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.
January 24, 2021 from The Washington Post:
"It probably isn’t much consolation for Americans struggling with the highest inflation in 40 years, but they are not alone.
"In the European Union, prices are rising faster than at any time since the euro currency was introduced. The annual inflation rate in the United Kingdom hit 5.4 percent in December, the highest figure there in nearly 30 years. Canada’s consumer prices are rising twice as fast as before the pandemic.
"Even in Japan, where prices have been depressed almost continuously since the collapse of the late 1980s real estate bubble, the central bank in recent days revised upward its assessment of inflation risks for the first time in eight years. Among major economies, only China has a lower inflation rate today than in early 2020.
"Around the world, soaring prices are emerging as a feature of the pandemic-era recovery, prompting some central banks to pivot to inflation fighting.
"As factories around the world revive at different speeds, a mismatch between the goods that are being produced and those that customers want to buy is helping drive prices higher. Longer-term trends, such as increased protectionism, rising Chinese wages and the adjustment to a low-carbon economy, will put upward pressure on prices in the years ahead, according to research by the BlackRock Investment Institute.
"Snarled global supply chains, afflicting ports in Rotterdam and Shanghai as well as in Los Angeles, are driving up costs around the world. Increasing commodities costs, including food and energy, are doing likewise.
"Over the past year, global oil prices are up more than 55 percent. Nickel, used in automotive and aerospace plants, is up 27 percent. And coffee has almost doubled in price.
"Those bills are hitting customers everywhere, including in the United States. Over the past year, prices of imports — especially food, fuel and industrial parts — have risen by more than 10 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was the largest one-year increase since 2007.
"In response, major U.S. companies are hiking retail prices. Procter & Gamble, maker of Tide laundry detergent and Bounty paper towels, told investors last week that higher commodity costs represented a $2.3 billion annual head wind while freight costs were up $300 million. The company said it had raised prices in all 10 of its product categories, boosting profits.
January 24, 2021 from The National Restaurant Association:
"Everything, from proteins to dish soap to fryer oil, packaging materials, and in some cases, even replacement parts for kitchen equipment, are in short supply. And, when a restaurateur can get his or her hands on those items, they can’t seem to get enough of them and are paying much higher prices for what they can get.
"in addition to shortages, restaurateurs say they are paying higher prices for different food items, but Founding Farmers’ Simons says he thinks prices will start to come down by 2Q of 2022."
January 23, 2022 from The TimesOfIsrael:
"Now free to switch overseeing agencies, food establishment owners say they’ll do so only if it’s good for business — and it often isn’t
"Until now, the chief rabbinate and local religious councils have been the only bodies that can issue kosher certificates, which costs businesses about $2.18-2.49 million a year.
"Now, however, with the first stage of the kashrut reform led by Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana taking effect, any restaurant, food store and factory can choose from among all religious councils nationwide to provide them with kashrut supervision, rather than only being able to use their local council.
"The reform will eventually enable private organizations to provide supervision services — with oversight by the rabbinate — starting in 2023.
"This is the long-awaited privatization of the kosher certification industry, a path paved by the religious Tzohar organization, which launched its own kosher certification agency in 2018. They took over from a grassroots group that first entered the industry years before, aiming to break the rabbinate’s hold.
"Tzohar can use the term ‘announcement,’ or ‘halachic,’ (which means according to Jewish law) in its certificates, but not the word ‘kosher.’ For the time being, that word belongs to the chief rabbinate alone.
"The organization will be able to use the word ‘kosher’ in their certificates in a year’s time, as part of the reforms."
January 10, 2022 from Nutrition Insight:
"The ban on titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a food additive has come into force across the EU this month, after it was deemed as “not safe” by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
"rance banned the use of the additive in 2020, leading companies such as Lonza to launch Vcaps Plus White Opal, its first commercially-available titanium dioxide-free semi-opaque capsule for food supplements. The move followed several lobby groups urging the European Commission to prohibit TiO2.
