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Food News


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.

Newer news

Wilk makes yogurt using milk from cultivated cells

November 18, 2022 from The Food Dive:

"Wilk, formerly known as BioMilk, grows mammary cells from cows and humans. When those cells have matured, Wilk has a patented process to get those cultivated cells to produce milk. It then separates the milk from the cells.

"This is a completely different process than precision fermentation used by Perfect Day and other companies. They create dairy proteins by fermenting yeast with modified DNA. Milk produced by cultured cells has a wider array of nutrients.

"But once Wilk makes progress on volume, it may have a leg up on distribution. Coca-Cola Israel signed a strategic agreement with Wilk in 2021. The soft drink giant’s arm will invest a total of $2 million in Wilk and work with them to develop products from cell-cultured milk."

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1327

In Time For Chanukah, Israel’s Biggest Doughnut Seller Hikes Prices By 20%

November 18, 2022 - from Ynet.com:

"Roladin, a popular Israeli bakery and café chain known for selling doughnuts, has announced that the price on doughnuts will rise in the coming Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

"The chain reported that the price of a strawberry jelly filled doughnut will rise from a price of NIS 6 to 7, a price hike of 17%.

"Four other kinds of doughnuts with fillings of salted bagel, vanilla raspberry, toffee caramel and chocolate with sprinkles – which used to cost NIS 10 in Hanukkah 2021, will be sold at NIS 12, increasing their price by 20%.

"The only doughnut to remain with the same price is the one with a dulce de leche which will remain NIS 7. Prices in Roladin have grown over the years, with a jelly filled doughnuts selling for NIS 5, and specialty doughnuts selling for NIS 9.5 in 2012.

"Jelly filled doughnuts make up 25% of the chain’s total sales during Hanukkah, another 15% of the sales come from the dulce de leche doughnuts, and the rest from the specialty doughnuts.

"According to Roladin, price has increased due to the higher cost of ingredients, mainly butter, which rose in price from NIS 18 to 28 per kg. Flour is another ingredient which the chain says rose in price three times during the last year. According to the chain, a lack of workers and increased in employment cost have also caused the rise in prices.

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1325

Adam’s Polishes, LLC Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Hand Sanitizer Due to Potential Contamination With Methanol

November 5, 2022 - from the FDA:

"Adam’s Polishes, LLC is voluntarily recalling lot 133475 of Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer to the consumer level. FDA testing has found this lot to contain undeclared methanol. Adam’s Polishes is recalling 19 other lots in an abundance of caution.

"This product is used as a hand sanitizer marketed to help decrease bacteria on the skin when soap and water are not available. Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer is packaged in 4oz., 8oz. 16oz., and one gallon bottles. These bottles are spray bottles for the 4oz, 8oz and 16oz and jugs for the gallon bottles. Please visit https://adamspolishes.com/pages/hs-voluntary-recall, This is the Adam’s Polishes web site to check if your product’s lot number is included in this recall and, if so, how to request a credit. The hand sanitizer was distributed nationwide in the USA to internet customers between June 2020 and March 2022.

133470 133471 133472 133473 133474
133475 133476 133477 133478 133479
133480 133481 133482 133483 137731
137732 137733 137734 139322 143327

Adam’s Polishes is notifying its customers by email. Consumers who have any recalled Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer products should immediately stop using the product and dispose of it in accordance with local regulations. Consumers can email Adam’s Polishes with a request for a credit at hs@adamspolishes.com. You will need to include a picture of the bottle including the lot number.

Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Adam’s Polishes at e-mail address hs@adamspolishes.com . Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using this drug product.

Office hours and telephone number 9 am – 4pm mst 720-812-3460

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1323

Romania Passes ‘Landmark Law’ Guaranteeing The Right To Kosher Slaughter

November 15, 2022 - from VinNews:

"Romanian authorities adopted a law that recognizes and gives specific protection to shechitah, or kosher ritual slaughter of animals, the Conference of European Rabbis said in a statement, hailing the move as a “landmark” example for other countries in Europe.

"The new legislation, which the Romanian parliament passed Thursday, comes roughly a year after the Court of the European Union upheld the bans of both the Muslim and Jewish traditional methods slaughter of animals for food in two Belgian states.

"Jewish leaders and organizations decried the ruling, which the Israeli ambassador in Belgium called “catastrophic and a blow to Jewish life in Europe.

