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.
December 11, 2025 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada:
Vevor Ice Crushers have been recalled because the ice crusher can experience a thermal event and ignite, posing a fire hazard.
Consumer Contact: Sanven Technology toll-free at 855-599-6320 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at recalling@vevor.com, or online at https://www.vevor.com/pages/vevor-ice-shaver-recall or at www.vevor.com and click on “Product Recall” for more information.
Description: This recall involves Vevor’s ice crushing machines designed for consumer use. The ice crusher has a handle that consumers press down to feed ice into a shoot; the handle activates a cutter within the feed shoot. The products were advertised as Ice Shavers, Ice Crushers, and Snow Cone Makers. The ice crushing machines were all sold under model number BY-300 and BY-300 FS and came in yellow, red, silver and blue. “Vevor” and the model number are printed on a label on the top of the product.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ice crusher and contact Sanven for a full refund. Consumers should email a photograph of the ice crusher with the unplugged power cord cut in half to recalling@vevor.com.
Sold Online At: Vevor.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Wayfair.com, HomeDepot.com and Lowes.com from July 2021 through July 2025 for between $40 and $86
December 9, 2025 - from the Times of Israel:
"More than a quarter of families in Israel struggle to access enough food as the country’s two-year war against the Hamas terror group and a rising cost of living deepened economic hardship, aid organization Latet warned in a new report.
"The report by Latet, a nonprofit organization working to combat poverty and nutritional insecurity, is based on a survey and data collection from more than 3,500 households carried out from July to August 2025.
"According to the report, the minimum cost of living, defined as the expenditure required for basic subsistence, including food, housing and health care, has increased by more than 5 percent over the past year and stands at NIS 5,589 ($1,733) per person and NIS 14,139 per household of two adults and two children a month. Meanwhile, inflation has accelerated by a mere 3.4% over the past year.
"The minimum monthly income below which a household is considered poor is set at NIS 4,105 per person and NIS 10,508 for a family of four, according to the National Insurance Institute (NII).
"Due to the increasing cost of essential goods, an average family in Israel had to cope with an additional annual expense of NIS 9,000 and a single household with NIS 3,500 to maintain a basic standard of living, according to Latet’s calculation.
"Israel is ranked in fourth place in cost of living in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) list of developed countries with the highest comparable prices. The country’s high cost of living continues to reduce welfare and spur social tensions as Israelis are contending with the economic repercussions of a two-year war, including extended reserve duty callups, prolonged work absences and business closures.
"Almost 27% of families, or 867,256 households, including 1.2 million children, live with food insecurity, an increase of more than 25% compared to a year ago, according to the report. About a quarter of Israeli aid recipients began needing food assistance since the war began in October 2023, the report said.
"Food insecurity has been defined as the inability to ensure a constant supply of food that contains all the nutritional elements necessary for proper development and health. While it can lead to malnutrition, it is not the same thing. It is a prime cause of obesity and is closely linked to disease and increased vulnerability to illnesses.
"According to Latet, 42.5% of assistance-seeking households surveyed in the study said they “experienced hunger” due to not having enough money to buy sufficient food, with 67.6% testifying that they had to forgo medications or necessary medical treatments. The survey showed that 83.2% of households receiving assistance have at least one breadwinner, while 54.8% reported worsening employment conditions since the war erupted on October 7, 2023."
December 10, 2025 from FoodDive
December 7, 2025 from VINnews:
"Hungary has opened its first Cholov Yisroel dairy production facility, a development that Jewish leaders say will significantly expand kosher access for the country’s growing Jewish community and visiting Israelis.
"The new dairy, called Garaboncias, is located about 70 kilometers from Budapest and will produce locally supervised kosher milk, yogurt and cheese for the first time.
"The certification effort was led this week by Rabbi Avraham Yisrael Rubin, a prominent halachic authority in Mehadrin kashrut. Rubin traveled to Hungary to inspect the plant, review its production systems, and provide training for onsite supervisors. He was joined by his son, Rabbi Ze’ev Rubin, and kashrut specialist Rabbi Binyamin Neufeld, who assisted in the oversight and evaluation process.
