WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS & CONTRIBUTIONS

fax212.613.0775

e–mailsafrane@ou.org

IIN 1899, a group of 7 fishermen in Asto-ria, Oregon banded together as theColumbia River Packers Association, or

CRPA. Their simple goal was to fish andprocess sockeye salmon from Alaska’sBristol Bay. In 1910, the CRPA introduceda new catch, albacore tuna, which wasfound in seasonal abundance off the Ore-gon coast. While the CRPA packedsalmon and albacore tuna under manydifferent brand names, one brand of par-ticularly high quality was named after alocal fishing vessel—the “Bumble Bee.”Nearly 50 years later, the company wouldeven change its name to Bumble BeeSeafoods, Inc in honor of that brand’ssize and prestige.

Today, Bumble Bee® is an integratedseafood company with approximately$750 million in annual revenues and awholly owned subsidiary of ConAgraFoods, Inc.—one of the world’s largestbranded food companies. In addition toproviding the number one brand ofcanned albacore tuna and salmon in theUnited States under the Bumble Beelabel, they also provide the number onebrand of high-quality sardines under theKing Oscar label; the number one brandof canned seafood in Canada under theClover Leaf label; and the number onebrand of refrigerated surimi in the UnitedStates under the Louis Kemp label. Eachof these brands proudly bears the OUsymbol of quality, a certification that

goes back fordecades.

Commented ChrisLischewski, President and ChiefOperating Officer of Bumble BeeSeafoods, Inc., “We are proud of our long-standing relationship with the OU, as weknow that its symbol is a critical measureof quality for our consumers.“

Maintaining that high tradition ofquality is no easy task given the globalreach of the company. As tuna swimsaround the globe, Bumble Bee® Seafoods’OU-certified manufacturing facilities arein Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Fiji, Trinidad,California, and Minnesota. The companyalso sources products from an additional40+ countries. Continued Lischewski, “Atvirtually any hour of the day, we are pro-cessing tuna to high kosher standardssomewhere in the world. The traininginvestment is substantial, but the payoffis well worth it.”

Over the years Bumble Bee® Seafoodshas constantly led the pace of innovationin the category, ensuring that it alwaysprovides the best quality products atcompetitive prices. The famous “BumbleBee®” signature trademark, combinedwith the OU symbol of kosher certifica-tion, is an assurance of quality to theconsumer. Rabbi Doneal Epstein serves as the Orthodox Union’srabbinic coordinator for Bumble Bee.

U

Unionsymbolsymbolbehind the

4

8

WINTER 2003

Industry TrendsIt’s Your SpudHow to keep yourpotatoes Kosher

DearR abbiUnderstandingthe Fine Print ofSchedule A

Lets GetChemicalKosher Issues in the ChemicalWorld

10

A P U B L I C A T I O N F O R C E R T I F I E D C O M P A N I E S

Reaching 4,000 Food Executives & Over 2,500 Companies Worldwide

Bumble Bee Seafoods–A KosherTradition

❝ We are proud ofour long-standingrelationship withthe OU, as we knowthat its symbol is acritical measure ofquality for ourconsumers.❞

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Spotlight on OUCompanies

ACCORDING TO KOSHERFEST statistics, sales ofKosher foods are growing 15% annually, totalling$5.75 billion in sales in 2001. As the selection of

Kosher products increases, they are steadily gainingpopularity not only with traditional kosher con-sumers, but with mainsteam and specialty food con-sumers as well, because of their high quality andhealthful status. The NASFT recently promoted itsmembers' kosher products at KosherFest 2002 held onNovember 5-6 at the Meadowlands Exposition Centerin Secaucus, N.J. The world's fair of the kosher foodindustry attended by close to 15,000 food representa-tives from 45 states and more than 30 countries,

KosherFest aisles were onceagain filled with wholesalers,food brokers, manufacturers,retailers, distributors, koshercaterers, supermarket andspecialty food store buyers,who discovered a myriad ofkosher items, includingingredients, organic and veg-eterian products, koshersushi, caviar, wines and spir-its from all corners of theglobe.

Anticipating further andincreased growth of thekosher market during thecoming decade, KosherFestis slated to move its success-ful trade show to New York'sJavits Cener where accordingto Menachem Lubinsky pres-ident of IMC, organizers ofthe 15 year old show, themove will "position kosherfor further growth amongdiverse sectors of the foodmarket." The surge in koshercertification continues to beled by the OU, the world'spremier kosher certificationagency, certifying the high-est percentage of kosher cer-tified products. In order toensure that our certifiedcompanies get an evengreater advantage in reach-ing a greater market share,Mr. David Olivestone,Orthodox Union's Director

of Communications and Marketing, formulates a newidea of linking your website with the OU's. Be sureyour marketing people follow up on this great idea aswell as the other OU "Marketing Tips" focusing onhow your company can attain increased benefit fromyour OU symbol.

We are particularly pleased to feature in this issuean in depth look at the many facets of certifying thepotato industry, while at the same time sharing severalOU certified potato companies' most gratifying feed-back to their certification. I am grateful that RabbisGordimer and Bistricer agreed to articulate so clearlyand precisely the kosher issues involved in certifyingthe ever growing potato industry. The many finepoints and nuances in kosher certification of thechemical industry are well defined by Rabbi MichoelColeman, a rabbinic coordinator for many OU certi-fied chemical companies and Rabbi Nemes of NewOrleans, a rabbinic field representative visiting manyOU certified chemical companies. As the OrthodoxUnion continues to be sought after by companies bigand small throughout the world including the Far Eastand Eastern Europe, we are pleased to talk Turkeyabout two of the many companies recently OU certi-fied in Turkey. I was pleased to have had the opportu-nity to visit these companies together with ourenergetic Representative in Turkey, Rabbi Yossi Tir-nauer. Be assured that even as we grow and expandour scope and horizons, there is always someone hereto react and respond to your needs and concerns. Feelfree to be in touch so we can assist in assuring yourkosher program meets the OU's highest standards, andthat all of your needs are being properly and effec-tively met.

Best wishes for a peaceful and successful 2003!

Rabbi Eliyahu SafranEditor/Senior Rabbinic Coodinator

2 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

KASHRUT DIVISIONRABBI MENACHEM GENACKRabbinic Administrator

RABBI MOSHE ELEFANTExecutive Rabbinic CoordinatorDirector, New Company Department

RABBI YAAKOV LUBANExecutive Rabbinic Coordinator

RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRANSenior Rabbinic Coordinator Director, Review and Update Department

RABBI YERACHMIEL MORRISONRABBI ABRAHAM JURAVELIngredient Approval Registry

■ ■ ■

DR. CHAIM WASSERMANChairman, Joint Kashrut Commission

RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEINDirector, Business Management

ANNA FULDACoordinator, Letters of Certification, Labels, Private Labels

■ ■ ■

RABBI EMANUEL HOLZERChairman, Rabbinic Kashrut Commission

ORTHODOX UNIONHARVEY BLITZPresident

RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREBExecutive Vice President

DAVID OLIVESTONEDirector, Communicatons and Marketing

BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL

RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRANEditor–in–Chief

PAMELA WEIMANGraphic Designer

OrthodoxUnion

From the Editor

Pictured at the new Orthodox Union booth at KOSHERFEST2002 on November 6th and 7th at the Meadowlands Conven-tion Center in Secaucus, NJ (left to right) OU Executive RabbinicCoordinator Rabbi Moshe Elefant and Rabbi Michael Morris whocoordinated OU’s participation at Kosherfest.

www.ou.org 3

IN KEEPING WITH

its tradition of cat-

egory innovation

and commitment

to kosher prod-

ucts, Bumble Bee is

introducing Bumble Bee

Kosher for Passover Solid

White Albacore tuna in February

2003. This product is specially prepared

under the close supervision of the Orthodox Union

to meet the highest standards of Jewish dietary

law. Because Passover standards prohibit the use

of soy-based broths (typically found in most tuna),

this new product will actually have more fish

placed in the can than ordinary tuna—meaning

that this will be the best quality product available

on the market!

