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

0n the Roadwith the OUBEHIND THE BAMBOO CURTAINAn inside look at an RFR’s life in China

Days of Wine & ChocolateLIFE’S LITTLE LUXURIES LOOM LARGEThe art of kosher wine & chololate reaches new heights

Snack Attack!SNAZZY, SALTYFOODS—MORE POPULARTHAN EVERINDUSTRY ISSUES examinesconcerns in the snackmarket niche.

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SINCE 1886, when Atlanta, Georgiapharmacist John Stith Pembertonintroduced his new caramel-colored

product to a relatively small group of cus-tomers at Jacobs’ Pharmacy—thenAtlanta’s largest drugstore—Coca-Colahas quenched the thirsts and capturedthe imaginations of millions of con-sumers around the world. From its hum-ble beginnings as a local fountain drink,The Coca-Cola Company has grown intothe world’s largest beverage companyand the leading producer and marketer ofsoft drinks. Today’s Coca-Cola Companyis represented in nearly 200 countries,and markets an extensive and varied lineof beverage products.

For many years, Coca-Cola was thesole product of The Coca-Cola Company.It was not until 1960 that the Fanta lineof flavors was introduced to complementthe Coca-Cola brand. Fanta was joined bySprite in 1961, then by Tab in 1963. Sincethen, many products have joined theranks, including diet Coke, Cherry Coke,Barq’s Root Beer, POWERaDE andFruitopia. The line-up now includes morethan 300 brands worldwide. The prod-ucts of The Coca-Cola Company todayspan a broad spectrum, from fruit-fla-vored drinks to coffee, from frozen car-bonated beverages to water.

The Coca-Cola Company is proud ofits relationship with the OU and is com-mitted to serving the needs of U.S. Jewishconsumers, as well as other consumerswho seek kosher foods for dietary or

other reasons. Dr.Michael Carakostas,director of Corpo-rate Scientific andRegulatory Affairsat The Coca-ColaCompany, says,“Providing kosherproduct is one of thebest and longest stand-ing examples of our com-mitment to meet localconsumer needs, and meet-ing local consumer needs iswhat growing our companyis all about.”

Mr. John Barone, formerlydirector of Regulatory Sciences atThe Coca-Cola Company, workedwith the OU to build and nurturethe current excellent relationship,from its beginnings in 1991 until hisrecent retirement from The Coca-Cola Company. Mr. Barone says,“Over the years, a very trusting rela-tionship has developed between thecompany and the OU.” At the outset, thecompany was looking for a widelyaccepted certification symbol to be asso-ciated with its beverage bases. Mr. Baroneworked with the late Rabbi Moshe Bern-stein and other rabbis at the OU todevelop mutually acceptable rules andprocedures that would assure adherenceto Jewish dietary laws while respectingthe interests and concerns of both the

WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS & CONTRIBUTIONS

fax212.613.0775 e-mailsafrane@ou.org

UnionsymbolsymbolSpotlight on OUCompanies

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

A Very TrustingRelationship

behind the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

SUMMER 2001

2 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

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

DANIEL ZUCKERDirector, Business Management

RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEINBusiness Manager

ANNA FULDACoordinator, Letters of Certification, Labels, Private Labels

■ ■ ■

RABBI EMANUEL HOLZERChairman, Rabbinic Kashrut Commission

ORTHODOX UNIONHARVEY BLITZPresident

DAVID OLIVESTONEDirector, Communicatons and Marketing

SHARYN PERLMANDirector, Public Relations

BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL

RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRANEditor

PAMELA WEIMANGraphic Designer

From the Editor

OrthodoxUnion

IN OUR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO REACHout and communicate the OU’s standardsand policies with our ever-growing cadre of

certified companies, an all-day seminar for theFlavor and Seasoning industries took placerecently at the Orthodox Union headquarters inNew York City. Coordinated by Rabbis YoelSchonfeld and Michael Morris, the seminar’spurpose was to “offer the unique opportunity tohelp resolve the sometimes conflicting needsof plant production vs. kosher concerns.” Inother words, more effective communication.The response to this, as to the previously heldseminars for the baking and the snack indus-tries, was gratifying. Among the many companies represented at the seminar,which was jointly staffed by the OU professional staff and companies’ personnel,were: Allen Flavors, Bedoukian Research Inc., Bell Flavors and Fragrances, F.I.S.Inc., Firmenich of Canada Ltd., Firmenich Inc., Haarmann & Reimer, Henry H.Ottens Mfg. Co. Libenn Aroma Inc. McCormick & Co. McCormick Flavor Group,Northeastern Products Co. NU Products Seasoning Co., Ramsey/SIAS, SensientFlavors Inc. and Wild Flavors.

