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.
September 13, 2021: from The DailyMail:
"Halal and kosher meat will have to be labelled in a victory for animal welfare campaigners."
"As part of the proposed law, all meat will have to be marked with how the animal was killed."
"Animals slaughtered to be compliant with kosher and halal rules are often killed without being stunned first and have their throats slit."
"At the moment, it is not compulsory to label meat as halal, so campaigners have argued that those who eat the products and care about animal welfare should be able to make the choice to buy meat killed in a more humane way."
"The Bill is currently in the early stages and is the subject of a public consultation. But ministers have privately said they aim to bring in the law – and that it is supported by the majority of the British public."
"The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF), which the Prime Minister's wife Carrie Johnson has long been a patron of, has been calling for this policy change for years."
"Under new laws, there will also be stricter animal welfare labelling requirements – with how the animal was reared and cared for prominently displayed on the packaging."
"This is part of a raft of legislation under the Animal Welfare Bill including plans to ban boiling lobsters alive and outlawing the sale and import of 'cruel' animal products such as fur and foie gras."
"Halal meat is worth around £2.6billion a year in the UK, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
"It accounts for around 20 per cent of all lamb and mutton sold, despite Muslims only comprising around 5 per cent of the population."
"This is because 'halal consumers eat more meat per capita than the general population', says the AHDB."
"About 42 per cent of all halal meat is not stunned before slaughter, according to the Food Standards Agency."
"Slaughter of kosher livestock – the method is known as shechita – is a small percentage of all animals killed accounting for only 0.5 per cent of all cattle, 0.1 per cent of sheep, 0.3 per cent of chickens."
Another article from a Jewish point of view is Government’s misguided agenda on kosher meat labelling leaves a bad taste from the Times of Israel on September 24, 2021.
August 18, 2021 - from CPSC.
Gas One propane adapter hoses have been recalled because the hose can swell during use causing gas to leak, posing a fire hazard.
This recall involves Gas One 50140 propane adapter hoses which are designed to be used with propane gas tanks. The hoses include the following model numbers: 50140-08, 50140-012, 50140-05GA, 50140. The recalled propane adapter hoses are part of manufacturer batch numbers Pearl River 3Q20 and Pearl River 4Q20 which i s stamped on the hose.
Consumers should immediately stop using the adapter hose and contact Gas One to obtain a free replacement hose.
Sold At: Online at www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com, www.gasone.com www.homedepot.com and www.walmart.com from December 2020 through February 2021, for between $9 and $18.
Consumer Contact: Gas One at 800-698-5070 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at info@pricezoneusa.com or online at www.gasone.com and hover over “Read” at the top of page and then click on “News” or at www.gasone.com/pages/contact for more information.
September 17, 2021 from cRc:
Until 2017, the cRc recommended certain readily available fencing material (commonly sold in Home Depot) to be used for schach and provided detailed instructions on how to place them on the sukkah. However, based on feedback from consumers on the sturdiness of those materials and how they were being used, we stopped issuing those recommendations [and also stopped researching these types of products] because we determined that there is a reasonable chance that some people will end up not having kosher schach for their sukkah.
We suggest that consumers use traditional schach material such as bamboo poles, tree branches, or mats specifically certified for sukkah use.
For the TSA notice click here.
For the CBP notice click here.
To download a copy of the handout click here.
"As in past years, Agudath Israel of America’s Washington Office has worked closely with agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help avoid potential problems for travelers carrying arba minim."
"Both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have notified their respective field personnel about the upcoming Sukkos holiday and the increased level of travel by persons of the Jewish faith, many of whom will be carrying arba minim. The agencies have also made this information available to the public – the TSA notice here and the CBP notice here.
"The notifications, which have been sent out to federal officials at airports and border crossings, emphasize the religious significance of these items and outline the rules and procedures that would help allay possible security and health issues that are of concern to the federal government. Prior to these agency steps, lack of familiarity regarding Sukkos and the arba minim had led to numerous incidents each year of inadvertent mishandling and mistreatment — including denial of entry — of these ritual objects."
"The TSA Notice makes clear that the arba minim carried in airports, through security checkpoints or on aircraft, are not on the “prohibited items list” and provides instructions for travelers needing “special accommodations” in regard to checkpoint screening. The CBP Guidance sets forth detailed information regarding the inspection process for personal sets of arba minim brought into the United States from foreign countries at select ports of entry and points out that the agency is 'committed to treating all travelers, including travelers who may be observing Sukkot, with respect and dignity at all U.S. ports of entry.' "
"We are gratified by the ongoing sensitivity of these agencies to the religious concerns of our community,' said Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel’s Vice President for Government Affairs and Washington Director. 'They are taking meaningful and appropriate steps to accommodate our religious needs.'"
