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.
July 16, 2026: from the FoodDive
July 20, 2026: from the VinNews
"A malfunction in an advanced foreign-made production system that led to a shortage of Tnuva cottage cheese has highlighted a much larger challenge confronting Israeli industry. Manufacturers across the country report growing difficulties in bringing foreign technicians to Israel, as many specialists are refusing to travel to install, service, or repair critical industrial equipment.
"A review by Ynet found that the problem extends across nearly every major manufacturing sector. Israeli factories rely heavily on imported machinery, making overseas technicians essential not only for installing new production lines but also for maintaining existing operations in industries ranging from steel and plastics to food production, including facilities that manufacture goods for export.
"According to manufacturers, Israel’s international isolation is increasingly affecting day-to-day industrial operations. Many companies say foreign firms classify Israel as a war zone, preventing technicians from obtaining insurance coverage for work assignments in the country. In Italy, however, some manufacturers report that labor unions are refusing to allow their members to travel to Israel regardless of insurance considerations.
"He added that Israel manufactures very little of the specialized machinery used by its factories, leaving the country heavily dependent on overseas suppliers.
"Theimpact on manufacturing represents one of the less visible economic costs of the war. “Manufacturing has been hit extremely hard, and the country will pay for it in the future,” he said. “Some companies are seeing production disrupted, while others are deciding to build new lines abroad.”
"training Israeli technicians is ultimately necessary, he acknowledged there is currently no comprehensive solution. “Israeli teams need to be trained, but for now there is no solution. Manufacturers that cannot find some kind of workaround are left with a machine that simply does not operate."
July 16, 2026 from the CPSC :
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to stop using Houswise Tabletop Fire Pits immediately because using them can result in uncontrolled pool fires where flames burn across the surface of pooled or spilled alcohol, as well as flame jetting from fuel containers, resulting in serious or fatal burns.
This CPSC consumer alert follows the agency’s warning to stop using alcohol or other liquid-burning fire pits that violate voluntary standards and present flame jetting and fire hazards.
The Houswise Tabletop Fire Pits are rectangular, round or square containers that require consumers to pour liquid fuel into the container and then ignite the pooled liquid in the same location it was poured. Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, ethanol/bioethanol, and similar liquid fuels can burn with flame temperatures over 1,600°F and can cause third degree burns in less than one second. Igniting a pool of alcohol or other liquid fuel in the fire pit’s open container can result in an uncontrolled pool fire, which can suddenly produce larger, hotter flames that can spread beyond the fire pit product.
Flame jetting, another hazard, can occur when refilling the fire pit if any flame is present. A small flame in the fire pit can be hard to see and can ignite the vapor inside a fuel container as the fuel is poured, causing an explosion that propels flames and burning liquid onto the consumer or bystanders. CPSC’s flame jetting safety video demonstrates the potential force of flame jetting and the long distances flames and burning liquid can travel.
Furmia LLC, the manufacturer of Houswise Tabletop Fire Pits, has not agreed to recall these products or offer a remedy to consumers.
CPSC is aware of more than two dozen reports of flame-jetting, fuel leaking outside of the fire pit, and unexpectedly high flames, resulting in seven injuries, including third-degree burns.
Sold Online At: Houswise.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com and other websites since March 2023.
July 15, 2026 from Times of Israel
"The Knesset on Tuesday night voted 46-41 to give final approval to legislation restoring the Chief Rabbinate’s exclusive control over kosher certification, one of a series of laws that the ultra-Orthodox parties demanded be passed in exchange for support for key coalition bills.
"The law, which was championed by the Shas party, will reverse reforms enacted by the previous government that allowed private Orthodox organizations to issue kosher certificates in their own name, provided they meet the state’s standards.
"The law’s passage came a week after the Chief Rabbinate appeared to authorize the liberal Tzohar Rabbinical Organization to issue kosher certificates under Israeli law for the first time, following a High Court ruling last month ordering it to withdraw its refusal to recognize the group — a move that prompted pushback from the current Religious Services Ministry. But within hours, the decision came under dispute, with senior officials saying the approval of Tzohar had not been properly authorized and therefore had no legal standing.
"The new legislation passed Tuesday would enshrine that only the Chief Rabbinate can issue kosher certification.