"The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety last year called for a uniform approach to screening nanomaterials like TiO2. The methodology proposed specific adaptations related to regulatory definitions, particle size measurements, dissolution properties and hazard identification.
"Also known as E171, TiO2 is used as a color in the nutrition industry, including as an opacifier in capsules. It is used in soups, sauces, sandwich spreads and processed nut products, among others, EUFIC notes. It is also used in candy, chewing gum, cake icing and white sauces. In cosmetic and skincare products, titanium dioxide is also used as a pigment, thickener and as a sunscreen ingredient.
"The ban came as a result of an EFSA review of the item. The body is responsible for the periodic re-evaluation of food additives that have been approved for use in the past.
"The review body noted it also did not have sufficient data to calculate a safe daily intake level of TiO2 and moved to its ban."
January 4, 2022 from The TimesOfIsrael:
"Prof. Amnon Lahad calls prospect of virus crossing species ‘very concerning,’ as Health Ministry advises Israelis to avoid sick birds and not to buy unregulated chicken, eggs.
"Israeli food tech startup Remilk, a developer of animal-free milk and dairy, raised $120 million in a funding round led by Hanaco Ventures, a New York- and Tel Aviv-based venture capital fund.
"The Remilk investment revealed Tuesday was the single largest in a cow-free dairy company to date, and values the startup at an astonishing $500 million, according to sources familiar with the deal. Financial daily The Marker reported a valuation of $325 million.
"Remilk, founded in 2019, produces milk proteins via a fermentation process that renders them “chemically identical” to those present in cow-produced milk and dairy products.
"The two entrepreneurs mapped out the chemical composition of milk, assessed the fat, lactose and sugar in the liquid, and determined that the key ingredient to making milk is the proteins.
"Remilk recreates the milk proteins by taking the genes that encode them and inserting them into a single-cell microbe, which they manipulated genetically to express the protein'“in an efficient and scalable way,' said Wolf. The product is then dried into a powder.
"The dried powder can be sold to dairy companies, and food manufacturers can add water and fat to create a range of cheeses, yogurts, and ice creams. Remilk can also offer ready-made products like hard cheese, yogurt, and cream cheese.
"Another Israeli cow-free dairy startup, Imagindairy, raised $13 million in seed funding in November. Imagindairy says its technology recreates nature-identical, animal-free versions of whey and casein proteins that can be used to produce dairy duplicates.
"Meanwhile, Israeli cultured dairy company BioMilk went public on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange last April. BioMilk isolates the milk-producing cells from cows’ udders and transfers them to a bioreactor, where they are exposed to materials patented by the firm to produce milk, but without needing a cow in the final milk-producing process."
Effective January 1, 2022, GE began marketing their Sabbath Mode ovens without STAR-K certification. Certified ovens purchased and delivered prior to January 1, 2022, remain certified.
Consumers seeking to purchase cooking appliances compatible with Shabbos and Yom Tov are advised to select models certified by a reliable kashrus organization.
Consumers who have questions or concerns about this issue can contact GE directly at 1-800-626-2005.
OU Kosher is in the process of certifying several shabbos friendly GE Appliances. These were certified by #STARKosher.
As of Jan 2022, some of these appliances will come under the supervision of OU Kosher.
Additional information from the OU can be found in the following article: Transition to OU Kosher Supervision Brings Improvements to Shabbos Mode on “GEA” Division Ovens and Refrigerators.
January 2, 2022 - from Arutz Sheva
"The first part of the kashrut reform initiated by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Matan Kahana, will take effect Sunday morning.
"Israel Hayom reported that as part of the first stage of the reform, any religious council will be able to provide kashrut supervision services anywhere in Israel, as stipulated in the coalition agreement.
"In exactly one year, the reform will be fully completed, with the opening of a full-fledged kashrut market to private corporations, which will provide supervision services in place of the religious councils.
"'The first phase of the kashrut program, which will regulate the kashrut system of the State of Israel, has now entered into force,' said Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana. He noted that this program 'will march the system forward towards a more elegant, supervised and regulated kashrut. From today, restaurants and factories will be able to choose from which religious council they will be able to get their kashrut certificate. Bringing competition into the supervision system will halt the freeze that prevailed in the realm of kashrut over the past decades.'