"Many European countries ban the slaughter of animals without stunning them first, a move that animal-rights activists say is more humane but which is not permitted under Jewish law. Many countries grant exceptions for shechitah, according to the Conference of European Rabbis, and Romania had previously allowed such an exception. But the new law enshrines the right to shechitah more formally.

"Animal rights activists historically were most vehement advocates of the bans, but in recent years, European anti-immigration right-wing parties have joined the campaigns against ritual slaughter, mostly due to their opposition to Muslim immigrants.

"In the rest of the EU, ritual slaughter is illegal in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia and parts of Belgium. The Netherlands and Poland joined the list years ago but later reversed the bans."

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1322

Organic Label’s animal welfare rule is close to crossing the finish line

November 1, 2022 - from the Food Safety News:

"There are just 10 more days to comment before USDA can finalize the Organic Livestock and Poultry rule for the National Organic Program. If enacted, new animal welfare standards would apply to animals raised under the USDA Organic label.

"If it all sounds familiar it should. The rule is similar to one that was withdrawn during the Trump Administration. Annually, USDA’s National Organic Program oversees the handling of more than 186 million farm animals.

"Animal rights groups, such as the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) are at the forefront of the lobby pushing for the rule.

"It is anticipated that USDA will give existing organic farmers up to 15 years to comply with the new outdoor space requirements. That is intended to give them time to finance and build the infrastructure that is supposed to be more to the liking of the affected farm animals.

"Oral Comments: Oral comment registration is closed. The deadline to register for an oral comment slot is 11:59 p.m. EDT on Nov. 10. The deadline has been extended 30 days from the initial date of Oct. 11. This extension was made to ensure that all stakeholders and individuals have adequate time to formulate their comments and suggestions about the proposed rule.

"Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting written comments. The deadline to submit written comments is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Nov. 10. The deadline has been extended 30 days from the initial date of Oct. 11. This extension was made to ensure that all stakeholders and individuals have adequate time to formulate their comments and suggestions about the proposed rule.

"Mail: AMS strongly prefers comments be submitted electronically. However, written comments may be submitted (i.e., postmarked) via mail to Erin Healy, MPH., Director Standards Division, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-0268. Mailed comments must be postmarked by Nov. 10.

"For access to the docket, including background documents and comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov (search for docket “AMS-NOP-21-0073”)."


USDA wants to reinstate organic welfare standards; could benefit food safety

August 8, 2022 - from the Food Safety News:

"Celebrating the USDA’s move on Aug. 5 to reinstate organic animal welfare standards, organic advocates are hailing this as a “resounding victory” for organic farmers, their livestock, and organic consumers.

"As such, it reverses the withdrawal by the Trump Administration in 2018 of the 2017 Organic Livestock and Poultry rule.

"The 2017 rule, which took 10 years to develop, governed the living conditions, transport and slaughter of organic livestock.

"The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the organic livestock and poultry production requirements by adding new provisions for livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living conditions; and expanding and clarifying existing requirements covering livestock care and production practices and mammalian living conditions.

"The proposed rule:
"The proposed rule would update the USDA organic regulations for livestock production. The proposed changes would address a range of topics related to the care of organic livestock, including:


"Go here https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-16980.pdf) to learn more about the rule.

"A listening session: USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host a virtual listening session on Aug. 19 from noon to approximately 2 p.m. EDT to hear comments regarding this proposed rule. The deadline to register for oral comment is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Aug. 15. Access information will be published on the AMS website prior to the listening session at https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/listening-session-organic-livestock-and-poultry-standards."

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1298

Thermomix TM6 Measuring Cup Instructions recalled due to potential burn hazard

Nobember 2, 2022: from Healthy Canadians

This recall involves the instructions for the Thermomix TM6 measuring cup supplied with the Thermomix TM6 appliance and which can also be used with the Thermomix TM5 appliance. Thermomix is a multi-purpose kitchen appliance with functions that include weighing, mixing, chopping, milling, kneading, blending, steaming, cooking, beating, precise heating, stirring and emulsifying.

In rare cases, when the TM6 measuring cup is inserted into the Thermomix TM5 or TM6 and the cooking temperature is set to exceed 95˚C / 200˚F, excess pressure can build in the mixing bowl causing the sudden spillage of hot food; leading to increased risk of burns.‎ This risk is increased when the recommended fill level (as set out in the instructions and ‎indicated on the inside of the mixing bowl) is exceeded.‎

As of October 12, 2022, the company has received no reports of incidents in Canada. There have been 36 incidents reported to the company worldwide.