"In Israel, the right to use the word “kosher” on food labeling is highly regulated, with only certification bodies recognized by the Rabbinate allowed to recognize a product or establishment as meeting religious requirements.
"Despite not being legally recognized by the government, hundreds of food businesses currently rely on Tzohar’s certification, which gets around the regulations by asserting that a business is being supervised, rather than stating that the food is kosher."
July 16, 2026 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada:
Boon PIVOT Collapsible Toddler Tower Kitchen Step Stools have been recalled because the recalled toddler towers can tip over while in use, posing a risk of serious injury and death due to tip over and fall hazards.
Consumer Contact: TOMY toll free at 866-725-4407 from 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, by email at cs@tomy.com or online at https://recall.tomy.com/pivot or https://us.tomy.com and click on “Product Recalls” at the top of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves Boon PIVOT Toddler Tower Kids Kitchen Step Stools. The metal and plastic tower stools were sold in gray and white and measure about 22 inches wide, 23 inches deep, and 35 inches tall. “boon” is visible along the top rail, and a warning label is visible along the side of the standing platform.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled tower stools immediately and store them away from children until repaired. Contact TOMY for a stabilizing repair part and installation instructions. The firm will mail the free repair parts directly to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: TOMY is aware of 11 reports involving the towers being unstable and shifting or leaning. No injuries have been reported.
Sold Online At: Target.com, Amazon.com and Babylist.com from January 2023 through June 2026 for around $150.
July 16, 2026 from the CPSC :
Space King No Girls Allowed Relic Lunch Boxes (Cups only) have been recalled because the cup in the lunch boxes contains high lead concentration levels for drinking vessels, posing a lead poisoning hazard. Lead is toxic if ingested by adults or children and can cause adverse health issues.
Consumer Contact: Warren James by email at customersupport@warrenjames.org Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or visit https://flashgitz.shop/recall or https://flashgitz.shop and click on “Recall” for more information.
Description: This recall involves the copper cup found in the Flashgitz-branded Space King No Girls Allowed Relic Lunch Boxes. The Relic Box is a retro style lunch box containing a limited-edition bundle of collectibles for fans of the web cartoon Space King. The contents of the box are a metal figurine, a zippo lighter case, a drinking cup and a pack of condoms. The box also contains a strip of paper warning that the “Chastity Seals” is a novelty item and not intended for use. The lunch box is red with “Space King” written in red and orange lettering at the top on the front, and a picture of the Space king characters below it. Only the copper cups are included in this recall.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled cups immediately and contact the firm for instructions on how to receive a replacement cup. Consumers who purchased the lunch boxes directly from Warren James will be sent a free replacement cup to the address previously provided in the original purchase order. Consumers should dispose of the cups in accordance with their local waste disposal requirements. The lunch box and other items that came with the box can continue to be used.
Sold Online At: Flashgitz shop from September 2025 through October 2025 for about $25.
SDADI Kitchen Step Stools are wooden standing towers for kids. The towers were sold under model numbers LT05 and LT01 in gray, white, espresso, pink and natural wood colors, and measure about 35 inches high, 15 to 18 inches wide and 18 inches deep. The stools were manufactured in China.
July 16, 2026 from the CPSC :
SDADI Kitchen Step Stools, models LT01 and LT05 have been recalled because the recalled tower stools can collapse or tip over while in use, and a child’s torso can fit through the openings on the front and back sides, posing a risk of serious injury and death due to tip over, fall and entrapment hazards.
Consumer Contact: Yiwushi Bihe Trading by email at john@SDADI.net
SDADI Kitchen Step Stools are wooden standing towers for kids. The towers were sold under model numbers LT05 and LT01 in gray, white, espresso, pink and natural wood colors, and measure about 35 inches high, 15 to 18 inches wide and 18 inches deep. The stools were manufactured in China.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled tower stools immediately, store them away from children and contact Yiwushi Bihe Trading for a full refund.
Incidents/Injuries: Yiwushi Bihe is aware of eight reports of instability or tip-overs, including four reported injuries such as scrapes, cuts, and bruises.
Sold At: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com, and Best Buy.com from April 2024 through September 2025 for between $45 and $155.
