GCFG3070BF, GCRG3060BD, GCRG3060BF, PCFG3080AF, FCFG3062AB, FCFG3062AS, FCFG3062AW, FCRG3051BB, FCRG3051BS, FCRG3051BW, FCRG3052BB, FCRG3052BS, FCRG3052BW, FCRG3062AB, FCRG3062AS, FCRG3062AW, FCRG306LAF, and GCFG3059BF, within the serial number range of VF52200000 through VF54399999.The model and serial numbers are printed on a nameplate located in the drawer beneath the oven.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using ovens in the recalled ranges immediately and contact Electrolux Group for a free repair. Electrolux Group will provide professional in-home installation of a new bake burner at no cost to consumers. Consumers can continue to use the cooktop burners on the range.
Incidents/Injuries: Electrolux Group and the CPSC are aware of 62 reports of the oven’s bake burner delayed ignition, including 30 reports of burn injuries.
Sold At: Lowe’s, The Home Depot, and other retail stores nationwide and online at Frigidaire.com from June 2025 through January 2026 for between $630 and $2,700.
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