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 30, 2025 from Matzav.com:
"Spain’s Ministry of Finance announced a ban on the import of products from hundreds of Israeli locales in Judea, Samaria, eastern Yerushalayim and the Golan, becoming the first major E.U. member state economy to implement such a measure.
"The ban was set to become effective today, the ministry said, adding this was the result of a September decree 'adopting urgent measures against genocide in Gaza and in support of the Palestinian population.'
"The decree 'prohibits in its Article 3 the importation into Spain of products originating from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,' according to the statement.
"To be applied, the ministry is to “approve the list of localities and postal codes corresponding to the Israeli settlements,” the text reads. With the announcement, the measure “is approved” and “will take effect the day after its publication” in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (“Official State Gazette”), the text read.
"Slovenia, one of the E.U.’s smallest economies with about 2 million citizens, announced a similar ban in August, becoming the first E.U. member to boycott Israeli products. Legislation to effect a ban is being worked on in Ireland’s parliament.
"Enfoque Judio, a reputable Spanish-Jewish news site, confirmed the authenticity of the document published. It noted in its reporting that the inclusion of the Golan Heights in the ban lies outside of the approved September decree."
"Israel exports roughly $850 million in goods to Spain annually, according to the Israel Export Institute, roughly half the volume that Israel imports from Spain. Products from Judea, Samaria and the Golan are believed to account for a small fraction of the Israeli exports to Spain."
January 1, 2026 from WHEC:
"New York State has banned foam containers used for cold storage. The law prohibits food services, manufacturers, and distributors from using polystyrene foam containers for items like cold foods and drinks.
"This comes after a long-standing public concern over the foam’s environmental impacts, such as its slow biodegradability, contributing to microplastic pollution. Foam packaging is a contributor to littering, leading to negative impacts on wildlife, waterways, waste streams, communities, and natural resources.
"For more information on the state law, visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s website, here.
December 21, 2025 from KTLA:
"New laws go into effect every year, but few have as broad an impact on California consumers as the state’s full ban on plastic grocery store bags, which takes effect Thursday.
"Shoppers are already seeing the impact – as grocery stores and pharmacies phase out single-use bags, which generally aren’t recycled and contribute significantly to global plastic pollution.
"California’s first attempt at banning single-use plastic bags in 2014 was a misfire as a loophole allowed stores to provide thicker plastic bags that were supposed to be reused.
"Now, under SB 1053, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2024, those thicker plastic bags will also be banned, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The law applies to grocery stores, big-box retailers with pharmacies, convenience stores, food marts and liquor stores.
"Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to stores, but only paper bags, which are recyclable, will be available. Stores that don’t comply could face stiff fines."
December 28, 2025 from Yeshiva World:
"A Russian ballistic missile struck the Ukrainian city of Uman on Friday, causing dozens of casualties in the surrounding area, though authorities reported no fatalities.
"The missile landed approximately 50 meters from the Tiferet HaMatzot bakery, where dozens of workers were present at the time of the strike. Despite the proximity of the explosion, no injuries were reported among those inside the facility.
"The blast shattered windows at the bakery and damaged its main entrance, along with technical equipment that had been stored outside. Officials described the lack of injuries as remarkable given the scale of the strike and the number of people on site.
"Tiferet HaMatzot produces roughly 70 tons of matzah each year, supplying Chabad Houses and Jewish communities throughout Ukraine and Europe. The matzah is distributed free of charge through the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine and is also sold to Jewish communities in Europe and the United States."
December 23 2025 - from the Times of Israel:
"Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday signed an order expanding the value-added tax exemption on personal imports from $75 to $150, arguing that it is necessary to allow cheaper imports to encourage competition and lower prices.
"The move will go into effect on Wednesday. The VAT, a type of consumption tax, is set in Israel at 18 percent.
"In a statement, Smotrich said it is part of “a broad and significant series of steps” aimed at lowering the cost of living, alongside efforts to shake up the banking and dairy sectors.
"All of these steps are predicated on the proposition that 'it can be cheap here,' he said, arguing that “the Israeli economy is often dominated by a small number of strong monopolies,” giving consumers only the illusion of choice.