Consumers should immediately stop using the Thermomix TM6 measuring cup instructions and contact Vorverk to obtain updated product instructions. Once the updated product instructions have been reviewed, consumers may continue to use the TM6 Measuring Cup in accordance with the updated instructions. Customers do not need to return the product. C

ustomers were informed directly via email by Vorwerk. Vorwerk has initiated a Global Information Campaign to reduce risk of user error with respect to the use of the TM6 measuring cup. Consumers can find information in relation to proper use and preventative measures at the following websites: www.thermomix.ca/thermomix-safety-instructions/ or https://service.thermomix.ca/hc/en-us/articles/8749490659091-Thermomix-Measuring-Cup-Safety-Announcement-August-2022.

For more information, consumers can contact Vorwerk by telephone at +1-855-867-9904, by email at service@thermomix.ca or visit the company website www.thermomix.ca.

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1321

Federal Court Orders Poultry Processor to Pay Penalties for Safety Violations

October 27, 2022 from SUN News:

"A federal court has found Birdsboro Kosher Farms Corp. in contempt for failing to pay $162,359 in penalties after an OSHA inspection found numerous safety hazards, including willful, serious, and repeat violations.

"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Oct. 19, 2022 decision is the latest legal action spurred by two separate 2016 safety and health inspections at the Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, poultry processing facility.

"The inspections led OSHA to issue citations for violations related to federal lockout/tagout, hearing conservation, and personal protective equipment standards.

"The company contested the citations with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Following a full hearing on the citations’ merits, an administrative law judge affirmed the initial citations in a Sept. 23, 2019, decision that became the commission’s final order on Oct. 22, 2019.

"Birdsboro Kosher Farms petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for review, and the Secretary of Labor filed a cross-application for enforcement.

"In December 2020, the Court of Appeals denied Birdsboro’s petition for review and granted the Secretary’s cross-application for enforcement. The court ordered Birdsboro Kosher Farms to abate any unabated violations from the citations, submit abatement documentation to OSHA, and pay the remaining penalties.

"Birdsboro ignored the court’s order, failing to pay the penalties or provide abatement certification

"A subsequent OSHA inspection revealed violations of some of the same standards underlying the court’s 2020 order and enforcement decree.

"In response, the Secretary of Labor filed a petition on March 18, 2022, for judgment of civil contempt.

"The court granted the petition and ordered Birdsboro to pay the outstanding penalties of $162,369 plus interest and fees or agree to a payment plan, and certify abatement of the violations, all within 20 days.

"Failure to comply will subject Birdsboro to sanctions the court deems necessary to compel compliance with its judgment." Share this:

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1320

Turkeys will cost more because 6 million of them died during bird flu outbreak

October 26, 2022 from The Washington Post:

"With Thanksgiving fast approaching, turkey farmers from California to Pennsylvania are watching in horror as a virulent new strain of avian influenza wipes out their flocks, killing birds practically overnight and forcing hundreds of thousands more to be euthanized to prevent further infection.

"The rampant spread of the virus has already eliminated more than 6 million turkeys nationwide, about 14 percent of the nation’s total turkey production, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. It is leaving farmers short of their usual offerings and pushing up prices for those that remain, forcing consumers already walloped by inflation to pay an additional 20 percent or more per pound for Thanksgiving turkeys compared with prices last year, according to several estimates."

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1319

Clorox® Recalls Pine-Sol® Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners, CloroxPro® Pine-Sol® All Purpose Cleaners, and Clorox® Professional™ Pine-Sol® Lemon Fresh Cleaners Due to Risk of Exposure to Bacteria

October 25, 2022 from the CPSC

Pine-Sol® Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean®, Sparkling Wave®, and Lemon Fresh scents, CloroxPro® Pine-Sol® All Purpose Cleaners, in Lavender Clean®, Sparkling Wave®, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy® scents, and Clorox® Professional™ Pine-Sol® Lemon Fresh Cleaners. Original Pine-Sol® (Pine scent) is not included in this recall.

The recalled products may contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental organism found widely in soil and water. People with weakened immune systems or external medical devices who are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment. The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, through the eyes, or through a break in the skin. People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.

Remedy: Refund

To date, testing has identified bacteria in certain recalled products, including those produced between January 2021 and September 2022. Clorox produced approximately 37 million recalled products in that period.