Commented Christopher Lischewski, President

and Chief Operating Officer of Bumble Bee

Seafoods, Inc., “As the quality leaders in the tuna

category for many years, we are proud to add the

Kosher for Passover product to our line-up begin-

ning next year. This has been a terrific collabora-

tive effort with the OU to bring a superior quality

product to Jewish and non-Jewish consumers

alike. Anyone who appreciates great quality tuna

will appreciate this product.”

Bumble Bee has offered a Kosher for Passover

version of King Oscar Sardines in Olive Oil for the

last several years with great success, but this is

the company’s first foray into OUP tuna. Continued

Lischewski, “We are now seeing some of our retail

customers putting a Kosher buying program in

place, where they are actively seeking out new

Kosher products—particular as Passover

approaches but even on an ongoing basis. We

think this OUP product will fit nicely with that trend.”

Bumble Bee Kosher for Passover Solid White

Albacore will be available on a limited basis at first

as the company assesses how much consumer

demand exists for this high-quality tuna. It will fea-

ture a distinctive black, silver and white label and

will be supported with print advertisements in

many Jewish magazines and periodicals, including

the OU’s own Jewish Action magazine.

KOSHER FOR PASSOVER TUNA

A group of ASK OU 6 participants at AriZona Beverage'sMaplewood Beverage Packers plant in Maplewood, NJ guidedby (standing left to right) Rabbi Yosef Grossman, Director ASKOU, Mr. Jeff McMahon of Quality Assurance Maplewood Bev-erage and Rabbi Dovid Cohen of Orthodox Union

TeachingKosher–

HOW MANY RABBIS does it take to make a non-kosher kitchen kosher? Actually, just one, but atremendous amount of training is required to

learn the art of “kosherizing.” That is why the OUrecently held its sixth annual ASK OU KashruthInternship Program, the most intensive Kashrutheducation program that trains rabbinic field represen-tatives in the art and science of kashruth.

The seminar is geared for graduate rabbinic semi-nary students, congregational rabbis, and thosealready involved in kosher supervision who are seek-ing to fine tune and intensify their skills. The pro-gram also provides the basics for those interested inpursuing a professional career in kosher supervision.

Among those in attendance at this summer’s pro-gram were the deputy Chief Rabbi of Riga and Latvia,the U.S. Army Chaplain stationed in Germany, aKashruth inspector from Moscow, and a rabbinicseminary student from France, as well as representa-tives from Central America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Cal-gary, Toronto and throughout the United States. Withmore than 70 people participating, this year was themost successful ASK OU to date.

The in-depth program planned and coordinatedby Rabbinic Coordinator Rabbi Yosef Grossman (whoalso serves as Editor of Daf HaKashrus, a monthlynewsletter for the Orthodox Union’s rabbinic fieldrepresentatives) included in depth sessions on meth-ods of kosherization, supervision of the meat indus-try, a full understanding of food service supervision,identifying “red flag ingredients,” an overview of theOU’s global supervision and a focus on insect infesta-tion and its effect on proper certification.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

TUNA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

This Spud’s for by Rabbis Avraham Gordimer & David Bistricer

IN TODAY’S fast paced society, technologicaladvancements have revolutionized the world welive in. This is especially true in the food indus-

try, where research and development are con-stantly creating new and innovative products. Thepotato industry is no exception. Once considered arelatively simple market, the certification of potatocompanies has become quite complex and chal-lenging.

Most potato plants use hundreds of kosher-sen-sitive ingredients on a regular basis. Now morethan ever cheese, meat flavors and extracts are invogue. Potato products which one would neverhave dreamt of are now on our dinner tables.

In response to the recent growth and sophisti-cation of the potato industry, the OU hasincreased its specialization and focus. We wouldtherefore like to share some general observationsand describe how we met the challenge.

GEOGRAPHYMost North American potatoes are grown either inthe northeast US/southeast Canada (“EasternPotatoes”) or in the Pacific Northwest/southwestCanada (“Western Potatoes”). Eastern potatoes areusually smaller, smoother and more delicate thantheir western brethren, which makes them ideal forsofter or more refined finished products. Westernpotatoes are larger and generally coarser in tex-ture, and their firmness makes them ideal forproducts such as large steak fries.

Most Eastern potato plants are located inMaine, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick,while the bulk of Western potato facilities are scat-tered throughout Idaho, Washington State andOregon. Several Midwest regions, Ohio, Minnesotaand Manitoba, host a moderate number ofpotato fields and plants as well.

FRY PLANTSMost modern potato frying facilities manufac-

ture French fries and potato pancakes (patties).

Spiced and sweet flavored batters are common, asare cheese-flavored coatings.

Production involves slicing potatoes into spec-ified sizes and shapes, running them through bat-ter/coating (when relevant), and frying them in oilor shortening.

Until recently, several major suppliers of potatobatter were not kosher-certified, or had anextremely limited certification that could notaccommodate the mass-production of kosherplants. With great effort, the OU has enabled suchcompanies to become fully kosher and non-dairy,so that kosher consumers could eat battered pota-toes with meat. Similarly, potato plants that hadpreviously used unapproved batters were kosher-ized so that they are now providing an array ofnewly available batters and flavor blends for theirconsumers.

Although monitoring the kosher status of fry-ing oil is usually the simplest facet of a kosher visitto a fried potato plant, it deserves a bit of discus-sion. Despite the fact that vegetable oil is inher-ently kosher, it is often processed in plants whichalso handle non-kosher oils and is transported inbulk carriers used for non-kosher materials as well.Thus, proper verification of the oil source and car-rier is always a must.

DEHYDRATED POTATO PLANTSIn dehydrated potato plants the products aresliced and blanched in hot water to deactivatebrowning enzymes. They are then furtherreduced to size, emulsifiers are added, after whichthey are cooked in live steam. The potatoes arethen air-dried on rotary dryers or through acyclone, and additives may be incorporated.

When dehydrated potatoes are diced andsliced, they form potato dices and slices. Whenthey are reduced to a mash, we end up withinstant (dehydrated) mashed potatoes. When dairypowders are added (non-fat dry milk, whey, butter

❝ Once considered a relatively simple market, the certification of potato companies has become quite complex and challenging❞

4 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

flavor, etc.), the product is called complete mashedpotatoes.

As of late, some companies have begun to addkosher cheese powders so as to create potatoes augratin. Others add dairy powders to the mash while itrests in the steam cooker, thus rendering the equip-ment dairy, because it had contact with hot dairy material.

These practices require special attention by thecompany and kosher supervisor. The vast majority ofcheese powder in the market is non-kosher, so systemsmust be set up to prevent accidental interchange ofkosher and non-kosher powders in the same facility.Similarly, it is necessary to designate the cookers thatuse dairy additives and produce the non-dairy productselsewhere.

To help make this process easier, the OU now certifiesnumerous dairy cheese powders, which has enabled com-panies to convert their entire au gratin lines to kosher-certified status. Similarly, we have provided lists ofacceptable non-dairy batters and cheese flavors to com-panies that prefer to market their product as non-dairy.

Many potato companies maintain high-quality blend-ing and packaging equipment that is used for toll-proces-sors unrelated to potato production. Pasta, powders andbeans are often run through such equipment. A problemarises when certified companies do not seek kosher statusfor all the products handled on the same line as thekosher materials. How do we deal with these cases?

It is indeed a blessing for us that most non-kosheractivity in potato plants involves incorporating non-kosher powders after the base product is formed andcooled. Thus, so long as we can verify that the equip-ment is fully clean (after examining company sanitiza-tion protocol) and that any non-kosher material isincompatible with kosher product, we can grant certi-fication. This system safeguards the integrity of theOU program while enabling the companies to maximizetheir potential.

PASSOVER PRODUCTIONUnder the supervision of an on-site OU rabbinic fieldrepresentative, equipment must be kosherized forPassover. Only Passover-approved ingredients may beused, and the OU representative remains at the plant forthe duration of the run, due to the special sensitivityand strict requirements of Passover production.Although this system is labor intense, it pays off forthose companies that seek to maximize this importantpart of the kosher market.

As the potato industry has grown rapidly, the Ortho-dox Union has met the difficult challenges of properlysupervising the facilities it certifies. It is certainly fortu-nate that the growth in the industry has lead toincreased communication between the potato compa-nies and the OU office. As the industry progresses, thenew advancements of today will certainly continue tolead to a stronger professional relationship tomorrow

Rabbis Gordimer and Bistricer serve as Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinators for the potato industry.

