K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Obama signs bill requiring labeling of GMO foods

July 29, 2016: from The WashingtonPost:

"President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill that will require labeling of genetically modified ingredients for the first time."
"The legislation passed by Congress two weeks ago will require most food packages to carry a text label, a symbol or an electronic code readable by smartphone that indicates whether the food contains genetically modified organisms, or GMOs."
"The Agriculture Department has two years to write the rules, which will pre-empt a Vermont law that kicked in earlier this month."

Food fraud: Russian-style

July 25, 2016: from Barfblog and MoscowTimes:

"Quality control in Russia’s food sector appears to have broken down. Products are plentiful. But behind the glossy labels, their true contents are a lottery. " "One of the bureaucracies to be thrown out was mandatory certification of food." "Sixty percent of the products tested by Roscontrol are poor quality, unsafe or falsified." "Fraud creates a vicious cycle that pushes down prices and makes it harder for honest producers to stay in business."

FDA to update rules on vitamin D fortification of plant-based dairy alternatives

July 19, 2016: from Foodnavigator.com

"The FDA is amending the food additive regulations to allow manufacturers to fortify a wider range of plant-based dairy milk alternatives and yogurt alternatives with vitamin D2, and to increase the current permitted levels of vitamin D3 in dairy milk, in response to a petition filed by Dean Foods and WhiteWave Foods."
"Currently, manufacturers are allowed to fortify soy beverages with vitamin D2 at up to 50IU/100g. After the rule change, manufacturers will be able to fortify soy, rice, almond, coconut and other plant-based beverages and yogurt intended as dairy alternatives at levels not to exceed 84IU/100g. They will also be allowed to add up to 84IU/100g of vitamin D3 to dairy milk (the current upper limit is 42IU/100g)." "The daily value for vitamin D - which is important for bone development and general health – is also increasing from 10 mcg to 20 mcg."

Arab Meat company challenges law that all meat imported into Israel must be kosher

July 18, 2016: from tabletmag.com

The Ahmad Effendi Meat Co. has petitioned the Israeli supreme court to overturn a 2004 law that all meat that is imported into Israeli must be kosher. They say that this adds 20% to the cost of imported meat.

Fire closes Brookline's Butcherie

July 13, 2016: The /brookline.wickedlocal.com
There was a fire at the utcherie in Brookline, MA. The fire was started by careless disposal of smoking materials in a rear storage area and caused an estimated half million dollars in damage. It is not clear when the business will reopen.

Milk Street Cafe Takes Issue with Chris Kimball’s New Venture Milk Street Kitchen

July 8, 2016: The BostonEater.com
"Marc Epstein, who owns Milk Street Cafe, is suing Christopher Kimball, who recently announced plans to open a new venture called Milk Street Kitchen on Milk Street, down the road from Milk Street Cafe."
"Epstein’s place (at 50 Milk St.) thrives on catering and has been around for 35 years, while Kimball’s (at 177 Milk St.) will be an America’s Test Kitchen 2.0 — a cooking school, a set for his forthcoming new TV show, and the birthplace of a magazine."
"Epstein apparently sent letters to Kimball asking him to change the name to no avail, prompting the lawsuit. He told the Globe there have already been instances of confusion, where people have asked if Kimball is associated with the cafe and have even applied for jobs there, thinking it is Kimball’s new venture."

Korean Gov't to foster halal, kosher industries

July 7, 2016: The The Korea Times

Belgian court rules shechita bans unconstitutional

June 29, 2016: The Arutz7

"A constitutional court in Belgium ruled on Wednesday that traditional Jewish shechita is permitted under Belgian law and will be allowed to continue unimpeded."
"'Restrictions on kosher shechita', the judge ruled, 'contradict basic human rights laws and religious rights in Belgium.'"
"In recent months some members of the Flemish parliament have proposed bans on kosher shechita, prohibiting exceptions to a Belgian law requiring animals be stunned before being slaughters. Such a move would effectively outlaw kosher shechita, which cannot be performed while an animal is stunned."