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.
October 30, 2021: from the USDA:
" U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced that 8 additional meat and poultry companies have adopted USDA’s voluntary Product of USA (POTUSA) label, building on the strong momentum behind the Trump Administration’s efforts to help consumers easily identify products that are truly born, raised, harvested, and processed in the United States. With today’s announcement, more than 30 companies have committed to the label since USDA launched its nationwide campaign earlier this year.
"As more processors adopt the Product of USA label, American families heading to the grocery store or local supplier this holiday season can shop with greater confidence that when they purchase products bearing the claim, they are directly supporting American farmers, ranchers, processors, and rural communities. The following kosher meat companies have adopted USDA’s Product of USA label:
November 2, 2021: from the i24 news:
"Israel’s National Cyber Directorate on Monday issued an urgent warning to supermarket chains, food companies and logistics centers, calling on them to immediately secure their refrigeration and freezer systems against potential cyberattacks.
"The warning comes following a sudden wave of cyberattacks across Europe, during which hackers reportedly gained remote access to supermarket temperature-control systems, manipulated cooling settings and activated defrost cycles, causing large quantities of food to spoil.
"The attacks reportedly resulted in significant financial losses and operational disruptions, with some incidents also causing damage to equipment and fires.
"In response, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate has urged companies to take immediate precautions to protect their refrigeration infrastructure from similar attacks.
"The directorate recommended ensuring that control systems are not directly connected to the internet, replacing default passwords and updating outdated systems to address potential security vulnerabilities.
"Companies were also advised to secure remote access using multi-factor authentication and install independent alert systems capable of detecting unusual temperature changes.
"Additionally, the directorate has asked companies to report the results of their security checks, as well as any suspicious activity, to Israel’s National Cyber Directorate hotline."
October 29, 2026 from the CPSC :
Whatever Works Microwave Grillers have been recalled because the recalled grills can overheat and ignite, posing a risk of serious injury or death from fire hazard.
Consumer Contact: Whatever Works toll-free at 877-756-5053 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at help@whateverworks.com, or online at Whateverworks.com/recall or Whateverworks.com/ and click on “Customer Service/Product Recall” for more information.
Description: This recall involves Whatever Works microwave grillers. The rectangular grills have a white plastic exterior with black locking clips on the side, hinge tabs at the rear, and two non-stick black metal plates. Model K4001 can be found on the product’s purchase receipt.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled grills immediately and contact Whatever Works for a full refund. Consumers will be asked to write in permanent marker “Recalled” on the grill and send a photo of the marked grill to recall@whateverworks.com. Consumers will be provided with a prepaid label to return the recalled product.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of grills igniting, all resulting in fires. No injuries have been reported.
Sold Online At: Whateverworks.com from January 2025 through June 2026 for about $22.
Retailer(s): Potpourri Group, Inc., dba Whatever Works, of Billerica, Massachusetts
October 29, 2026 from the CPSC :
Bodum French Press coffee makers with 8-cup and 12-cup replaceable glass carafes (Bistro, Brazil, Caffettiera, Chambord, Crema, Java, Jesper, and Kenya models) have been recalledbecause the carafe can unexpectedly break during use if the glass carafe is damaged or cracked, including by use of a metal spoon to stir the coffee, posing a risk of serious burn injuries.
Consumer Contact: Bodum USA toll-free at 888-879-8213 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at Bodum3302@sedgwick.com, or online at www.bodumfrenchpressrecall.expertinquiry.com or www.bodum.com and click on “Recall Information” for more information.
Description: This recall involves Bodum 8-cup and 12-cup Bistro, Brazil, Caffettiera, Chambord, Crema, Java, Jesper, and Kenya model French Press coffee makers with replaceable glass carafes. The Bodum name appears on the frame and inner lid of most models, and is engraved, along with product warnings, on the glass carafes. Additional photos and model-identifying information are available on the recall website.
emedy: Consumers should stop using metal spoons or utensils to stir coffee in the glass carafe immediately and contact Bodum to receive a plastic Bodum stirring spoon and warning label. The label reminds consumers not to use cracked or damaged carafes and not to use metal spoons to stir contents in the glass carafe in order to avoid damaging the glass, which can lead to breakage during use.