U

POLICY REMINDERFWhen the OU rabbinic field representa-

tive (RFR) arrives for a plant visit andyour regular kosher contact is notavailable, it is important that your com-pany have contingency plans in orderto assure that the OU visit goessmoothly. We thus suggest that alterna-tive contacts be designated for OU vis-its (and any other OU administrativework as well),and that any documentswhich the RFR needs to review be avail-able in a location which he can readilyaccess. Please speak with your rabbiniccoordinator and RFR to set up a systemwhich will work well for all parties.

FYour company's schedule A is designedto be a living, dynamic document whichshould reflect the reality of all ingredi-ents in the plant. It is thus essential thatall personnel responsible for orderingand receiving ingredients be familiarwith schedule A and use it. The OU cannow enter raw material codes (RMCs)on schedule A, for ease of use and inte-gration with plant operations.

G

You

www.ou.org 5

NORTHERN STAR CO. is amember of the MichaelFoods, Inc. family of

food processors and has beenin the potato business since1950. The company startedout manufacturing pre-peeledraw potatoes, which weredelivered on local routes inthe Minneapolis area. In themid 1960’s, Northern Starentered the frozen French frymarket and ten years later introduced the pre-cooked refrigerated potato for the food serviceindustry. A new retail category was created in thelate 1980s by the introduction of the Simply Pota-toes® and Diner’s Choice® brands. The products,

available in the dairy or meat sections of grocerystores, allowed the country for the first time totake advantage of products with a fresh potatotaste but required minimum preparation by theconsumer. In 1997, Northern made the decision toleave the frozen French fry market and concen-trate its resources on its growing refrigeratedpotato products line.

This decision marked Northern Star’s desire tofocus on production of an extended shelf liferefrigerated product that would exceed customer’sexpectations for quality. It was at this time thatNorthern Star began investigating the kosher certi-fication process, intending not only to enhancethe quality of the product but also to give ourproducts wider appeal and increase the availabilityto consumers seeking kosher foods for dietary orother reasons.

When searching for certifying agencies, wewanted to partner with an organization that held

a similar desire for providingcustomers with quality prod-ucts and service. We foundwhat we were looking for inthe Orthodox Union andhave been delighted in ourpartnership ever since. TheOU continues to have a closeworking relationship withour Quality Assurance,Research & Development,and even Maintenance

Departments in developing rules and proceduresthat address and protect the plant’s interests, yetstill assure adherence to Jewish dietary laws.Instead of creating additional paperwork, koshercertification has actually streamlined our quest fornew ingredients and suppliers.

Our customers demand the best, and the OUhelps us meet that expectation every time. North-ern Star is proud to carry the OU symbol and looksforward to growing our business with the OU onour label.

To find out more information on NorthernStar products or the Simply Potatoes® and Diner’sChoice® retail brands, please visithttp://www.MichaelFoods.comor call 1.800.248.3447.

Mary EricksonQuality Assurance Manager

U

OU COMPANIES Speak

❝ Our customers demand thebest, and the OU helps us meetthat expectation every time❞

6 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

Simply the Bestby Mary Erickson

For applications to certify

NEW COMPANIESor

ADDITIONALPLANTS,

call Civie Birnbaum atthe OU Applications

Desk, 212.613.8249.

www.ou.org 7

Potatoesby Drew Facer

MICHEL ST-ARNEAULT INC. is a manufacturer ofFrench Fried potatoes located in St-Hubert,Quebec. The company first specialized in

pre-peeled products: potatoes, carrots and onions.In 1989, Michel St-Arneault Inc. enjoyed a

tremendous expansion with the arrival of Quali-Fresh, a fresh but pre-cooked French fried potato.In May 1994, in order to break into the exportmarket, the company decided to add frozenFrench fried potatoes to its variety of products.

The potatoes that we use are primarily grownin Quebec, New Brunswick and Maine. We usevarieties of potatoes such as Russet Burbank, Shep-ody, Hilite, Gold Rush and Chieftan.

In 1998 Michel St-Arneault Inc. decided toconcentrate on the United States for its exportbusiness. The business plan was to focus primarilyon the Northeastern region of the U. S. in foodser-vice and retail. However, before we sold one itemin the United States we contacted the OUKashruth Division. Under their supervision webecame a kosher certified manufacturing facility.We knew through our research that to attain

acceptance and trust in this area of the country wemust have the OU on our products. We then con-tacted Sheia Itzkowitz, the President of TriMe Asso-ciates, a well-respected food broker in Brooklyn,New York to handle our representation in NewYork and New Jersey.

Four years into our business plan we haveexceeded our numbers and enjoy an excellent rep-utation in the industry. Our expertise is the privatelabel business and we service many kosher dis-tributors under their own labels.

We attribute our continued success to theOrthodox Union.

If it were not for the OU’s leadership and guid-ance, we could not have achieved our goals so eas-ily. Our relationship with the OU has been apleasant experience and one we have benefitedfrom since day one. I hope that this relationshipwill last for years to come.

Fred TraniVice-President of Sales U.S.A. Michel St-Arneault Inc.

U

Michel St-Arneault Inc.

BASED NEAR Idaho Falls, Idaho–the heart ofpotato country–Idahoan® Foods has a 42 yeartradition of offering innovative products that

match consumers’ desire for delicious, easy-to-make potatoes. Popular in the United States andaround the world, Idahoan products continue torank high in taste, quality and value. In fact, Ida-hoan’s only business is potatoes, thus allowing thecompany to focus all attention on the quality con-trol details that result in an exceptional potatoproduct.

Idahoan Foods has proudly been kosher certi-fied by the OU since 1970. The decision to becomekosher certified was natural for Idahoan based ontheir commitment to service consumers’ needs andthe desire to provide quality food products to alarger audience. The decision to seek certificationfrom the OU was equally simple. Simply… becausethe Orthodox Union is the best.

As the most highly recognized symbol in theinternational market, the OU certification givesIdahoan products a more universal appeal in aglobal community while also affording the com-pany a competitive advantage in the foodserviceindustry. Furthermore, consumers recognize theOU symbol on a product’s packaging as a designa-tion of excellence and quality from the world’slargest and most respected kosher certificationagency.

Idahoan Foods is deeply honored to bear theprestigious OU symbol on its packaging. The long-standing relationship that the companies haveshared is one that Idahoan is extremely proud ofand hopes to carry on for many years into thefuture.

Drew Facer Idahoan® Foods

U

OU COMPANIES Speak

DEARABBI �

�DeaR abbi:On my schedule A, it often states“Not from Israel without acceptablecertification.” Why is an ingredientsourced from Israel unacceptablewhile the exact same item fromsomewhere else is? Shouldn’t it bejust the opposite? My neighbor’sbrother-in-law is from Israel and Iasked him what this meant. He toldme that he didn’t know anythingabout ingredients but he did knowthat he was acceptably certifiedwhen he was a baby. Can youexplain what this is all about? Signed, Quizzical in Quincy.

Dear Quizzical:You are definitely not the first to askthis question and I am certain thatyou will not be the last. Althoughthe details are complex, let’s try asimple explanation. A number ofextra rules apply to products com-ing from Israel, such as the obliga-tion to tithe produce and refrainfrom using items grown during theSabbatical year. Many of these rulesare biblical in origin and have theirsource in the book of Leviticus.These requirements do not apply toproducts from anywhere else.

Because Israel is considered aspecial place in kosher law, itemsthat come from there are muchmore sensitive due to their specialstatus. It’s like making a mark witha pen on a painting. If the mark ismade on the picture your daughterpainted in pre-school, it is no big

deal. Making the exact same markon the Mona Lisa, however, wouldbe an international incident. Evenitems that are normally innocuousmust bear an acceptable kosher cer-tification when sourced in Israel.Regarding your neighbor’s brother-in-law, I would suggest that heenroll in an English as a second lan-guage class before he really embar-rasses himself.