"He also thanked his colleague Rabbi Ariel Sadwin for serving as the main Agudah point of contact with those federal agencies related to the annual guidance."
"Agudath Israel of America once again produced a one-page handout that travelers can print out – or save to their phones – to familiarize themselves with the rules before traveling."
"Please note that Covid-19 and Delta and other variants may impact your travel plans. Please familiarize yourself with the health precautions your destination requires before arranging any sort of travel."
Information for these travling from Canada to the United States or into Canada for Sukkot is here.
August 23, 2018 from the Yeshiva World:
The Israeli "Ministry of Agriculture reminds travelers that one may not bring arba minim into the country for Sukkos."
"As in past years, agents assigned to border control will offer a person bringing arba minim with a personal (non-commercial) product made in Israel, including hadassim, aravos, and of course, a lulav. It should be noted that the passengers are permitted to bring one esrog per passenger."
"The Ministry of Agriculture makes it clear that those interested in bringing the arba minim to Israel in advance should contact the Plant Protection & Inspection Services of the Ministry of Agriculture."
September 2, 2021 - from Jewish Press
"en & Jerry’s Israel’s fight against the demand made by the global owner of the brand to boycott Judea and Samaria entered a new phase when it submitted an official complaint with Israel’s Competition Authority saying that the conduct of the global brand constitutes a serious violation of the terms of the merger between them and Unilever."
"Unilever, which owns the global Ben & Jerry’s, stated in July that it was ending sales in Israel as 'we believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.'"
"'“We have informed our licensee that we will not renew the license agreement when it expires at the end of next year,' the company said."
"Avi Zinger, the Israeli license owner, refused Ben and Jerry’s demand to withdraw his sales from Judea and Samaria."
"AQP, the Israeli company that has the franchise to distribute Ben & Jerry’s products in Israel, has, through Adv. Dr. Dori Klagsbald approached Acting Antitrust Commissioner Michal Cohen with a formal complaint alleging a blatant violation of the Competition Authority’s 2000 guidelines for a merger between Unilever, the controlling owner of Strauss Ice Cream, and Ben & Jerry’s Global."
"Under the terms of the merger, it was determined that no action would be taken to reduce the scope of the sale of Ben & Jerry’s products in Israel, out of fear that the food giant might act to reduce competition in the market in favor of Strauss Ice Cream."
"It was further stipulated in the terms of the merger that Unilever will have no right to determine for the Israeli Ben & Jerry’s franchisee the terms of marketing of its products in Israel."
"The official complaint is another stage in AQP’s struggle to keep the franchise in its hands and is appealing to the Competition Authority to intervene and demand compliance with the merger guidelines, and to cancel Ben & Jerry’s global demand from the Israeli franchisee not to distribute and market the brand’s products in Judea and Samaria."
"Several US states have launched a probe against Unilever to determine if its boycott of Israel was a breach of their anti-boycott laws."
"Over 30 US states have laws that prohibit it from contracting with companies that boycott Israel or are connected to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement."
August 18, 2021 - from CPSC.
Swivel Counter Stools can break or collapse, posing fall and injury hazards.
This recall involves swivel counter stools with wooden legs and fabric backrests with rivet trim around the seat. The stools were sold in gray faux leather, and light gray, dark gray and blue/cream herringbone fabrics. The stools measure approximately 36 inches to the top of the backrest, and the seat height is approximately 25.5 inches from the floor. One of the following style numbers is printed on the product hang tag: 61057, 61063, 61064, 62332, 65129, 65130, 66413, 66414. A label printed with “CHINA” is attached to the bottom of the seat.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled counter stools and return them to any HomeGoods or Homesense store for their choice of either a full refund or store gift card.
TJX has received 20 reports of stools breaking in which consumers fell, including 17 reports of minor injuries.
Consumer Contact: HomeGoods at 800-888-0776 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at swww.homegoods.com , and click on “Customer Service” at the bottom of the page, and Homesense toll-free at 855-660-4663 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.homesense.com, and click on “Customer Service” at the bottom of the page.
August 23, 2020 from the Vegconomist
"Almost two years ago, the California Department of Food and Agriculture ordered Miyoko’s Creamery to stop using terms like “butter” and “lactose-free” on its product packaging. But it had targeted the wrong company."
"Reluctant to change its packaging at great expense, Miyoko’s filed a lawsuit claiming that the restrictions violated its First Amendment rights. Last week, the case was finally resolved, with Judge Richard Seeborg agreeing that Miyoko could continue to use the terms “butter”, “lactose-free”, and “cruelty-free” — though it would no longer be able to label its products as “hormone-free”."
"The verdict is a huge victory for Miyoko’s, but for many, it isn’t just about one company — as founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner says, it could “set a precedent”. This is important because as plant-based products continue to take market share from their animal counterparts, the meat and dairy industries in many countries have reacted by attempting to restrict plant-based product labelling."