"The initiative was organized by EMIH — the Association of Hungarian Jewish Communities. Chief Rabbi Slomo Köves, the group’s leader, said the goal is to expand locally produced kosher food and reduce reliance on imports. He noted that producing dairy domestically is expected to lower costs and make kosher more accessible.
"Until now, Hungary’s Jewish population and visiting Israeli tourists have depended largely on imported long-life milk from Belgium and France.
"The Garaboncias plant’s opening marks the first time Hungary will offer fresh Cholov Yisroel dairy products produced under continuous rabbinic supervision."
September 25, 2025 from the Conjunction with the Government of Canada:
This recall involves Oster French Door Toaster Countertop Ovens with model numbers TSSTTVFDXL, TSSTTVFDDGDS, TSSTTVFDDG-033, TSSTTVFDXLPP-033 and TSSTTVFDDAF-033. The recalled ovens have a spring-loaded bilateral “French door” made of glass with metal handles. The four models differ in cooking options (e.g., air fryer) and control types (analog dials or digital push-button controls). “Oster” is engraved on the front bottom right of the oven. The model number can be found on the backside of the oven as well as on the original packaging.
Issue: The oven’s doors can unexpectedly close, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
September 25, 2025 from the CPSC in Conjunction with the Government of Canada:
Oster French Door Countertop Ovens have been recalled because the oven’s doors can unexpectedly close, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Consumer Contact: Sunbeam Products Inc. toll free at 800-334-0759 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at https://recall.oster.com or www.oster.com and click on “Product Recalls” at the top of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves Oster French Door Countertop Ovens with model numbers TSSTTVFDXL, TSSTTVFDDG, TSSTTVFDMAF and TSSTTVFDDAF. The recalled ovens have a spring-loaded bilateral door made of glass with metal handles. A label on the backside of the oven identifies the model number. In addition, the original packaging has information identifying the model number. The four models differ in cooking options (e.g., air fryer) and control types (analog dials or digital push-button controls). “Oster” is engraved on the front bottom right of the oven.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled countertop ovens and contact Sunbeam Products Inc. to receive a free repair kit. The repair kit will include a clip-on device that provides additional holding force to help keep the doors in the open position when reaching in the oven, along with repair instructions and a QR code link to an installation video. The repair kit does not require any tool to install.
Sold At: Bed Bath and Beyond, Costco, Walmart and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Overstock.com from August 2015 through July 2025 for between $140 and $250.
December 4, 2025 from the CPSC:
14-ounce Children’s Sport Tumbler has been recalled because the rivets on the handle can come loose, causing the handle to detach, posing a choking hazard for children.
Consumer Contact: HydroJug via email at service@thehydrojug.com or online at https://www.thehydrojug.com/recall or https://www.thehydrojug.com/ and click on “Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves the 14-ounce sport tumbler with serial number 235010 or no serial number on the bottom of the tumbler under the rubber boot. The handle with the rivets is attached to the lid of the tumbler. The recalled tumbler was sold in five patterns: Cowgirl, Daisy Checkers, Dinosaur, Sport and Bows.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled 14-ounce sport tumbler and contact HydroJug for a free replacement lid. Consumers should email HydroJug at service@thehydrojug.com and provide order details (if available), shipping address and photos of the bottom of the tumbler showing the serial number or that there is no serial number. Consumers will be asked to include photos of the recalled tumbler lid permanently marked with the word “Recalled” and to dispose of the recalled tumbler lid. HydroJug will confirm eligibility and send a replacement lid.
Sold At: Academy Sports, Scheels, Combined Sales Company, Gordons Ace Hardware, Bucks Ace, Kents Grocery, Basin Sports and online at Hydrojug.com, Amazon.com, Well.ca and iHerb.com from May 2025 through June 2025 for about $25.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 656 reports of the rivets on the handle coming loose. No injuries have been reported.
December 1, 2025 from Matzav.com:
"A&B Famous, one of the most widely recognized names in the kosher food market, has announced a temporary halt in production of its flagship Original Gefilte Fish, citing an unexpected shortage of key fish varieties essential to its recipe.