�DeaR abbi:I collect butterflies, moths andwoolly caterpillars. In fact, I havequite an extensive collection(would you like me to email somepictures of it?). While I like insectsof all kinds, I certainly don’t wantany of them ending up in our prod-uct. That is why I don’t understandwhy my schedule A will sometimessay that a certain ingredient “Mustbe free of bug infestation.” Youdon’t have to tell us that! Do youthink that we want insects in ourfood? And what does the OrthodoxUnion have against bugs anyway?My co-workers and I decided it isprobably because bugs don’t eatkosher. Signed, Abuzz in Aberdeen

Dear Abuzz:Of course the Orthodox Union doesnot think that you would allowinsects in your product. What youmay not be aware of is, however,that kosher has an absolute zero tol-erance level for insects in food.Even one insect the size of a pin

(but visible to the eye) is unaccept-able in kosher food, a standardmuch more rigorous than most pro-ducers demand of themselves.Although most fruits and vegetablesmay be used without concernbecause they are presumed to bebug-free, there are a number whichresearch has shown to be prone toinfestation. Since it is so commonfor bugs to be present in theseitems, kosher law requires that weassume they are present until theyare inspected and either proven tobe insect free or the insects areremoved. By the way, you are cor-rect that bugs do not eat kosher.They do not have to since they arenot Jewish. In fact, bugs have noreligion at all. They are Insectarian.

�DeaR abbi:My husband (I’ll call him Tony) isthe Q.C. Director at a large OU cer-tified plant. He is very dedicated tokeeping to the schedule A and hecalls it his bible. That’s why I’mturning to you for advice. While onbusiness in San Francisco recently,he went to see the towering Red-woods at Redwood National Park.Tony was humbled by theseimmense, powerful giants of nature.He felt it isn’t fair that we don’thave them here on the East coasttoo, so when the tour guide had hisback turned, Tony cut off a twig andhid it in his coat. When he camehome, he planted it in the back-yard. Abbi, this tree will be 300 feettall in less than 200 years! What

8 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

In the short time since our first issue appeared, Behind the UnionSymbol has become an indispensable resource for the kosherindustry. The Symbol is the first place OU certified companiesturn for information and, increasingly, advice. To address thisthirst for guidance and direction, we are pleased to present toyou our newest feature–our advice columnist–DeaR abbi.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

will the neighbors say? I have noidea how to convince Tony to send itback. Please help return this nationaltreasure to its rightful home. Signed, Pleading in Plainfield

Dear Pleading:I share your concern about the pur-loining of this precious nationalresource and think I can help you toreturn this aristocrat of nature to itsnatural habitat. Before I tell youwhat to do, I need to give you somebackground. Every kosher certifieditem has a letter of certification writ-ten for it by the certifying Rabbi oragency. This letter spells out theexact details, terms and specific con-ditions that fall within the scope ofthe certification granted by that par-ticular Rabbi/agency to that product.Sometimes, after reviewing a letter ofcertification submitted to the Ingre-dient Approval Registry for approval,the IAR will determine that the par-ticular product does not fall withinthe parameters of the kosher systemthe OU has established in the plant.The IAR will then issue an adden-dum to the plant’s schedule A thatclassifies the ingredient as either“Group 6: Allowed” (may not beused in certified products but isallowed in the plant for use in non-certified production) or “Group 6:Not Allowed”: (may not be stored orused in the plant under any circum-stance). In addition, the addendumwill explain why the item may notbe used. “Certificate not acceptable”means that the standard indicated inthe ingredient’s letter of certificationis incompatible with the standard inplace in the OU certified facility. So,here’s what you do. Tell Tony thatyou received a note from the OUthat said “Redwood Trees from Cali-fornia–Group 6 Not Allowed: certifi-cate not acceptable.” If he’s as

dedicated as you say, he will send itback immediately.

�Dear Rabbi:Kudos to the Orthodox Union forbeing on the cutting edge of foster-ing employee self esteem! I am anindustrial psychologist who is theH.R. director for an OU certifiedcompany. Ivan in our receivingdepartment showed me a copy of hisschedule A with a notation by a fewof the ingredients that says “MustBear Rabbi’s Signature.” How bril-liant! There are few things that raisea person’s self esteem more thansigning their work. It is the theory ofrecognition of a job well done andincreases a person’s satisfaction intheir efforts by prominently puttingtheir name on a finished product.What genius! How fortunate you arethat your Rabbis see their supervi-sion as painting a masterpiece, creat-ing a work of art, a la Matisse, Degasand Van Gogh, who also signed theirwork. One short comment, though:none of us read Hebrew, so wehaven’t yet figured out what theRabbi’s signature looks like. But thatdoesn’t mean that we don’t appreciatehis work just the same! Please sharethat with him. I prefer to remain Anonymous in Alabama

Dear Anonymous:While I would like to take credit forpromoting good psychologicalhealth, most of the responsibility forthis lies with the company that man-ufactures the product requiring thesignature. The reason the Rabbi mustsign the label has very little to dowith self-esteem but everything todo with kosher supervision. Thereare some facilities which regularlymanufacture product that is, let’ssay, dairy. Sometimes they have aneed to manufacture a non-dairy,pareve product on their equipment.

Because of the need to kosherizeequipment and the deviation fromthe normal production procedures,the OU requires that a rabbinic fieldrepresentative be present to super-vise the production and verify thatthe product was produced properlyin accordance with pareve require-ments. The same is true of kosherproduct made in a non-certifiedfacility on lines that were kosherizedspecifically for that run. Since such asituation is “abnormal”, it is impor-tant that the kosher symbol on theproduct indicate that the unusualcircumstances were taken intoaccount and that the run was prop-erly supervised. Therefore, manykosher certification agencies willspecify in the letter of certificationthat these “special” products areonly acceptable if they bear theRabbi’s signature, which indicatesthat he was present for the produc-tion. Signature, by the way, does notalways mean a signature. It could bea hand-stamp or, more recently, thespecial lot-coded, production spe-cific stickers with control numbersthat the OU has begun to use. The“signature clause” is just meant torule out a pre-printed symbol and torequire a clear sign that the Rabbiwas present. By the way, if you can-not read Hebrew but need to find theRabbi’s signature, let me offer thissuggestion: Learn to read Hebrew orask your rabbinic representative toshow it to you the next time he visits.

Be sure to join us in our nextissue when we begin another newfeature: Ask Dr. Kash-Ruth

Rabbi Avrohom Stone serves as Rabbinic Field Repre-sentative in the Tri-State area. His article “Schedule A: Easy As 1-2-3” appeared in the Winter/Spring 2000 issue of Behind the Union Symbol.

U

❝ How fortunate you are that your Rabbis see their supervision as painting a masterpiece, creating a work of art❞

www.ou.org 9

10 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

THE CHEMICAL and foodindustries are becomingincreasingly interconnected

as chemicals are now being usedeither as raw materials involvedin food packaging or as ingredi-ents injected directly into foodprocessing to effect the PH orreaction and only later strippedor filtered out.

Therefore the kosher reliabil-ity of chemicals is important toboth kosher consumers and thefood industry. Many chemicalcompanies have been able toincrease their sales in the food orfood packaging industries by

choosing to get kosher certifica-tion from the OU.

The chemical industry, froma kosher perspective, comes witha whole host of challenges thatare unique to chemical produc-tion. For one, most of the rawmaterials arrive in bulk or bypipeline without labels, and sec-ondly, the physical natures of theplants are quite unlike foodestablishments.

Many peopleare surprised that chemicalsrequire kosher supervision. Com-pany personnel as well as con-sumers may ask, “What could bewrong with a chemical? If it iscolorless, odorless and tasteless,and if I cannot pronounce it orspell it, what could be not-kosherabout it?”

Despite the fact that chemi-cals may seem harmless, therecan be many factors that desig-nate the chemical as non-kosher.Glycerol Monostearate, forexample is non-kosher because itis of animal origin. Several years

ago, there was a situation wherea company wanted to make amore perfect crystal and sincethey thought it would not mat-ter, they added a small amountof an emulsifier to the productthat turned out to be not-kosher.

When it comes to the actualstructure of a chemical plant,there are some significant differ-ences. For one thing, chemicalplants are often much larger in

size and contain various unitsand terminals. Terminal A mayunload a non-kosher productsuch as glycerin while Termi-nal C, half a mile down the road,may unload a kosher productsuch as propylene glycol. Thehoses that are used to unload thetanker or truck of non-kosherglycerin cannot be used tounload a kosher tank truckbecause of cross-contaminationissues.