"Perhaps the most notorious was the European dairy lobby’s rejected Amendment 171, which would have created such severe restrictions for plant milks that many labelled it “censorship”. The EU also voted down a ban that would have prevented alt-meat producers from using terms like “sausage” and “burger”. In the US last year, Virginia’s governor vetoed a bill that would have banned alt-dairy producers from using the word “milk”."
August 23, 2020 from the Plant Based News
"Vegan dairy brand Miyoko's has been granted permission by the United States District Court Northern District of California to use the terms 'butter', 'cruelty-free', and 'lactose-free' when labeling its products."
"The ruling follows a legal battle between plaintiff Miyoko's Kitchen and defendants Karen Ross (from the California Department of Food Agriculture) and Stephen Beam (in his capacity as Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch Chief). "
"The Motion for Preliminary Injunction also states Miyoko's can not use labels such as 'hormone-free' or 'Revolutionizing Dairy with Plants' - as previously used on its website."
August 4, 2021 - from CPSC in conjunction with Healthy Canadians and Gobierno de México
This recall involves 25-, 30-, 35-, 45-, 50-, 60-, 65-, 70-, and 74-pint dehumidifiers, manufactured before September 1, 2017, with the brand names including AeonAir, Amana, ArcticAire (Danby), Classic (Danby / Home Hardware Stores), Commercial Cool, Danby, Danby Designer, Danby Premiere, De’Longhi, Edgestar, Friedrich, Generations (Danby), Haier, Honeywell (JMATEK / AirTek), Idylis, Ivation, perfect aire, SuperClima, Whirlpool, and Whynter. The brand name, model number, and pint capacity are printed on the nameplate sticker on the back of the dehumidifier.
Consumer Contact: Contact New Widetech toll-free at 877-251-1512 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at www.recallrtr.com/nwtdehumidifier or http://www.newwidetech.com/en/ and click on “Recall Information” at the bottom of the page for more information.
A full list of the recalled products and pictures are here.
August 5, 2021 - from the Montreal Gazette:
"When it comes to seafood, nearly half of what you think you’re buying at the grocery store or ordering from a menu is falling short of its promises, according to a new DNA testing study by Oceana Canada. The ocean conservation group tested seafood samples from restaurants and grocery stores in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, and found that 46 per cent were mislabelled."
"Seafood is one of the most highly traded products in the world with a lengthy and complex supply chain. In Canada, upwards of 80 per cent of seafood is imported, and most of what we produce is exported. The opacity of the global industry is one of the main reasons seafood is so prone to fraud and mislabelling. There are a multitude of species coming from all over the world, and mislabelling happens throughout the supply chain."
"Mislabelling rates are higher among restaurants than retailers, the report found: 6.5 per cent at stores versus 65 per cent in food service. This is consistent with other studies, explains Sayara Thurston, seafood fraud campaigner at Oceana Canada. Large retailers tend to have more control over their supply chains and the purchasing power to set their own requirements. But even the highly attuned eye is unlikely to pick up on species substitution and mislabelling. Retailers, restaurateurs and consumers are all victims of seafood fraud."
"The mislabelling rate has dropped by just one percentage point since Oceana Canada’s analysis of 472 samples between 2017 and 2019: 47 per cent versus 46 per cent (43 out of 94) in spring 2021. In 2019, the government announced a 'boat-to-plate' traceability program, which has yet to be implemented — making the stagnant results unsurprising, says Thurston."
July 28, 2021 - from the i24:
"Taiwan's Jewish community announced Wednesday that its first congregation center is expected to open by the end of the year."
"Construction of the Jeffrey D. Schwartz Jewish Community Center in Taiwan began in 2020 and is expected to be completed by December 2021."
"The $16 million complex will include a synagogue with a capacity of over 100 seats, a mikvah or ritual bath, and Taiwan's first kosher restaurant."
"It will also include a banquet hall that can hold 300 people, a kindergarten and classrooms for adult education programs, a library, spaces for group and individual study, and a courtyard for students’ outdoor events."
"Until now, the Jewish community has operated mainly from two rented spaces in downtown Taipei - a Chabad movement house and a small office."
"Rabbi Shlomi Tabib arrived in Taipei with his wife and family in 2011 and opened a Sunday school religious program."
"According to community spokesperson Glenn Leibowitz, who has lived in Taiwan for 30 years, the island has around 700 to 800 Jews, half of whom are active members of the community involved in Shabbat meals and services, Jewish holidays, and other events."
| The information posted is from secondary sources. We cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the information. |
| Comments to webmaster@kashrut.com
© Copyright 2025 Scharf Associates |
|
|||||||||||