Sessions at the seminar, which included a tour of the many departments serv-ing OU certified companies, focused on “Putting Technology to Work,” at whichtime Ms. Cheryl Goldsmith of McCormick & Co. Flavor Division served as consult-ant and proposed that as the OU continues to advance technologically, it becomethe “central repository of all kosher letters of certification, to enable all companiesto know which products are certified, thereby also ‘saving the trees’.” An insightfuldiscussion on “Red Flag Ingredients and Technical Research” was led by RabbiAbraham Juravel, Technical Director, Ingredient Approval Registry. The keynotesession, “Flavor Companies Certification Challenges 101” was chaired by RabbiElimelech Lebowitz, rabbinic coordinator of many OU certified seasoning compa-nies, and was addressed by Rabbi Nosson Neuberger, rabbinic coordinator tomany OU certified flavor companies and by Mr. Izzy Heller, of Bedoukian ResearchInc., who lauded the positive impact the OU certification has had at Bedoukian,enabling the company to certify as well as source materials worldwide. Among theother OU professionals involved in the day’s successful programming were: Rab-bis Moshe Elefant, Raymond Morrison, Israel Rotherberg, Dov Schreier, AbrahamStone, Moshe Zywica, Mr. David Silberberg, Ms. Anna Fulda, Ms. Aliza Kuznicki andMs. Jackie Ferrell.

Judging from the participants’ feedback and responses, the OU’s ever-increas-ing awareness of the need for more effective communication is indeed acknowl-edged by our companies. A senior company official commended the OU for the“continuing series of educational seminars, The Kosher Video, now available inSpanish, so everyone understands what we’re trying to do and the enlighteningBehind the Union Symbol eagerly awaited by our senior personnel.” This speaks toour guiding principle that, “There is no substitute for communication.”

The OU's Kashrut Division is on the cutting edge of technology. Our staff is up onthe latest developments in chemistry, bioengineering and all related disciplines thattouch on food production. To complement this, we've given Behind the Union Sym-bol a more cutting edge look. We hope you like it and, more important, find it easierto read. We welcome your feedback.

Keep in touch!Rabbi Eliyahu SafranEditor/Senior Rabbinic Coordinator

There is No Substitute for Communication

Pictured (left to right): Rabbi Elimelech Lebowitz;Rabbi Nosson Neuberger, rabbiniccoordinator for manyOU certified flavorcompanies; and Mr.Izzy Heller ofBedoukian ResearchInc., addressing theFlavor Seminar heldrecently at the OU’sheadquarters in New York.

THE SLEEPINGGIANT AWAKENS by Rabbi Aharon Steinberg

Traveling as a mashgiach(rabbinic field representa-tive), I am absolutely fas-

cinated by China. I have trav-eled around the globe, yetnothing compares to the vastbeauty of China. It is hard tounderstand the life of a travel-ing mashgiach. I leave fromany of the New York airportsand twenty-six hours later Iwill finally arrive in either Bei-jing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.And then I have to travel bycar another two to four hoursto the city nearest the plant Iwill visit.

On the way to the factory forinspection, I pass field after field ofmany varieties of vegetables andflowers. Corn separates the fieldsthat belong to different families, allof whom live in one village. Thecorn makes a beautiful fence

around the field. Corn is veryimportant to the farmers in ruralChina. The dried stalks are piled upinto pyramid shapes and depositednear the farmhouses in the village.The dried cornstalks are used forboth heating and cooking. I havenever seen anything so efficient;there is no waste.

I spend about three to fourhours at the factory doing a routineinspection. Then I either return tothe hotel for some rest, or gostraight to the airport to catch aflight to the next city for the nextinspection. No time for sightseeingyet. I wonder where the Mao-typeclothing we think of when we thinkof modern day China is? Almosteveryone is wearing designer jeansand imprinted t-shirts. Those whoaren’t are wearing fashionable busi-ness suits. Everyone carries a cellphone. And there is no idlenesshere. Even when waiting for a busyou see people doing Tai Chi exer-cises in unison.

After a two-hour car trip, I arriveat the next plant for an initialinspection, so I have to start at thebeginning. The Chinese companyor plant management does notreally have a clue as to why I amthere, other than the fact that theirpotential or actual customer hasrequested OU kosher certification.

Without it, their product is notacceptable. When I arrive, they ask,why? And they ask, what? This isfollowed by, when? Simple ques-tions require simple answers if thisinitial inspection is ever going toget underway. The questions areWHY is kosher necessary for thecustomer? WHAT is kosher? WHENdoes something become kosher?This now becomes the RFR’s pulpit.