Additionally, while OU pol-icy in regard to food plants isthat the RFR must have immedi-ate access during all productionhours, this is sometimes difficultin chemical plants, due to thenature of the industry and secu-rity issues, especially since 9/11.In certain cases the OU can workout a system where appoint-ments can be scheduled beforethe Rabbi comes. Of course, insituations where there are a lot ofkosher-sensitive raw materials orspecial kosher runs, the RFR mayreceive a permanent securityclearance badge and car tag forregular unannounced visits.When the RFR arrives, he notifiesthe supervisor (who usuallyenjoys seeing someone from theoutside world at 2:30am!) that hewill be inspecting the plant.

Some chemical companiesare classified as “group 1” whichmeans that all raw materials arekosher no matter what theirsource is, and our role is to mon-

INDUSTRY Trends

❝ Many chemical companies have been able

to increase their sales in the food or food

packaging industries by choosing to get

kosher certification from the OU❞

Let’s GetBy Rabbis Michoel Coleman and Yossi Nemes

itor that both the process andstatus of the raw materialsremains unchanged.

Many chemical companies,however, have numerous rawmaterials that are of kosher con-cern. One such plant is GeorgiaGulf in Plaquemine, Louisiana inwhich case we created a partner-ship with Dr. Shuman Chiang(technical services manager pvcresins division) and worked outan extensive method of docu-mentation for the sources of thekosher sensitive raw materialswhich are bulk delivered.

Some certified Chemicalcompanies produce productsthat include non-kosher rawmaterials such as non-kosherstearates and glycerines. Thesecompanies then institute specialkosher runs for the same prod-ucts. At Crompton-Witco in Taft,Louisiana, Steve Hebert, JeffreyRamos and the entire staff havedeveloped an efficient kosherrun strategy where the equip-ment is cleaned, the kosher rawmaterials are verified, and all theempty packages are saved, batchby batch, until they can bereleased by Rabbi Nemes duringhis frequent visits.

In addition, certain raw mate-rials are kosher certified withextra stipulations such as a rabbi’ssignature or a specific lot numberon the container. It is veryimportant that plant personnelbe aware that such ingredientsare kosher sensitive and require

special care when being admittedinto the facility. They must meetthe requirements as specified inthat company’s Schedule A.

In order to insure there areno problems, all raw materialsmust be submitted to the Ortho-dox Union in order to be regis-tered in the ingredient registry.Any ingredient—even if it will notbe used in production for the nextthree years—must be submitted.

Furthermore, there are com-panies where there are equip-ment issues because ofnon-kosher chemicals in theunit. For example, when certify-ing a product that shared equip-ment with a Tallowamine therewas a kashrut issue. Only afterthe RFR and RC are able to getthe basic information of whenthe tallow is turned into anamine, at what temperature andat which facility, are we able toproceed and work out a solutionsatisfactory for all involved.

At Rhodia in Baton Rougethe staff of the Cathyval unitalerted us to the fact that occa-sionally the product is reworkedinto the system after a koshersensitive raw material is added byone of their customers. After acooperative effort between theOU and Rhodia, the raw materialwas added in Baton Rouge andcomes in with a kosher label oneach bag. The upgrade was soeffective that the unit is now notonly kosher but also kosher forPassover!

All these issues are best han-dled on a case-to-case basis bythe experienced research staff ofthe OU, in close coordinationwith the RFR, the RC and thecompanies.

Since this article was writtenduring hurricane season, and as amatter of fact, between twostorms battering Louisiana, a trib-ute to the dedication of ChemicalCompany employees is in order.

In New Orleans, when a hur-ricane threatens, everyone eitherevacuates or heads home andbattens down the hatches withtheir family for the duration.The exceptions are essential per-sonnel such as law enforcementofficers, select government offi-cials, and, of course, journalists.I remember a few years ago,when a hurricane hit Pensacola, Icalled a contact of ours over atSolutia Chemical to see how sherode out the storm: Did she evac-uate or go home? She told methat she and a crew of employeesremained at the plant to makesure that everything was safe andsecure in order to protect theplant and the environment!

Rabbi Michoel Coleman serves as the rabbinic coordinator for many of theOrthodox Union’s certifiedchemical companies.

Rabbi Yossie Nemesserves as the rabbinic field representative for SouthernLouisiana and the Gulf Coast.

U

Chemical

www.ou.org 11

❝ All raw materials must be submitted to the Orthodox Union

in order to be registered in the ingredient registry❞

CARGILLCONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

CHEMTREAT WAS incorporated in 1968 and is oneof America’s most rapidly growing industrialwater treatment companies. Continued expan-

sion has allowed ChemTreat to evolve into the largestprivately owned watertreatment company inthe United States, spe-cializing in boiler andcooling water treatment.

Service, ChemTreat’sprimary focus, is sup-ported by the most cur-rent technology in ourlaboratory and researchand development facili-ties. Our corporate staff,

another key to our service excellence, provides thehighest level of technical support in the industry.

ChemTreat became involved with the OU becauseof the increasing demand in the food industry forkosher certified products in the United States. Recog-

nizing this, ChemTreat realized it would be to ouradvantage to be in the forefront of this aspect of thefood industry evolution.

We became involved with kosher issues after dis-cussing specialty product needs with several clientcompanies. We recognized the advantage of obtain-ing a complete understanding of the kosher processas a service to our customers. ChemTreat has, at therequest of the OU and customer plants, developedspecialty products such as our CT-9082, a liquid bit-tering agent used for protecting against contamina-tion of kosher products by non-kosher substances.

The OU has been a strong supporter ofChemTreat because of this product development. Wehave recognized and realized a great business benefitdue to our kosher certification program and the sup-port we receive from the OU.

Jettye B. AustinRegulatory Affairs Coordinator

Rabbi Michoel Coleman serves as the Orthodox Union’s rabbinic coordinator for Chem Treat

U

OU COMPANIES Speak

CROMPTON CORPORATION was founded in 1850 as atextile machinery company. Since then they havegrown and diversified into a global producer and

marketer of polymer products and specialty chemicalswith annual sales of approximately $2.7 billion.Crompton has about 7,000 employees and 35 manu-facturing facilities in 12 countries. Our success isrooted in our quality products and our unwaveringcommitment to customer service, backed by thestrength of our brands: Witco, Uniroyal Chemical, OSiSpecialties and Davis-Standard.

Crompton’s Taft, LA, facility was built in 1966 asArgus Chemical, a division of Witco. We are located 25miles up the Mississippi river from New Orleans. Theoriginal plant had one operating unit producing epoxyplasticizers and employed approximately 20 people.Taft now has four operating units, epoxy, tin, thio andmixed metals. We employ 180 full–time companyemployees and 100 contractors. Our product line is pre-dominantly vinyl additives, such as epoxy plasticizers,heat stabilizers, vinyl lubricants, and UV stabilizers.

Achieving kosher certification and living up to thehigh kosher standards requires additional focus onmany issues such as procedures, training, traceabilityand accountability. With this added focus we haveseen major improvement in all of these areas. Webelieve this is good for the business, but most impor-tantly, good for customers of our kosher products:1034K, a solid ingredient of Food and Drug Adminis-tration-approved meat wrap, and Drapex® 6.8, aningredient of plastic bottles, baby bottles nipples andfood storage containers.

Meeting kosher standards means we have prod-ucts that are more competitive because they appeal toa broader range of consumers. We have chosen OUkosher certification because the OU trademark is sohighly respected. The OU’s commitment to quality isapparent in our daily dealings with Rabbi YossieNemes. His professionalism along with his honestconcern for meeting or exceeding all kosher standardshas given us a very positive attitude about what theOU is doing.