"ccording to A&B, seasonal harvesting restrictions have made the specific varieties of fresh fish required for its classic recipe unavailable. As a result, the company said, it is currently unable to produce its Original Gefilte Fish in accordance with its rigorous standards.
"Despite the shortage, the company emphasized that several other products remain fully stocked. These include White & Pike, Salmon, and Gluten-Free gefilte fish varieties, all of which continue to be produced without disruption.
"A&B expressed cautious optimism that the issue will be resolved within two to three weeks, at which point they expect to resume full production and restock the complete line of products."
November 26, 2025 from the CPSC:
Baby High Chairs (convertible) have been recalled because the high chairs violate the mandatory standard for high chairs because they were sold without the required attached restraint system, posing a deadly fall hazard to babies. In addition, a child’s head can become trapped in the opening between the seat and tray, posing a deadly entrapment hazard.
Consumer Contact: Email Rotinyard at trailblazeramz@outlook.com.
Description: This recall involves baby high chairs sold in beige or pink with a matching removable seat cushion, detachable tray, and footrest. The high chairs convert into an infant swing and are reclinable and collapsible. “Product No.: HA-028” is printed on a tracking label on the seatback.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled high chairs and contact Rotinyard for a full refund. Consumers should disassemble the high chairs, cut the restraints and fabric seat cushion insert, and email photos of the destroyed restraints and cushion to trailblazeramz@outlook.com. Once the photos are received, Rotinyard will issue a full refund.
November 10, 2025 from the Wall Street Journal:
"Your favorite Italian-origin fusilli and macaroni are poised to disappear from U.S. supermarket shelves.
"Italy’s biggest pasta exporters say import and antidumping duties totaling 107% on their pasta brands will make doing business in America too costly and are preparing to pull out of U.S. stores as soon as January. The combined tariffs are among the steepest faced by any product targeted by the Trump administration.
"The U.S. Commerce Department has announced a 92% antidumping duty on pasta made in Italy by La Molisana and 12 other companies, which import the bulk of pasta from Italy to the U.S. That is on top of the Trump administration’s 15% tariff on imports from the European Union.
"The Commerce Department acted after a long-running probe into pricing practices for the product that goes into everything from spaghetti Bolognese to mac and cheese. The severity of the decision has stunned one of Italy’s most iconic industries and has escalated into a diplomatic dispute between Washington and Rome, which is determined to combat the tariff.
"Antidumping probes into Italian pasta makers are nothing new. The Commerce Department has been inspecting them since the mid-1990s, when it found that many importers were flooding the U.S. with pasta priced below normal market prices in a bid to undercut their U.S. competitors.
"American pasta makers have regularly filed antidumping complaints against Italian imports since then. Reviews by the Commerce Department have often found one or more Italian companies guilty of underpricing their pasta.
"But the penalties were usually small. Italian makers shrugged and saw it as part of the cost of doing business in the U.S.
"This is the first time that so many of them face potentially trade-killing tariffs.
"The latest government review was triggered, as in the past, by a complaint from U.S. companies: 8th Avenue Food & Provisions, which owns Ronzoni pasta, and Winland Foods, which is behind brands including Mueller’s and Prince.
"People with knowledge of the case also say the Commerce Department assigned new analysts to scrutinize the filings who had little understanding of Italian accounting practices, leading the agency to view the companies as noncooperative. The Trump administration didn’t respond to questions about the analysts on the case."
Ed. note: Italian pasta is yoshon.
November 26, 2025 from the CPSC:
Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stoves have been recalled because the stoves can explode or catch fire, posing a burn and fire hazard to consumers.
Consumer Contact: Walmart at 800-925-6278 from 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. CT or online at www.walmart.com/help or https://corporate.walmart.com/recalls for more information.
Description: This recall involves Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stoves with model number BG2247A1. The model number is printed on a gray label on the inside of the fuel compartment. The camping stoves are dark green with an orange “Ozark Trail” logo printed on the front.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled stoves and return the product to any Walmart retail store for a full refund.
Incidents/Injuries: China Window Industry Co., Ltd has received 26 reports of the camping stoves exploding or catching fire, including 16 reports of injuries such as second-degree burns.
Sold At: Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com from March 2023 through October 2025 for between $8 and $45.
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