Consumer Contact: Pine-Sol toll-free at (855) 378-4982, by email at PineSolRecalls@inmar.com, or online at pinesolrecall.com and Pinesol.com by clicking on “Recall Information.”

Description: This recall involves Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, and Lemon Fresh scents, CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners, in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy scents, and Clorox Professional Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh Cleaners, with date codes beginning with the prefix “A4” and followed by a five-digit number less than 22249. The products are sold in bottles of 28, 48, 60, 100, 144, and 175 fluid ounces. In an abundance of caution, Clorox is recalling all of the above-described products manufactured at its Forest Park, Georgia facility through September 2022.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, and Lemon Fresh scents, CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners, in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy scents, and Clorox Professional Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh Cleaners that have date codes printed on the bottle beginning with “A4” and followed by a five-digit number less than 22249, which represents products produced prior to September 2022. Consumers should take pictures of the 12 digit UPC code and the date code, dispose of the product in its container with household trash, and contact Pine-Sol for a full refund of the purchase price, with receipt, or of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, without receipt.

Sold At: Online at Amazon.com and additional retailer websites and at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Dollar General, Target, Home Depot, BJ’s, Kroger, Dollar Tree, Lowe’s, Publix, and other major retailers nationwide, for between $2.50 and $12.50.

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1318

In a first, EU invites Jews and Muslims to stand up for kosher and halal slaughter amid local bans

October 21, 2022 - from JTA

"European Union officials in Brussels invited Jewish and Muslim community leaders to discuss meat production, in what some of the guests characterized as progress toward ensuring religious freedom.

"The event, which was convened by the EU’s point person for fighting antisemitism, Katharina von Schnurbein, included Jews and Muslims concerned about a two-pronged attack on their traditional methods for slaughtering animals for food that has resulted in bans in some countries. About 30 EU officials and about 20 community leaders were present, according to people who were there.

"Animal rights activists say shechitah and zabiha, the Muslim method for slaughtering animals for food, are cruel because both methods preclude stunning before the animal’s necks are cut. Advocates of the customs say they result in no greater suffering to animals than mechanized slaughter methods with higher malfunction rates and less attention to individual animals.

"n recent years, opposition to shechitah and zabiha has widened as right-wing parties began adopting this stance as part of their commitment to reducing the presence in society of Islam, and in some cases also Judaism.

"When Jewish community leaders challenged recent bans in two of Belgium’s three states at the Court of the European Union, the court dealt them a major defeat when it upheld the bans in a 2021 ruling that Israel’s ambassador to Belgium called “catastrophic and a blow to Jewish life in Europe.”

"The ruling added Belgium to a number of EU countries where ritual slaughter is illegal, including Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Slovenia. In 2011, the Netherlands briefly joined the list, but the Dutch Senate reversed the ban in 2012, citing freedom of worship. Poland also outlawed ritual slaughter in 2013 but has since scaled back the ban to include only meat for export.

"The office of von Schnurbein, who in 2015 became the first European Commission coordinator on combatting antisemitism, had stayed out of the debate on shechitah for most of her tenure. But she has become increasingly outspoken on the issue since the bans in Belgium, which were initiated by a right-wing party and advanced by a socialist party. In January, she said during an EU meeting that the bans risk painting Jews and Muslim minorities as 'medieval.'

"Shimon Cohen, the director of the British-Jewish advocacy group Shechitah UK, also referenced the connection between antisemitism and bans on religious slaughter during his speech at the event Thursday. Cohen noted that the first ban on shechitah in Europe occurred in Switzerland in the 19th century to make the country less hospitable to Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia.

"The Nazis, too, enacted a ban on kosher slaughter early on, Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy charged with monitoring antisemitism abroad, said in her speech at the conference. She said the United States recognizes the importance of allowing ritual slaughter and urged European lawmakers to include exemptions for religious groups in any legislation about meat production.

"In his comments at the conference, Cohen argued that existing laws about religious freedom are not enough to ensure that shechitah remains legal.

"'Freedom of religion was designed for people who believe stuff, not for people who do stuff,' Cohen said. 'And shechitah is a positive practical action as part of our faith. So too, would kneeling be for Christians, and the idea of banning kneeling would be impossible. I would hope that this meeting can be the first step towards ensuring there should be no provision allowed within European Union law to ban shechitah.'"

The previous item can be cited with the URL: https://www.kashrut.com/News/?alert=W1317
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