"The finance minister asserted that the change will 'oblige the monopolies to enter into real and fair competition for your hearts and your pockets. To be better and cheaper and more service-oriented and more competitive.'
"The move — on which government bodies were split, according to the Globes business outlet — drew outrage from some Israeli businesspeople, who took the move as a betrayal of domestic industry.
"Israel is ranked fourth in the list of developed countries with the highest comparable prices, according to an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development report published earlier this year. Last year, the OECD reported that food and beverage prices in Israel were 52 percent higher than the average among developed countries, second only to South Korea."
December 17, 2025 from World Israel News:
"Israel is awaiting a decision from President Donald Trump on the tariff rate in hopes that the US president will consider lowering it from the hike proposed last year to 17%.
"The rate derived from US calculations tied to its bilateral trade deficit.
"While lower than the levies imposed on some countries under Trump’s broader tariff initiative, Israeli officials argue the figure is inconsistent with the strategic and economic relationship between the two allies.
"Since April, Israeli goods entering the US have been subject to shifting interim rates.
"For several months following Trump’s initial tariff announcement, Israeli exports were taxed at 10%, matching a temporary baseline applied to many countries.
"Beginning in early August, that rate rose to 15% on roughly 60% of Israeli exports, pending a final determination.
"The discussions are unfolding as the US enforces sweeping sector-based tariffs that apply universally, including to Israeli products.
"Those efforts expanded in December, when Barkat signed a new agricultural trade agreement with US Trade Representative Jamison Greer.
"Under the deal, Israel will eliminate tariffs on about 300 US food and agricultural products, with some exemptions taking effect immediately and others phased in over the next decade.
"Trump’s pending decision is expected to clarify whether those concessions — and Israel’s broader case — will translate into a lower long-term tariff rate."
December 18, 2025 - from Anash.org
"A decades-old matzah bakery in Boro Park was left devastated early Wednesday morning when a massive five-alarm fire tore through the facility that for years produced matza under the CHK and supplied matzos to thousands of Lubavitcher families. Founded in 1909 on the Lower East Side and relocated to Brooklyn in 1920, the Boro Park Seder Matzah Bakery produced more than 600,000 pounds of matzah annually.
"The fire broke out around 2 a.m. at the bakery, located on 36th Street in Kensington, quickly engulfing the building where matzah had been baked for generations. According to firefighters, the blaze began near the bakery ovens and spread rapidly after igniting stacked matzah boxes and the matzah.
"A mashgiach at the bakery told Anash.org that the fire started from the gas unit near the oven that was recently mandated by the government, which apparently blew up inside the bakery.
"The Department of Buildings has issued a full vacate order for the bakery due to “extensive fire damage, including a partially collapsed roof,” and reported that adjacent properties also sustained fire damage."
December 12, 2025 from the FDA:
Town Food Service Equipment Co., Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is recalling aluminum saucepans, because it has the potential to be contaminated with lead (Pb) which may leach into food.
The saucepans being recalled were distributed in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, Puerto Rico and Quebec City, Canada through its network of authorized food service equipment dealers, which include retailers, between January 1, 2023 and November 30, 2025.
The 4 sizes of aluminum saucepans being recalled have capacities ranging from 1 quart to 3 quarts, have indented graduations on the interior, and a plated steel handle riveted to the body. The pans, boxes, or bags the pans are packed in may be marked with one of the following item or SKU numbers.
| Item no. | Description | SKU |
|---|---|---|
| 35400 | Town brand 1 Quart Aluminum Saucepan | 843784003566 |
| 35401 | Town brand 1-1/2 Quart Aluminum Saucepan | 843784003566 |
| 35402 | Town brand 2 Quart Aluminum Saucepan | 843784003573 |
| 35403 | Town brand 3 Quart Aluminum Saucepan | 843784003580 |
Consumers who have purchased and are in possession of any of the items are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Town Food at 718-388-5650 Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM EST, or email our recall coordinators at recall@townfood.com. Updates on the recall will be posted on our recall webpage: https://townfood.com/recall-alum/
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."
| The information posted is from secondary sources. We cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the information. |
| Comments to webmaster@kashrut.com
© Copyright 2026 Scharf Associates |
|
|||||||||||