"A few months ago, the Chief Rabbinical Council announced a boycott of the plan, and a ban on granting kashrut status in another city, and they hope this will cause religious councils not to exercise their ability to grant kashrut status outside their original area of authority. Those leading opposition to the reform also say there is a shortage of paid available positions for kashrut inspectors, so even those who want to expand outside their cities will find it difficult to do so.
"The Ministry of Religious Affairs hopes that, similar to the case of extending possible marriage registration areas a few years ago such that service to consumers dramatically improved, in this case, too, extending possible kashrut supervision areas will improve service, and prevent unnecessary abuse as has been the case in various cases in the past."
December 28, 2021 from The Globes.com:
"The Israeli food manufacturer and distributor says it can no longer absorb the rise in commodity and shipping costs.
"Israeli food manufacturer and distributor Osem Investments Ltd. has announced that it is raising the prices of its products by an average of 4.6%. In a letter sent to retailers, Nestle unit Osem reported that it is hiking the prices of its products by between 3% and 7%. Materna baby formula products will not rise in price. "This rise partially covers the major price rises of inputs and shipping," the company said.
"Dozens of products in many categories will rise including salty snacks like Bamba, Bisli, Apropos, Dubonim and breakfast cereals including Cheerios, Fitness and Crunch. Other price rises include on coffee products like Nescafe and Starbucks coffee capsules as well as Tzabar Humus and Tivol vegetarian products. Also on the list are Perfecto pastas, ketchup, soup and soup powders, breadcrumbs, sauces, flour, pastry products, crackers, cookies, Gerber baby products and more."
December 29, 2021 from The TimesOfIsrael:
"Prof. Amnon Lahad calls prospect of virus crossing species ‘very concerning,’ as Health Ministry advises Israelis to avoid sick birds and not to buy unregulated chicken, eggs.
"Most bird flu strains don’t infect humans. However, four strains have caused concern: H5N1 since 1997, H7N9 since 2013, H5N6 since 2014 and H5N8 since 2016. Lahad said that since little is known about the current infections, the possibility of a jump to humans must be taken seriously.
"He said that a jump to humans could occur after a mutation, but that it’s also entirely possible the flu could cross species without a mutation.
"Also Wednesday, the Health Ministry warned Israelis to take precautions amid the avian flu outbreak, urging the public to avoid coming in contact with sick or injured birds, and to not hunt such animals.
"In addition, people should only purchase chicken and eggs from regulated places that have inspection stamps. According to the ministry, “care should be taken to thoroughly cook eggs and chicken, maintain hygiene and wash hands after contact with the meat or eggs.”
"Preventing possible transmission to humans is one of the guiding principles of the Agriculture Ministry’s decision to cull huge numbers of birds — some 700,000 have been killed over the past few weeks.
"However, bird experts stressed that culling by no means ensures the end of infection.
"The danger of Israel’s bird flu outbreak jumping to humans is real and “very concerning,” according to a top epidemiologist.
"Prof. Amnon Lahad, chairman of Israel’s National Council for Community Health, told The Times of Israel that he is tracking the avian outbreak, which has killed thousands of wild birds.
“The widespread nature of the avian flu is very concerning, especially given that it is infecting chickens and not just wild birds. It’s made the move from wildlife to stock animals, and I’m hoping it won’t make the next step to humans,” he said Wednesday.
"Most bird flu strains don’t infect humans. However, four strains have caused concern: H5N1 since 1997, H7N9 since 2013, H5N6 since 2014 and H5N8 since 2016. Lahad said that since little is known about the current infections, the possibility of a jump to humans must be taken seriously.
"Also Wednesday, the Health Ministry warned Israelis to take precautions amid the avian flu outbreak, urging the public to avoid coming in contact with sick or injured birds, and to not hunt such animals.