April 23, 2026 from the CPSC :
Bauhini SDADI Kitchen Step Stools have been recalled because the kitchen step stools pose a risk of serious injury due to the instability of the product, which can cause entrapment, tip overs and fall hazards.
Consumer Action: CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the toddler step stools and destroy them by disassembly and then dispose of them. Do not sell or give away these hazardous toddler step stools.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to stop using Bauhini SDADI Kitchen Step Stools immediately. The kitchen step stools pose a risk of serious injury due to the instability of the product, which can cause entrapment, tip overs and fall hazards.
About 3,600 kitchen step stools were sold online at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com, and Best Buy.com for between $45 and $155.
Bauhini SDADI Kitchen Step Stools are wooden standing towers for kids. They are about 35 inches high, 18 inches wide, and 18 inches deep. The towers were sold in grey, white, and natural wood colors.
Bauhini of China has not responded to requests for a recall.
CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the toddler step stools and destroy them by disassembly and then dispose of them. Do not sell or give away these hazardous toddler step stools.
July 16, 2026 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada:
This recall involves the Panasonic Flashxpress Toaster Oven with model numbers NB-G205S (Canadian Model) and NB-G200SVA (US Model). The recalled ovens have a stainless steel trim and use double infrared heat technology to cook food. The model number can be found on the back of the toaster oven on the product label.
Issue: The power cord insulation may be insufficient due to a protective fiberglass sleeve not covering it adequately, which poses an electrical shock hazard to consumers.
As of June 15, 2026, the company has received no reports of incident or injury in Canada. In the United States, the company has received 5 reports of circuit breaker tripping incidents involving the US model, but no incidents of shock or fire and no reports of injuries.
Consumer Contact: Panasonic toll-free at 888-943-2391 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at Panasonic6895@sedgwick.com and online at shop.panasonic.com/toaster-oven-recall for more information.
Sold Online At: Amazon.com, Costco.com, Panasonic.com and other online platforms nationwide from October 2024 through April 2026 for about $170.
July 7, 2026 from the Government of Canada:
This recall involves Sunluway Oven Bottom Panel Replacement. The brand name "Sunluway" and ASIN (B0FQ5MFBTC) can be found on the Amazon.ca product listing and order details.
Issue: During its operation, the protective coating of units experiences rapid thermal decomposition and scorching. This material defect exhibits severe paint cracking, large-scale peeling (delamination), and dense smoke generation (outgassing) inside the appliance.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and dispose of it.
For more information, consumers can contact Sunluway Bearings USA through the secure Amazon Buyer-Seller Messaging Service by clicking "Contact Seller" in their order details for the fastest resolution and refund processing. For alternative inquiries outside the platform, consumers can reach dedicated compliance support by email at hongchushi1997@126.com.
July 9, 2026 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada:
Cuisinart Propel+ Four Burner 3-in-1 Gas Grill with pizza oven have been recalled because the tempered glass window in the pizza oven can shatter during use, posing a risk of serious injury from laceration hazard.
Consumer Contact: Conair toll-free at 833-408-0463 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at https://www.recallrtr.com/3in1grill or www.cuisinart.com and click on “Product Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information.
Description: This recall includes the stainless-steel Cuisinart Propel+ Four Burner 3-in-1 Gas Grill, featuring a griddle, a stove top burner and a pizza oven with tempered glass located on top of the lid of the grill. The model number CGG-6331 can be found on the label on the inside of the right-hand metal door, along with the serial number.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled Cuisinart Propel+ Four Burner 3-in-1 Gas Grill immediately and visit Conair’s website to check if their grill is included in the recall. If affected, follow the instructions to safely remove the tempered glass window on the pizza oven and upload two photographs to the firm’s website; one of the removed glass, and one of the grill’s serial number. Upon verification, consumers will receive a $500 refund by check or be reimbursed for the original purchase amount with proof of receipt. After receiving their refund, consumers should write the word “Recall” with a black sharpie marker on the tempered glass and dispose of it.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 37 reports of shattered glass during use; one fire was reported. No injuries have been reported.
Sold At: Lowes, Walmart and on-line at cuisinart.com from December 2024 through May 2026 for between $500 and $750.
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