Steven HebertMixed Metals Unit SpecialistCrompton Corporation

U

12 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

www.ou.org 13

WHEN

CARGILL

Acidulantsdiscovered an inno-vative process to makeglucosamine from a naturally occur-ring, shellfish-free source, theylooked to the Orthodox Union tohelp differentiate the product. “TheOU was an ideal partner for koshercertification of this landmark prod-uct, and the guidance from RabbiEliyahu Safran, Senior RabbinicCoordinator, and Rabbinic Coordi-nator Rabbi Donneal Epstein wasmost helpful. The OU recognizedthe product solution that Cargill’sRegenasure™ would offer to indi-viduals who look to kosher productsfor quality and control of ingredi-ents” states Brent Rogers, a CargillAcidulants R&D ApplicationsChemist. “Most importantly, theOU helped us differentiate Regena-sure™ because of our unique process.The OU has certified Regenasure™ askosher pareve and Kosher for Passover,and has additionally certified it kosherfor food, since the glucosamine isderived from a non-shellfish source.”Glucosamine used in dietary supple-ments today is derived from shellfish,which can cause an allergic reaction insome people.

Glucosamine is a product forthe dietary supplement industrythat has been shown with clinicalstudies to provide significant thera-peutic relief for osteoarthritis andjoint pain. Although the mecha-nism is not yet entirely known, it isbelieved that glucosamine is a limit-ing component in the synthesis ofcartilage.

The Centers for Disease Controland Prevention recently announcedthat almost 70 million Americanadults, or 1 in 3, have arthritis, mak-ing it the nation’s leading cause ofdisability. The U. S. National Insti-tutes of Health is currently conduct-ing a multi-year clinical trialdesigned to test the effectiveness of

glucosamine in reducing pain andimproving function in patients withknee osteoarthritis. “Consumers areeducating themselves to workclosely with their physicians on themaintenance of their health,” saidTim Bauer, Cargill Acidulants Direc-tor of Sales & Marketing. Cargill’sRegenasure™ glucosamine will besold in the hydrochloride form,which has 83% active glucosamineas compared to the sulfate form,which has 50.7% active glucosaminein an equal dosage of each product.

“As the oldest and largestkosher certification agency, the OUwas able to lend its reputation aswell as its expertise to the koshercertification process,“ Bauer ex-plained “This product offers dietarysupplement manufacturers theopportunity to label their consumerbranded packages as containing akosher certified material. Our pro-prietary process will ensure cus-tomers a stable and safe supply of

glucosamine that is produced in anenvironmentally sound manneraccording to the Food and DrugAdministration’s Hazard Analysisand Critical Control Points(HACCP) guidelines in an ISO-9000registered facility.”

Cargill is currently providingsamples to interested customers foruse in their research and develop-ment efforts and expects to producecommercial volumes of the productin early 2003.

Cargill Acidulants is part ofCargill, Incorporated, an interna-tional marketer, processor and dis-tributor of agricultural, food,financial and industrial productsand services with 97,000 employeesin 59 countries. The company pro-vides distinctive customer solutionsin supply chain management, foodapplications and health and nutri-tion. For more information callTim Bauer at Cargill Acidulants,800.344.1633. U

AcidulantsCargill To Market OU Certified Shellfish-Free Glucosamine

14 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

MY OLDER BROTHER called meon his cellphone from adiner, somewhere in

Nebraska, far from any major, oreven minor, Jewish population cen-ter. He was driving cross-country,from the George Washington Bridgein New York City to the GoldenGate Bridge in San Francisco, some-thing he’d “always wanted to do.”

He had stopped for a cup of cof-fee at the diner, and when he satdown, the OU logo on a ketchupbottle on the table somehow caughthis eye. That made him think ofme. But, before calling me, and justout of curiosity, he asked the wait-ress if she could tell him what thatlittle round symbol meant.

“That?” she replied firmly, andwith a clear certainty that could notbe challenged, “that’s a qualityassurance symbol.”

Well, I have no doubt that ourfriends at Heinz—who were actuallythe first to use the OU logo on anyproduct some 80 years ago—wouldbe quite pleased that to hear thatwaitresses everywhere are doingtheir part in promoting the qualityof their ketchup. In fact, there is

actually a perception in the mindsof many people that kosher isdirectly connected with quality. Butwhile there may be some truth tothat perception, that’s not exactlywhat Heinz contracted for with theOrthodox Union all those years ago.

So, in partnership with ourclients, we should explore whateveravenues are available to us to edu-cate the public about the signifi-cance of our kosher symbol.

One easy step is for us to do a“link swap” on our respective web-sites. We will send you the OU logoto be placed on your site and linkedto ours. This will allow anyone vis-iting your site, who wants to knowmore about what that little roundsymbol means, to come directly tothe source.

In return, we will feature thelogos of any of your OU-certifiedbrands or products you wish to sendus, with links to your website, on anew page we are in the process ofsetting up on www.oukosher.org.*This will help highlight your prod-ucts in the kosher market, since ourwebsite is one of the most visitedJewish sites in the world.

Actually, we are now in theprocess of completely overhaulingand redesigning the OUKosher web-site, with a host of new featureswhich we hope to announce in thenext issue of Behind the Union Sym-

bol. Suffice it to say that it’s going tobe an exciting and very user-friendly way for people to learnabout kosher and have all theirquestions answered. When it iscomplete, it will also have severaloutstanding features that will helpyou promote your product to thekosher market in very creative ways.

Meanwhile, there are other sim-ple options we can suggest. We’d behappy to send you some clear, basictext about what kosher means thatyou can use in your own promo-tions. Or if you want to producesome targeted promotional materi-als—flyers, brochures, newspaperads, etc.—to help you make themost of your kosher status, we caneither help you with these ideasourselves or direct you to an agencyspecializing in kosher.

Going kosher is an investmentyour company has made in order toincrease market reach and share.We stand ready to assist you in anyway we can in achieving yourgoals.

David Olivestone is Director of Communicationsand Marketing at the OrthodoxUnion. He can be reached atdavido@ou.org.

* To have your logo placed on our specialclient page on www.oukosher.org, send a.gif file to webmaster@ou.org.

U

❝ Going kosher is aninvestment your companyhas made in order toincrease market reach and share❞

Telling It Like It Isby David Olivestone

MARKETINGTIPSIf You’ve Got It—Flaunt It.

FLetting your customers

know that you are OU

certified should be as

much a part of your mar-

keting strategy as any

other significant benefit

your product offers.

FBe sure the OU logo is

clearly visible in your

advertising—either on

the product label or

elsewhere in the ad.

FFeature OU certification

on your website—see

accompanying article

for details of how to get

your logo on our web-

site, and ours on yours.

FAsk our marketing

department how best

to reach the kosher

consumer—thousands of

them contact us every

day about food products

they can buy, places

they can shop and eat,

and information about

kosher in general.

FPlan special promotions

around Jewish holidays:

Passover (March/April),

Rosh Hashanah (Sep-

tember) and Chanukah

(December) are the

most widely observed.

THE OU HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE FOR YOU. By phone, fax, e-mail, Inter-net or our interaction during on-site visits to your plants, we have beenready and available to assist your company’s kosher program. Through com-munication you have been able to obtain essential information to increasethe kosher opportunities for your company.HOWEVER, INCREASINGLY, THE OU IS ALSO THERE FOR YOU. Where?At international food trade shows across the globe. Recently, we exhibited atSalon International de L’Alimentation (more commonly known by itsacronym SIAL) in Paris, France. This event drew close to 135,000 visitors,50% of them international and 5,240 corporate exhibitors from 98 countries.

The OU booth was the source for kosher certification information atSIAL 2002. We showcased products and advertising literature for many ofour certified companies.

Our booth was a vital meeting place that facilitated exchanges betweenglobal food company representatives and kashrus experts. We were able tosuggest hard-to-find suppliers for some companies while for others, we wereable to make the right connection to open new markets for importing orexporting their OU Kosher certified product. Still others began the processof obtaining the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and received amuch sought after OU mouse pad to boot!

Whether at the Foodex Japan, the IFT Expo in Chicago or the NASFTFancy Food Show on both the East and West Coasts, the OU will continueto be here and there for you!

www.ou.org 15

Meeting with a group of the ASK OU 6 participants at Orthodox Union headquarters are:(seated right to left) Mr. Harvey Blitz, President OU, Rabbi Menachem Genack OUKashruth Rabbinic Administrator, Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, OU Executive Vice Pres-ident and Rabbi Yosef Grossman, Director ASK OU.