Incidents/Injuries: Bodum USA has identified 70 reports of carafes breaking during use, including 48 reports of burns to consumers.
Sold At: Target, Walmart, and coffee and home goods stores nationwide and online at Bodum.com, Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com and other online retailers from 1974 through October 2026 for about $15 to $65.
October 26, 2026: from the VinNews
"Met Council opened a $25 million warehouse and conference center in Canarsie on Monday, expanding its capacity to distribute fresh kosher food to families across New York.
"The facility includes expanded cold storage and modern inventory systems designed to increase distribution of fresh food, including chicken, fish, eggs, produce and dairy. Artificial intelligence tools will help forecast demand, optimize delivery routes and reduce food waste.
"Met Council, which describes itself as the nation’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to fighting poverty, distributed more than 20 million pounds of food in fiscal year 2026. Its food assistance and social service programs serve about 350,000 New Yorkers annually, including families, seniors and Holocaust survivors.
"The new warehouse gives the organization a permanent facility designed to support its growing operations, with the capacity to provide food assistance to as many as 1 million New Yorkers, Greenfield said.
"The facility will support Met Council’s holiday food distributions before Rosh Hashanah, Sukkos and Passover. The organization said it distributed more than 2 million pounds of kosher food during the recent Tishrei holiday season.
"The warehouse also supports the organization’s National School Lunch Program, which provides kosher lunches to students in 144 schools, as well as home deliveries to Holocaust survivors and homebound seniors, mobile food pantries and year-round community distributions.
"An on-site digital food pantry will serve residents of Canarsie, allowing customers to select groceries online and pick up their orders. The program offers fresh produce, proteins, dairy products and pantry staples, including kosher options. UJA-Federation of New York helped fund the initiative.
"The facility will also support Met Council’s work through New York’s Social Care Network program, which provides medically tailored meals and nutritious groceries to eligible Medicaid members.
"The project was funded through city, state, federal and private support. State Sen. Sam Sutton secured a $1 million state matching grant, which was matched by Met Council donors and board members. Former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams also helped secure city funding for the project."
October 22, 2026 from the CPSC :
bblüv Grow High Chairs have been recalled because the high chairs violate the mandatory safety standard for high chairs because the restraint systems were not preassembled to the products, posing deadly fall and entrapment hazards.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to stop using bblüv Grow high chairs immediately. The high chairs violate the mandatory safety standard for high chairs because the restraint systems were not preassembled to the products, posing deadly fall and entrapment hazards.
CPSC urges consumers to stop using the high chairs immediately and dispose of them. Do not sell or give away these hazardous products.
CPSC issued a Notice of Violation concerning this product. bblüv Group has not agreed to an acceptable corrective action plan for these high chairs.
This recall involves bblüv Grow high chairs. The high chairs have a gray plastic molded bucket-style seat with a matching fabric seat cover, a gray plastic tray and four wooden legs. The high chair converts into a toddler chair. The bblüv logo is printed in white on the front edge of the tray.
Sold At: The high chairs were sold by third-party sellers and on other websites.
October 23, 2026 - from NY Post
"New York City likes to take pride in how “inclusive” it is, particularly for immigrants, but when it comes to identifiable Israelis, too many of its inhabitants are ready to make an exception.
"Every Israeli restaurant owner can tell you that much.
"Several times a week for the last few months, a guy has walked by Gazala Halabi’s eatery on the Upper West Side and spit on the window.
"One day, Gazala chased him down and asked him why.
"'You know why,' he replied. 'It’s because you’re Israeli.'
"No matter that Gazala is Druze, not Jewish, and makes dishes that have been in her family for generations.
"Almost every Israeli restaurant in the city has experienced harassment, and often they’re lucky if it’s just spitting.
