K A S H R U T . C O M_©

August 29, 2024 from Nebraska Examiner:

"Gov. Jim Pillen and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture announced new regulations Thursday against “lab-grown meat” or “fake meat,” with Pillen eyeing 2025 legislation to prohibit the sale of such products within the state.

"On top of new regulations, standards and the potential legislation, Pillen signed an executive order Thursday that prohibits state agencies from procuring lab-grown or other meat alternatives. The order also requires entities that contract with the State of Nebraska to promise not to discriminate against natural products in favor of laboratory or cultivated meat producers.

"Nebraska Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton said her agency will be launching new labeling regulations 'simply to protect consumers from being misled.'

"Similar to recent regulations in Iowa, manufactured protein or lab-grown meat would be required to be clearly and distinctly separated from “natural, real meat” under the future regulations and be labeled as such with a conspicuous and prominent label, Vinton said.

"Standards will also be developed to determine when manufactured food, cell-grown or lab-grown meat is being falsely advertised or misbranded, she said.

"Pillen described the new efforts as “a big deal” as Nebraska enters “a full-blown attack on lab-grown meats and fake meat.” He campaigned on the promise to tackle fake meat and dairy in 2022 and said Thursday he should have embraced the changes on his “second day.”

"Secretary of State Bob Evnen received and signed the executive order Thursday afternoon, so it took effect right away."

August 27, 2024 from Washington Post:

"Scientists at the University of California at Davis tested avocado oil samples, and have for the first time revealed the names of a dozen retailers who they say sold products labeled as avocado oil that contained cheap seed and vegetable oils, including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger and Safeway. The companies didn’t respond to requests for comment.

"The researchers found that at least 21 of the products labeled as avocado oil — nearly two-thirds of the 36 bottles they tested— were adulterated, in some cases with other oils that could pose a hazard to people with food sensitivities. The newly released findings are based on tests conducted in 2021 on bottles of store-brand avocado oil purchased from 19 large grocery stores in the United States and Canada.

"Other retailers whose products failed testing said they couldn’t verify findings based on bottles of oil tested in 2020 or 2021. Some retailers confirmed they don’t do their own testing and instead rely on suppliers and third-party services to verify the purity of the oil.

"The UC-Davis research suggested that low-priced avocado oils were the most likely to be adulterated. Most major retailers do not produce their own avocado oil, and instead buy it from suppliers, bottle it and put their store labels on it.

"Much of the avocado oil sold by retailers is “refined,” which means it’s a lower-quality, highly-processed oil that is bleached, deodorized and filtered. (Virgin and extra virgin oils are “unrefined” and typically pressed from high-quality avocados without using heat or chemicals.)

"Some suppliers and producers said it’s an open secret that adulteration is rampant in the avocado oil industry. Ben Barnard, the founder and chairman of AvoPacific, one of the largest avocado oil producers in North America, said he has seen competitors selling refined avocado oil to retailers for prices so low that it would not be possible for them to make a profit if their avocado oil was real.

"The company said that most of its oil is sold under its own label, AvoPacific. In 2020, UC-Davis tested an AvoPacific oil sold under the brand name “CalPure Extra Virgin Avocado Oil,” and it passed their tests.

"The tests showed that six retailers — Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Metro, Meijer and Kroger — sold bottles labeled as avocado oil that contained high levels of oleic sunflower or safflower oils. These oils are less expensive than avocado oil and have different health and culinary properties. At Target and Sprouts, the researchers found bottles of store-brand avocado oil that their tests indicated contained canola oil, a less expensive cooking oil.

"In some cases, the tests showed that bottles labeled avocado oil contained other oils that could not be identified. The researchers said they found that sunflower, safflower, canola, and soybean oils were the most common adulterants in products labeled as avocado oil. These oils look similar to refined avocado oil but are cheaper to make.

"Price was not always a reliable indicator of adulteration. One of the most expensive products included in the study was Stop & Shop’s store-brand “extra-virgin” avocado oil, which sells for close to $9 for an 8.45-ounce bottle, or more than a dollar per ounce. The researchers tested two bottles of the product and found that both contained oils that were neither extra virgin nor avocado oil. It was unclear what type of oil or oils were in the bottles.

"Stop & Shop’s cold-pressed “Extra Virgin” avocado oil was the only extra-virgin oil in the study that was found to be adulterated with other oils.

"n general, retailers who responded to questions about the adulterated oils said it’s impossible for them to verify findings based on bottles of oil tested that were made in 2020 or 2021.

