K A S H R U T . C O M_©

‘Kosher' and non-kosher meat products made in same factory under Jerusalem Rabbinate supervision

June 19, 2017: from the Jerusalem Post:

The Bisan factory in the Atorot Industrial Zone in Jerusalem was found to be using non-kosher meat to make processed meat products such as sausages, salamis and cold cuts with a kashrut license from the Jerusalem Rabbinate."In addition, the kashrut inspector at the factory knew of this situation but continued to allow the factory to operate in this manner while granting it a kashrut license and failing to report the situation to the Jerusalem Rabbinate or the Chief Rabbinate."
"Furthermore, the inspector knew the factory had no designated kashrut supervisor from the Jerusalem Rabbinate, meaning that the plant was entirely without physical kashrut supervision for a period of at least 18 months."
"Kashrut supervisors are appointed by local rabbinates to be physically present at a food business for at least one hour a day, while kashrut inspectors oversee the correct functioning of numerous kashrut supervisors at numerous businesses."
The factory in question is the Bisan plant in the Atarot Industrial Zone in Jerusalem. Some of its products are marketed under the 'Beit Shean' brand, while other products simply bear the name 'Bisan.'"
A statement distributed by the Chief Rabbinate’s Kashrut Enforcement Division instructed consumers who are concerned about kashrut not to purchase the products and to report establishments that are selling them.
"According to one well-placed source, the factory was producing kosher products during one half of the week and nonkosher products during the other half. Therefore, the source said it was not yet clear if nonkosher meat was used in the products intended for the kosher market."
"According to the source in the Jerusalem Rabbinate, the situation was discovered when one of its kashrut supervisors noticed that Bisan products had a kashrut stamp when he knew for certain that no kashrut supervisor was working at the factory."
"He then informed a kashrut inspector he knew about the situation who, in turn, alerted the Chief Rabbinate’s unit for kashrut fraud, which, together with agents from the Health Ministry, raided the factory earlier this month and confiscated and destroyed 10 tons of poultry meat."
"Tens of thousands of counterfeit kashrut labels were also found and confiscated."