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.
August 13, 2026 from Yeshiva World
"he British government is preparing a sweeping package of new measures against Israel that could include a ban on goods from Israeli settlements, additional sanctions targeting Israelis and organizations linked to the settlement movement, sanctions against more Israeli ministers, and tighter restrictions on arms exports, Middle East Eye reported Wednesday.
"Among the most significant proposals is a ban on goods originating in Israeli settlements. The Foreign Office is also examining whether companies and organizations with business or other links to settlements could face legal sanctions. Britain’s Charity Commission is meanwhile investigating several British charities accused of sending money to settlements. Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in June that “no UK charity should be supporting [settlements],” but stopped short of backing a ban on such donations. Burnham’s government is now exploring one.
"The proposed ban has drawn opposition from Labour Friends of Israel, which argued earlier this month that “a boycott of all trade with settlements is practically and politically impossible” and would affect Israeli businesses operating in settlement blocs as well as East Jerusalem and the Old City. But polling cited in the article found overwhelming support inside Labour, with 87 percent of party members backing a ban on settlement trade and just six percent opposed.
"If adopted, the package would amount to a broad escalation in British policy toward Israel, potentially affecting settlement goods, companies and charities with settlement ties, Israeli individuals and ministers, and military exports — with the first measures expected after Parliament returns in September."
August 13, 2026 from the Government of Canada-->:
Cooluli Minifridges, 10-Liter and 15-Liter models have been recalled because the recalled minifridges’ electrical switch can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards.
Consumer Contact: Cooluli at 718-834-5312 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, by email at recall@cooluli.com, or online at www.cooluli.com/pages/product-notices-recalls or www.cooluli.com and click on “PRODUCT RECALLS” at the top of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves 10-Liter and 15-Liter Cooluli minifridges with an internal power supply and two power input ports (AC and DC) on the back of the minifridge, instead of a single DC port. The removable power cord on the recalled minifridges does not have a “brick” power adapter (as is commonly used with laptop chargers). “Cooluli” is printed on the front of the minifridges. They were sold in a variety of colors including black, blue, green, white and red or with multicolored patterns, photos and logos. The recall includes batch numbers 1535 through 1545 and 1200000 through 1202080. The model (ITEM #:) and batch numbers are printed on a label on the inside of the minifridge door. The minifridges were sold in the Infinity, Classic, Glow Beauty and Vibe Series.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled minifridges immediately and contact Cooluli for a free replacement power cord. Consumers will be asked to visit www.cooluli.com/pages/product-notices-recalls to enter the model and batch numbers to determine whether their minifridge is included in the recall. Consumers who have recalled minifridges will be instructed to unplug the minifridge, cut the power cord and submit photos to Cooluli showing the model and batch numbers of the fridge. Cooluli will provide a replacement DC power cord and permanent sticker to cover the AC port.
Incidents/Injuries: Cooluli has received at least 19 reports of the minifridges smoking, sparking, burning, melting, overheating or catching fire, resulting in property damages totaling more than $80,000. One consumer reported a smoke inhalation injury.
Sold Online At: Amazon.com and Cooluli.com from January 2019 through October 2024 for between $80 and $120.
August 13, 2026 from the Government of Canada-->:
Brookstone-branded Tabletop Fire Pits have been recalled because use of the fire pits 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.
Consumer Contact: Southern Telecom toll-free at 877-832-3822 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, email at support@customersupport123.com, or online at www.southerntelecom.com and click on “Recall Information” at the top of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves Brookstone-branded indoor/outdoor Tabletop Fire Pits with model number BSFIREPIT01 (UPC code 680079015930); BSFIREPIT02 (UPC code 680079015947); and BSFIREPIT03 (UPC code 680079015954). The fire pits consist of a round or hexagonal concrete open reservoir intended to contain burning liquid alcohol. The model number and the UPC code are located on the bottom of the product packaging.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the Brookstone-branded Tabletop Fire Pits immediately and contact Southern Telecom to receive a full refund. Consumers can email a photo of the fire pit with “Recalled,” their name, and the date written on it in permanent marker to support@customersupport123.com and then dispose of the product. Do not sell or give away these hazardous products.
Sold At: Macy’s, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, Indoff, iBuy, and Newton Buying Corp. stores nationwide and online at Macys.com and other websites from February 2023 through December 2024 for between $20 and $25.
August 13, 2026 from The Shelby Report:
"C&S Wholesale Grocers has announced a proposed transaction to become the majority owner of The Winn-Dixie Co. The deal is expected to close in early 2027.
"C&S, as part of a consortium of private investors, acquired Winn-Dixie from Aldi U.S. in 2025. Under the new agreement, Anthony Hucker, CEO of Winn-Dixie, will continue to serve as a special advisor over the coming months. Raymond Rhee will serve as Winn-Dixie CEO until the transaction closes. Winn-Dixie remains committed to its Jacksonville, Florida, community and will continue to have an office presence there.
"C&S and Winn-Dixie have been partners for more than 20 years
"Keene, New Hampshire-based C&S was established in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores. Today, the C&S family of companies, including Grocers Supply, Hansen Distribution Group, Davidson Specialty Foods and SpartanNash, delivers supply chain solutions, products and services to chain, independent and military customers from 60 distribution centers nationwide. The company also operates more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores primarily under the D&W Fresh Market, Grand Union, Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets and Piggly Wiggly banners."
August 9, 2026 from Jerusalem Post:
"A class action lawsuit worth NIS 350 million against the Golda ice cream chain was approved on Sunday, alleging that several sugar-free options offered by the vendor actually contained sugar, the Central District Court ruled.
"According to the ruling, laboratory tests showed that the offerings actually contained 6.6 grams of sugar per 100 grams of ice cream, which is over thirteen times the amount allowed for a product to be labeled "sugar-free."