"In a statement, Stop & Shop said that the avocado oil included in the UC-Davis study was procured from a former supplier and that it is no longer available in its stores.

"Wang at UC-Davis said retailers should not rely solely on certifications from suppliers for products that are at high risk of being adulterated. 'Retailers should do their own testing to ensure that the label on the bottle is consistent with the product in the bottle,' she said.

"Wang said it was possible in cases where a retailer did its own independent testing that their results might differ from UC-Davis’s test results if different lots were tested or if the retailer used multiple suppliers. “We have observed significant differences in the quality and purity of oil from different lot numbers, even when sourced from the same retailer,” she added."

Source Papers:

• Nearly 70% of Private Label Avocado Oil Rancid or Mixed With Other Oils from UC Davis.

Chabad Launches Free Meal Program for Jewish Seniors in West Palm Beach, FL

August 21, 2024 from Chabad.org:

"Chabad of West Palm Beach, Fla., has teamed up with Palm Beach County to provide free kosher lunches to seniors.

"The kosher food program is the first of its kind to be offered by the county, which has 13 other free meal sites.

"As many as 50 meals a day are served from November to April in south Florida’s West Palm Beach. Off season, attendance drops somewhat. Jewish participants have welcomed the food and camaraderie offered at the Chabad center.

"The program launched six months ago. Since then, registered seniors, 60 and up, dine every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, except on Jewish holidays.

"The county is reimbursed by the federal government for the meals, but not for the surplus cost of kosher food. When putting together a proposal, Gancz called several kosher caterers and discovered it would be three times more expensive than non-kosher food.

"Gancz is seeking community partners who want to sponsor the extra cost of kosher meals for a week or month. Meanwhile, Chabad budgets for the increased cost."

August 7, 2024 from United With Israel:

"In a shocking display of anti-Semitism, Costa Cruises has exhibited blatant discrimination against Jewish travelers.

"Just days before a planned kosher cruise for 140 Jewish vacationers, Costa Cruises, owned by Carnival Corporation, abruptly canceled the agreement and refused to accommodate any kosher needs on board."

"Yossi Zablocki, a seasoned tour operator, had meticulously arranged every detail for the cruise, including $22,000 worth of kosher products and certified kosher supervisors.

"Despite these preparations, Costa Cruises refused to accommodate any kosher needs on board.

"Zablocki described the refusal for Queens Jewish Link as “outright – and sudden – and without any credible reason,” suggesting that this was not a mere logistical oversight but a clear act of bigotry.

"Further confirming Zablocki’s suspicions, Costa sent a letter two days before the cruise urging Jewish passengers to cancel and later canceled reservations without notice.

"Zablocki’s conclusion was stark: “The absolute, categorical refusal to allow a kosher cruise – or any kosher items – defies any logical explanation.”

"The situation worsened when Costa abruptly ended its business relationship with Zablocki, stating, “We regret to inform you that we will no longer be able to continue our business relationship with your company.”

"This incident is more than a breach of contract; it’s a direct assault on Jewish culture and religious practices.

"Costa Cruises’ actions are a blatant display of anti-Semitism that must not be tolerated.

"A full boycott of Costa Cruises is necessary to demonstrate that such bigotry will not be tolerated."

Ed. note: From Yossi Zablocki:"They cancelled all my kosher cruises even though I had deposits on them for past 10 months."

August 1, 2024 from the Yeshiva World:

"The IDF’s Home Front Command on Thursday issued a closure order to the Strauss ice cream manufacturing plant in Akko which uses ammonia for its operation.

"Several other factories in the north that use hazardous materials were instructed to empty and dispose of gas reserves to mitigate risk to the public in the event of Hezbollah strikes from Lebanon.

"Ynet reported that the IDF also demanded that Strauss limit the amount of ammonia stored on site as part of emergency regulations for northern Israel. According to the report, ice cream production requires ammonia for cooling production systems and freezers, and ice cream cannot be manufactured without it.

"Strauss workers said an ice cream shortage is not expected if the closure lasts only a few days as it has a sufficient stockpile for the summer.

"The head of the Chatzor HaGlilit Regional Council, Michael Kabesa, urged Home Front Command officers to order the Pri HaGalil food plant to empty its ammonia reserves as well, citing potential risks to residents.

"Beginning on October 8, when Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and drones at Israel, factories near the border, such as in Kiryat Shmona, began minimizing the use of ammonia to mitigate public risk."