ASKOU CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Session and seminar leaders included kashrut experts including RabbisYerachmiel Morrison and Abraham Juravel of the OU’s Ingredients ResearchDepartment, Rabbis Lenny Steinberg and Dov Schreier of the OU’s Food Ser-vice Department, Rabbis Yehuda Kravitz and Aharon Teitelbaum whofocused on issues and concerns of the kosher meat industry and RabbiMoshe Perlmutter who demonstrated techniques and details of industrialKosherization. The “hands–on” experiences of the program included visitsto Alle Packing Co. in Maspeth, NY, for a close up view of all that is involvedin meat supervision, a trip to the Maplewood Beverage Packers in Maple-wood, NJ, where the OU certifies AriZona Beverage products, and OasisFoods Co. in Hillside N.J, for a close–up view of industrial kosherizationprocedures

As the OU has gained a reputation for being the largest kosher certifica-tion agency, certifying 250,000 products produced in nearly 5,000 plantslocated in more than 60 countries around the world, it has also become theinternational center for the education and enlightenment of kosher super-vision personnel. U

ON THEROADby Rabbi Eliyahu Safran

16 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

MOST PEOPLE from Turkey donot simply refer to it as Turk-ish Delight, a name invented

by an unknown British traveler whotook this mouth watering confec-tion back to London in the 18thcentury; they call it by its propername rahat lokum. Rahat is a Turk-ish word, meaning peace or con-tentment so the English traveler whodubbed it delight was not far off.

Legend has it that this food ofcontentment was created by HadjiBekir, who handed down thedelight to his son and grandson. In1776 during the reign of SultanAbdulhamid I, Bekir Effendi, a fullyapprenticed confectioner, arrived inConstantinople from a small townin Anatolia. Bekir did not bringmuch with him. He came with justa few copper cauldrons and set uphis business in a little shop in thecenter of town. He brought withhim his secret recipe for a deliciousnew sweetmeat, which quickly wonfame and fortune. Gifted withenergy, enterprise and originality,he was soon appointed Chief Con-

fectioner to the Ottoman Court,who assigned special tasters to sam-ple each batch before it reached thelips of the Sultan and his manywives. Having become part of theTurkish culture for centuries since,the recipe has remained virtuallyunchanged from its inception.Always eager to please the Sultan,the confectioners blended a concoc-tion of sugar syrup, various naturalfruit flavorings, nuts and driedfruits, which were then bound withmastic [gum arabic]. Eventually, thedelicately scented and sugary sweetLokum, better known in the West asTurkish Delight, was created. TheSultan was so taken by this elegantnew creation that a plate of lokumwas served at daily feasts in theOttoman Court.

Today, this sweet choice, whichfinely complements coffee andsweetens the breath at the end ofmeals, is certified kosher by theOrthodox Union and produced byHazer Baba in Istanbul, Turkey (oneof a growing number of companiesseeking OU certification in Turkey).

Hazer Baba began operations in1988 as a major manufacturer andexporter of Turkish Delight [avail-able with the Hazer Baba and Balginbrand names] and now exports itsproducts to more than 15 countriesthroughout Europe with a particu-larly large volume going to Englandand more recently to the UnitedStates and Israel. Hazer Baba’s strictquality controls are reminiscent ofthe Sultan’s court. It too tests andanalyzes each batch to assure thecompany’s exacting requirements.

An old Turkish aphorismprompts one to” eat sweetly andspeak sweetly.” Sweets have alwaysbeen an important component ofTurkish cuisine. The atmosphereand attitude at Hazer Baba confirmsthat old Turkish tradition as YusufErkutlu, the Quality AssuranceManager, proudly shares thedelights.

Among major companies certi-fied by the OU in Turkey, SuperCikolata located just around the cor-ner from Hazer Baba in Istanbul, is aproducer of fine chocolate products

with a Rabbinic CoordinatorWelcome to another installment of “On the Road,” a column thatfeatures OU RFRs’ experienceswhile certifying plants throughoutthe world. This report comes fromthe exotic region of Turkey.

❝ An old Turkish aphorism prompts one to ‘eat sweetly and speak sweetly’❞

Let’s Talk Turkey

www.ou.org 17

includingchocolatecoins and bars, seashell assort-ments, filled chocolate eggsand balls. Established overtwenty years ago by Mr. MetinAltug who currently serves asthe president, the companyhas continued to expand its highquality Bella brand and recentlyattained OU certification, allowing itto immediately sell productsthroughout the United States. Ablyassisted by Murat Gurdamar of theExport Department, Mr. Metin Altugwho also ably leads the IstanbulExporters Union, has quickly pene-trated the American and NorthAmerican kosher market using thecompany’s expertise in productionof holiday chocolate coins for Rite

Life in New York. More recentlySuper Cikolata began producing itssumptuous OUD Bella Milk Choco-late with peanut butter filling forAssociates Worldwide Inc. of Florida.At a meeting held in the IstanbulExport Union on October 30, 2002,Mr. Metin addressed a large group ofcompanies seeking to expand theirexports worldwide, “I had not real-ized that the OU certification was sowidely respected and recognizedthroughout the world, and that it

would get ourproducts into markets

we could never havedreamt of selling to…Having lost our entréeto certain Eastern Euro-pean markets, the OUhas opened up new andexpanding avenues

throughout America, Canada andIsrael.” Having seen the immediateresults of Bella’s OU certification, Mr.Metin anticipates that many otherTurkish companies “will soon jointhe growing list of Turkish compa-nies certified OU kosher, andattain the world’s premier koshercertification.”

Rabbi Yossi Tirnauer serves as the Orthodox Union’srabbinic field representative inTurkey.

U

Baser Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret,

Mugla, Turkey

Hazer Baba, Istanbul, Turkey

Hemsi Tarim Urunleri Tic Ve Sa. Ltd, Kemalpasa, Turkey

Kutas Tarim Urunleri Dis Ticaret Ve San. Izmir, Turkey

Pastavilla Makarnacilik, Boznova Izmir, Turkey

Proctor & Gamble–Detergent Division,Istanbul, Turkey

Salkim Tarim, Manisa, Turkey

Sibas San Ve Ticaret A.S., Soke/Aydin, Turkey

Tamek Gida Ve Konsantre Sanayli A.S.Bursa, Turkey

Taris Zeytin Ve Zeytinyogi, Izmir, Turkey

Verde Yag, Besin Maddeleri, Izmir, Turkey

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

Among the companies certified by the Orthodox Union in Turkey:

WE JUST BECAME OU CERTIFIED

ALLEGRO MARINADE was formu-lated in 1955 by Dave andBetsy Wilcox. The couple did

not have the money for expensivecuts of meat so they would cookinexpensive meats in water to helptenderize them. Tired of their meatsalways tasting bland, they decided tospend time in the kitchen experi-menting with natural ingredientsuntil they came up with the perfectmarinade to allow grill cooking. In1965, Dave and Betsy Wilcox movedto Paris, Tennessee. After a career inanother business, in 1972 Daveopened a restaurant specializing inItalian foods and marinated steaks.This restaurant was where the publicfirst tasted the Wilcox’s unique mari-nade. Soon, customers were request-ing that bottles of the marinade be

made available for sale, so Dave andBetsy started filling small bottles oneby one, to sell to their customers inthe restaurant. Due to the demand,they closed the restaurant in 1979and focused on the production andretail sales of their family marinade.Since then, ALLEGRO has become themarket leader in marinades through-out the South, while helping to cre-ate an entirely new category in thegrocery trade. The product line hasexpanded to include five new mari-nades to the ALLEGRO Original for-mula. Included are Hickory Smoke,Hot & Spicy, Teriyaki, GAME TAME

and Gold Buckle Brisket Sauce. ALLE-GRO has also recently introduced theNEW ALLEGRO Flavor Injectors thatconsist of Mesquite for Beef and But-ter Roasted Garlic for Poultry.

ALLEGRO decided to becomekosher because of the growingdemand for kosher pareve items.Since becoming certified by the OUthe marketing research has reflectedthese statistics. Getting certified washard work. However, working closelywith professionals, such as Rabbi Yitz-chok Mincer (rabbinic coordinator),Rabbi Yehuda Boroosan (rabbinicfield representative) and Ms. CivieRosner (administrative assistant)made our process possible and easier.It was worth our efforts after all andour special thanks to them.