"They’ve endured broken windows, graffiti and even (failed) employee-led boycotts.
"At the end of the day, says one business owner who took the hard decision to remove Israel from the menu entirely after his restaurant was repeatedly vandalized, “I need to support my family,” and threatening phone calls from strangers were not part of the business plan.
"The owner of Ella’s Café on the Upper East Side recalls organized campaigns to boycott his restaurant after Oct. 7.
"He never thought for a minute of removing the Israeli flags or items from the menu, and today he reports that for every person who leaves, two more show up.
"Alon Kazdan, the owner of Stripes Wine Bar near Union Square, told me he saw a 60% loss in sales in the days after Oct. 7, as well as people coming in and trying to rip down his Israeli flag.
"Catering to the community instead of the bullies paid off, and today his establishment is back to business as usual — flag, Israeli salad and all.
"He finds that especially ironic since, as a young restauranter in Israel, he worked with many Muslims and Palestinians and never experienced any problems.
"Immigrants building successful businesses from nothing is as American as apple pie. There should be no exceptions for Israelis.
"Hopefully New Yorkers will continue to reward those who remain proud and unafraid — and not forget to order a round of falafel for the table."
October 25, 2026 - from Matzav.com
"Israeli consumers will pay more for eggs beginning November 1, 2026, after the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security announced an approximately 2.1% increase in the government-controlled prices of eggs, adding between 27 and 33 agorot to the cost of a dozen, depending on size.
"The new prices, announced Thursday, October 22, represent the first adjustment to regulated egg prices since November 2025 and reflect rising production and distribution costs throughout Israel’s poultry industry.
"Under the revised pricing schedule, a carton of 12 medium-sized eggs will cost a maximum of 13.40 shekels, up from 13.13 shekels, an increase of 27 agorot.
"A dozen large eggs will rise from 14.24 shekels to 14.54 shekels, an increase of 30 agorot, while a carton of 12 extra-large eggs will increase from 15.48 shekels to 15.81 shekels, a rise of 33 agorot.
"All prices include Israel’s value-added tax.
"The Agriculture Ministry explained that the increase follows a periodic review of the expenses involved in producing and marketing eggs, from poultry farms through distributors and retailers to the final consumer."
October 22, 2026 from the CPSC :
Costway Convertible High Chairs have been recalled because the convertible high chairs violate the mandatory safety standard for high chairs because they do not contain a passive restraint system and a child can slip through the opening between the feeding tray and seat and become entrapped or fall, posing a risk of serious injury or death.
Consumer Contact: Costway toll-free at 844-242-1885 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at recall@costway.com, or online at or www.costway.com and click on “Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.
This recall involves Costway high chairs designed to convert into a table and chair set. They were available in several color combinations, including purple and white, red and white, blue and white, and brown and white. There is no tracking information located on the products.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled high chairs and contact Costway for a free replacement high chair. Consumers will be asked to provide a receipt or a photo of the product and will receive a prepaid label to return the recalled product to Costway. Upon receipt of the recalled product, Costway will ship a replacement high chair free of charge.
Sold At: Walmart and Target stores nationwide and online at Costway.com from May 2023 through July 2026 for between $84 and $100.
October 15, 2026 from the CPSC :
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to stop using the 6-quart Power Quick Pot pressure cookers, model Y6D-36, immediately because they pose a risk of serious injury from burn hazard. The pressure cooker’s lid can open while pressurized, causing hot contents to be expelled unexpectedly.
This warning involves 6-Quart Power Quick Pot electric pressure cookers, model Y6D-36. The stainless-steel pressure cookers have a black pressure lid, button controls and a digital temperature and function display. “Power Quick Pot” is printed on the front and the model number appears on a label on the back of the unit.
Incidents/Injuries: CPSC has obtained 24 reports of the pressure cookers expelling hot contents unexpectedly, resulting in serious burn injuries.
Sold At: Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Ebay.com and other retailers nationwide from about July 2018 to November 2023 for between $44 and $160.
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