"The application for the lawsuit was originally filed in February 2024, after the applicant, Sol Yarkoni, purchased what she thought was sugar-free ice cream from a Golda location on Ramat Gan's Jabotinsky Street.
"Yarkoni, who was on a low-carb diet at the time, claims she later felt as if she had eaten sugar, prompting her to bring a sample of the ice cream to a Health Ministry-authorized laboratory.
"Golda argued that the labels were not misleading to customers on the basis that a reasonable person would know that dairy products naturally contain lactose, or natural milk sugar. The company claimed that dairy products labeled "sugar-free" are clearly meant to imply that no sugar was added to them, rather than the natural sugar being removed.
"The court's decision stated that there was reason for Yarkoni and others to assume that ice cream labeled "sugar-free" was in fact sugar-free, noting the fact that most of Golda's products are clearly not sugar-free, giving further value to the label.
"The court concluded that sufficient grounds existed to allege financial damage, with the amount to be determined at a later date following further proceedings."
August 9, 2026 from Matzav.com:
"Israeli shoppers are once again finding empty refrigerator shelves where cottage cheese should be, with consumers across the country reporting that the popular staple—particularly Tnuva’s brand—has become increasingly difficult to find. The recurring shortage has reignited debate over competition in Israel’s dairy industry, market concentration, and the country’s persistent cost-of-living crisis.
"According to Ynet and Yediot Achronot consumer affairs reporter Merav Kristal, the current shortage is not the result of a production failure but rather a malfunction in Tnuva’s automated warehouse system. She said disruptions caused by recent wars, holidays, and production changes led to software problems, while security concerns and insurance restrictions have made it difficult for technicians from Germany to travel to Israel to repair the system.
"The latest shortage follows several other problems involving the product in recent months. Consumers previously complained that some cottage cheese spoiled unusually quickly, while another shortage in April was attributed to a reduced number of production days. Now, only a short time later, the product has once again disappeared from many supermarket refrigerators.
"The situation has also renewed questions about competition in the dairy sector. According to figures cited in the report, Tnuva controls approximately 75 percent of Israel’s cottage cheese market, while Strauss and Tara share the remaining quarter. Reporter Roi Katz questioned how a single disruption could empty supermarket shelves across the country, asking how “one problem at one factory” could leave consumers unable to buy such a basic product."
August 6, 2026 from the Food Processing
"WK Kellogg Co, now owned by Ferrero Group, announced that its full portfolio of cereals will be made without artificial colors by the end of 2026, which puts the company ahead of the schedule set for this reformulation in July 2025.
"Since then, WK Kellogg did double down, in a sense, and signed an agreement with the attorney general of Texas that it would remove all artificial colorings from its cereals by 2027 — as originally planned nationally. And this publication has not seen any indication that reformulation of items like Kellogg’s Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, among others, had hit any snags along the way. So the company will meet its target a year ahead of schedule, planning to ship product containing only natural colors to retailers before year’s end.
"The new color ingredients will be derived from fruit and vegetable juice sources as well as other plant-based ingredients.
"WK Kellogg had already reformulated foods bound for schools to be free of artificial colors, and it also discontinued launches of new products that contained artificial colors this past January. In addition, the timeline to eliminate the preservative BHT from cereal packaging has been accelerated, and that change is expected to be completed by year’s end as well, the company said." .
August 6, 2026 from the CPSC :
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to stop using Balbali Electric Kettles immediately because the kettles can pressurize and release hot steam or liquid unexpectedly, posing a risk of serious injury or death from burn hazard.
CPSC urges consumers to stop using the kettles immediately and dispose of them. Do not sell or give away these hazardous kettles.
The Chinese importer, Balbali, has not agreed to an acceptable recall of these kettles.
This warning involves all Balbali portable electric kettles, model HP-300E. The kettles are travel-size, stainless-steel water boilers with 12 oz capacity. They are green, pink, white and yellow. The Balbali logo is printed on the front of the kettles and the model number on a label on the back.
August 6, 2026 from Matzav.com:
"In a major breakthrough for Orthodox Jewish families across New York, the state has approved the first cholov Yisroel infant formula for purchase through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, ending a long-standing challenge for low-income parents seeking formula that meets their kashrus standards. The change follows a three-year advocacy effort led by the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) in partnership with the Hochul administration.
"The issue first came to Met Council’s attention in early 2023 when an Orthodox mother attending one of the organization’s events explained that although she qualified for WIC assistance, she was unable to purchase infant formula that met her family’s cholov Yisroel requirements. While New York’s WIC program offered kosher-certified formulas, none met the stricter cholov Yisroel standard observed by many Chareidi and other Orthodox families.
"Following discussions with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, Met Council worked closely with the New York State Department of Health to identify a cholov Yisroel formula that satisfied all federal nutritional requirements for inclusion in the WIC program. State officials approved the formula on Wednesday, and it is expected to be added to New York’s list of WIC-approved formulas later this month.
"The change is expected to benefit tens of thousands of Orthodox families annually in communities including Borough Park, Williamsburg, Flatbush, Crown Heights, Far Rockaway, Monsey, and Kiryas Joel.
"An earlier obstacle involved federal nutrition rules. Previously available cholov Yisroel formulas fell just 0.1 milligrams short of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s minimum iron requirement. Rather than seek an exemption, Met Council eventually identified a British-manufactured cholov Yisroel formula that fully met the federal standards, allowing it to qualify for approval."
August 4, 2026 from 5 Towns Cenral:
"Sadly, there was a two-alarm fire early this morning at J2 Pizza in Lawrence. The former Sandwich Bar location, which is now vacant, was also destroyed from the blaze.
"According to the most recent reports, the fire must likely began due to an electrical fire, reportedly from a fridge in the basement."
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