Noriyuki (Rick) HoriuchiInternational Director of Marketing

U

AdlerM 250 Menachem Adler

BendelsteinY 253 Yisroel Bendelstein

BirnhackP 207 Pinchas Birnhack

BistricerD 274 David Bistricer

CohenD 222 David Cohen

ColemanM 271 Michoel Coleman

CywiakB 298 Baruch Cywiak

ElefantM 211 Moshe Elefant

EpsteinD 293 Donneal Epstein

FerrellE 394 Eliyahu Ferrell

FrischH 312 Herbert Frisch

SallyG 215 Menachem Genack

YosefG 295 Jay Goldberg

GoldbergCh 340 Chaim Goldberg

GoldbergN 292 Nosson Goldberg

GoodmanZ 294 Zvi Goodman

Gordimer 240 Avrohom Gordimer

GorelikD 203 David Gorelik

Grossman 212 Joseph Grossman

Herbsman 210 Chananel Herbsman

HeschelS 349 Syshe Heschel

IndichY 189 Yermia Indich

JuravelA 396 Abraham I. Juravel

HowardK 169 Howard Katzenstein

KravitzY 322 Yehuda Kravitz

Lebowitz 319 Elimelech Lebowitz

LubanY 214 Yaakov Luban

MendelsonJ 216 Jacob B. Mendelson

MincerY 173 Yitzchok Mincer

MorrisM 327 Michael Morris

Morrison 133 Raymond Morrison

NeubergN 205 Nosson Neuberger

OsseyA 314 Avrum Ossey

Paretzky 204 Yisroel Paretzky

PriceG 389 Gavriel Price

RabinowitzN 206 Nachum Rabinowitz

RockoveD 315 Dovid Rockove

RosenbaumM 347 Moshe Rosenbaum

Rothenbergl 200 Israel Rothenberg

SafranE 115 Eliyahu Safran

Scheiner 245 Kalman Scheiner

YoelS 220 Yoel Schonfeld

Schreier 342 Dov Schreier

SingerS 217 Shmuel Singer

LennyS 281 Leonard Steinberg

ZywicaM 219 Moshe Zywica

�It’s important to keep the line of communication open between YOU and your RABBINIC COORDINATOR.BELOW ARE THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND PHONE EXTENSIONS FOR OUR RCS. The address consists of the user name and “@ou.org” (e.g. safrane@ou.org). Please don’t hesitate to call your RCwhenever you need anything by dialing 212.613.8 plus the 3-digit extension listed below, or by sending an e-mail.

18 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER2003

www.ou.org 19

1Before an ingredient not appearing on the

Schedule A (the ingredientlist) is ordered, please fax a copy of the new ingredient’s kosher documentation to the OUfor prior approval.

2Always apply forapproval of new

labels, in-house or private, before placing the OU on the label.

3Inform your rabbiniccoordinator before any

change that may affectkosher issues takes place(e.g. installation of new equipment, cutting or connecting lines, modification of CIP procedures, etc.).

4Make sure that Sched-ules A and B accu-

rately reflect yourcompany’s ingredient inventory and certifiedproduct list.

5Be sure that your receiving personnel

check all incoming deliveries against theSchedule A to assure conformity to all kosherrelated requirements.

6Make sure to obtainaccurate and complete

letters of certification(LOC) from the OU for yourproducts, as these lettersare extremely valuable inmarketing your products.Please make sure thatyour distributors alsoreceive copies in order tomaximize distribution tokosher clients. Inform yourrabbinic coordinator 4-6weeks prior to your letter’sexpiration so a renewedletter can be processed foryour company.

7Be sure that your certified products

(retail and industrial)carry the symbol. This will not only benefit

you in business, but willalso make your productseasily identifiable by rabbinic field reps, supervisors and kosherconsumers throughout the world as meetingkosher specs .

8If you have any questions about

your company’s kosher program, call your rabbinic coordinator. It is his job to assist yourcompany and to providethe service you deserve.

9Be sure to tell yourcompany’s rabbinic

coordinator of any changes in personnel (Q.A. manager, plantmanager) so that the information is recorded in our database.

Remember, we are here to serve yourcompany.

IS YOUR KOSHER PROGRAMRUNNING SMOOTHLY?When your company’s kosher program runs smoothly, everyone wins. The company’s reputation will be respected in the kosher market, rabbinic inspections are more efficient and, in the long run, paperwork is significantly minimized. The following steps can help ensure that yourkosher program is in the best possible shape.

It is of the utmost importance that all R&D and experimentalingredients be submitted to the OU for prior approval. Use of suchingredients when uncertified, even for test purposes, may compro-mise the kosher status of equipment, and tracking and reportingthem unnecessarily burdens your staff and our rabbinic field rep-resentatives. It is always wise to submit any ingredients for priorapproval, in order to save time later should your company wish touse these ingredients in the final product.

The above synopsis of the OU’s Kosher basics is now available in Chinese, Indian dialects, Spanish and Turkish. Please emailSafranE@ou.org for copies.

RMC numbers on your Schedule A—for better OU serviceIn our continued efforts to better serv-ice our companies’ needs, the Ortho-dox Union is now able to incorporateeach plant’s RMCs into the ScheduleA. This new and long-sought featurewill make it possible for both plant per-sonnel and our Rabbinic Field Repre-sentatives to quickly and easily searchfor any and all raw materials in theplant. When communicating with ourIngredient Department or with yourRC, we will all instantly know whichingredient is being discussed. Severalcompanies and plants have alreadysuccessfully integrated the RMCs intotheir Schedules A. If you would like tohave your RMCs integrated, pleasecall your RC who will guide you withthe process.

*Your current schedule A will beemailed to your plant in Excel for-mat. The Excel sheet contains all theinformation currently on the Sched-ule A including group #s, certificationinformation and comments. There isa blank space on the sheet forRMCs, where you will then enteryour RMC. Multiple RMCs can beentered for the same ingredientsand multiple ingredient descriptionsfor the same RMC.

*After filling in all of your RMCs, emailthe Excel sheet back to your RC whowill forward it to our MIS departmentwhere RMCs will be automaticallyinputted into your Schedule A. TheSchedule A can now also be sortedby RMC.

*The RMC project is on a per plantbasis. Companies with multipleplants may have RMCs that are plantspecific. A company may have thesame set of RMCs inputted for allplants, provided that there are noco-packers.

*In order to assure the completeaccuracy of the RMCs entries,please read the instructions accom-panying the Excel sheets and besure you follow those instructionscarefully.

If you want to have your Schedule Aenhanced with this new and usefulfeature, contact your RC or RabbiJuravel who will be happy to furtherassist you with the process. Rabbi Juravel can be reached at212.613.8396 or JuravelA@ou.org.

TO ORDER“THE KOSHER VIDEO”

CALL 212.613.8115

E–MAIL SAFRANE@OU.ORG

VISIT WWW.OU.ORG

Have You Seen It?Geared for food and marketingexecutives, as well as plant personnel, this 15–minute videoexplains what kosher reallymeans and how food becomesOU certified.

It can serve as a wonderful tool for your in–house KosherReview Seminar.

Have You Seen It?

NOW in

Spanish!

NON–PROF IT ORG .U .S . POSTAGE

P A I DSTATEN I SLAND , NY

PERMIT NO . 301

ORTHODOX UNIONEleven Broadway, New York, NY 10004

Carriage House Companies, Inc. Appreciates OU RFR (from: The Carriage House Companies Inc. Corporate Newsletter July 2002)

MOSHE HEIMOWITZ has been our supervis-ing Rabbi from the Orthodox Union forthe past ten years. During this period

he has been instrumental in helping our com-pany meet the requirements necessary for themanufacture of kosher food products. Mosheis very knowledgeable in food processing pro-

cedures, ingredients and sanitation practices. He has been very helpfulin teaching our staff the needs of a kosher food program.

Moshe lives in Cleveland with his wife and five daughters. He is aCleveland Indians fan, even in difficult years. Carriage House thanksMoshe for his ten years of service with the Carriage House Company.

Submitted by: George Pilgrim, Vice President and Technical Specialist