"In addition, people should only purchase chicken and eggs from regulated places that have inspection stamps. According to the ministry, “care should be taken to thoroughly cook eggs and chicken, maintain hygiene and wash hands after contact with the meat or eggs.”
"Preventing possible transmission to humans is one of the guiding principles of the Agriculture Ministry’s decision to cull huge numbers of birds — some 700,000 have been killed over the past few weeks.
"Culling has been shown effective in the past. For example, after the first known transmission to humans in Hong Kong in 1997, with 18 cases causing six deaths, no more cases were recorded after culling.
"However, bird experts stressed that culling by no means ensures the end of infection.
"'This culling is the most that people can do, but nothing gives guarantees,' Tel Aviv University ornithologist Prof. Yossi Leshem told The Times of Israel. “The flu can carry on spreading among birds, and could spread to humans.”
"Israel is on a major migration route and birds could disseminate the flu far beyond the country, experts believe. The disease has reached Israeli farms.
"Lahad, chairman of Hebrew University’s family medicine department and head of the Jerusalem district for Clalit Health Services, said Israelis should avoid contact with birds, and spurn visits to farms with chickens and other birds. If they have cats that bring dead birds home, he urged, they should take care to dispose of them using gloves and handling them at arm’s length.
"While Lahad said it was impossible to predict the likelihood of bird flu passing to humans, or the likely virulence of the disease if it does, he noted that in the past it is has caused serious illness. As this year’s flu vaccines did not include specific protection against avian flu, they are likely to provide only minimal coverage."
December 29, 2021 from KVH Kosher:
The TD Garden Kosher concession is open for all Bruins & Celtics games except for Shabbos, Yom Tov and the eve of Shabbos and Yom Tov.
December 26, 2021 from The CNE:
"The new rules for religious slaughter in the Netherlands are good for animal welfare. The agreement between the Dutch government and the Jewish and Muslim community about slaughter without stunning, is functioning well.
"This is the conclusion of Carola Schouten, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), based on Deloitte Consulting and Wageningen University research.
"The minister is satisfied with the implementation and supervision of ritual slaughter. There are also no signs that more animals are being slaughtered without anaesthesia than is necessary for the Dutch market, she writes in a letter sent to the House of Representatives on Monday.
"The study is the first evaluation of agreements from 2017 between the Dutch government, slaughterhouses, the Dutch-Israelite Church Association (NIK) and the Contact Body ‘Muslims and Government’. In addition to an earlier agreement from 2012, it was then stipulated, among other things, that an animal that is still not unconscious 40 seconds after the neck cut has been made must still be sedated. Furthermore, no animals are ritually slaughtered to export the meat.
"The standards for ritual slaughter without stunning have been laid down by law with effect from January 1st, 2018. In addition, the agreements are evaluated every three years.
"Deloitte concludes in its report that the covenant functions well and recommends continuing the agreements made. Compared to a baseline measurement from 2014, there is an improvement in animal welfare.
"Ritual slaughter may only take place under the supervision of a veterinarian of the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). Schouten’s letter suggests that some veterinarians object to performing this task. The NVWA overcomes this problem by scheduling the refusers and replacing them with colleagues who have no problem attending slaughter without stunning.
"The University of Wageningen has researched the kosher and halal meat trade. Most meat appears to go to kosher and Islamic butchers in the Netherlands. Parts of slaughtered animals that Dutch consumers do not eat may be exported. But the researchers do not indicate that animals are explicitly slaughtered for export.
"Ritual slaughter entails more costs, including mandatory supervision. As a result, the meat is more expensive than ‘regular’ meat. Schouten, therefore, thinks that selling kosher and halal meat on the meat market is not commercially attractive. All in all, she concludes that no more animals are ritually slaughtered than what the Dutch Jewish and Muslim communities need.
"The report of the Wageningen researchers shows that in 2020 64,400 cattle, sheep and goats were slaughtered without stunning in the Netherlands. That is 2.2 per cent of the nearly 3 million cows, sheep and goats slaughtered in that year. In most cases, it concerns sheep: 55,300 head."
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