Let’s begin with why. The worldhas become much more health con-scious. This requires greater supervi-sion over what is consumed. Whenlooking for integrity, the world mar-ket quickly recognized that koshersupervision is the key. The sym-bol is tantamount to having the“Good Housekeeping Seal ofApproval” on prepared foods andedible chemicals. Why is easy.

Next I have to define the terms.I tell them that in Hebrew—the lan-guage of the Jewish people—theword kosher means fit or proper. Foran easier understanding, especiallyfor the Chinese Buddhist culture,kosher takes on an interestingmeaning, Keep Our Soul HealthyEat Right. This the staff can under-stand. Kosher has nothing to dowith the physical. If I eat theirlunch, nothing physical would hap-pen to me. I explain that I can onlyeat food prepared in a kosher

CHINACHINA

“ORTHODOX UNION” in Chinese characters

www.ou.org 3

4 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

kitchen with kosher ingredients, orwhich has been prepared by theArchitect of the Universe (fruits andvegetables that only need to bepeeled).

The term Architect of the Uni-verse is new to them. I disseminateonly logic, because modern Chineseonly deal in logic, or so I havelearned. I begin by explaining that3,500 years ago, a great man(Moses) told his people to eat onlyspecific animals, fish and birds. I listthe animals to make my case. Mosessaid to eat only animals that havesplit hooves and ruminate (chewtheir cud). Moses said that there areonly ten animals that have boththose features: Cows, goats, sheep,deer, bison, gazelle, antelope, ibex,addax and giraffe. Moses said thereare two animals that do not havesplit hooves, but do ruminate—thecamel and the hare. He also saidthat there is only one animal thatdoes have a split hoof but swallowsits food whole—the pig. In 3,500

years, the world has discoveredmany new species. Yet in all thistime man has never found anotheranimal with both features. How didMoses know this 3,500 years ago?Either he traveled the entire planetfrom the North to South Poles, and

everywhere inbetween to documenthis findings, or he wastaking dictation. Justfollow the logic.

Now that my Chi-nese friends, with anew respect reflectedin their eyes and man-ner, are ready to askmany more questions,I simply say, “after theinspection.” Theyhave the why and thewhat. When comesafter the inspection.No need to bore youwith the details ofgoing through an ini-tial inspection, butsuffice it to say thelevel of cooperation isperfect. After com-pleting my work, theChinese hospitalitykicks in. They want to

wine and dine me. Perfect. Now ismy opportunity to answer thewhen. I tell them that I do not mindaccompanying them, but I will haveto eat the food I have brought withme. Or perhaps some fruit just asthe Creator prepared it. They haveto learn that the factory I justinspected is nothing more than akitchen. And the main courseserved from the kitchen is citricacid. I have just certified that all thecooking pots, utensils and ingredi-ents pass kosher standards accept-able to the OU. Now they under-stand that I cannot eat from akitchen that does not meet thesame standards applied to their fac-tory. It’s unbelievable how quicklythey get it, understand it, andrespect it.

There are six hours before myflight to Xian and a routine inspec-tion of deodorized distillate. Themanagement in Changchun wantsto show me the palace of the lastemperor of the Qing Dynasty. Afterthe revolution and the establish-ment of the Republic of China byDr. Sun Yat Sen, the Japanesewhisked the emperor away to thiscity, which was the capital ofManchuria, the northern provinceheld by the Japanese. The Japaneseset up a puppet empire run by apuppet emperor. The palace is beau-tiful and kept in excellent repair asa museum.

Once in Xian, I am greeted byC.A.S.T with an English-speakingescort and interpreter. C.A.S.T is theChinese Association of Science andTechnology that has offices in everymajor city in China. Its function isto educate and encourage foreigninterest in China in order to pro-mote business. I have befriendedthese C.A.S.T. members through myyears of OU work in China. It is atwo-hour ride to the factory,through magnificent countryside.The hills are all terraced; the high-way is manicured on both sides and

❝ I stood on the topof the Great Wall and Icould feel the power ofits position.❞

Among the companies in China certified by the Orthodox Union are:

China BBCA Biochemical Group Corp.

Cognis Nutrition & Health

Hartog Foods Inc.

Howenia Enterprise Co.Ltd.

Lonzagroup Ltd.

Ningxia Ningxiner Biological Engineering Co. Ltd.

Oingdao Baofeng Co. Ltd.

Roche Vitamins Inc.

Shanghai McCormick Food Co. Ltd.

Shiiazhuang Pharma. Group

Tomen America

Weisheng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

Xiamen Yongquan Group Co. Ltd.

Zheiiang Linan Shengang Cable ChemicalU

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down the middle. The factory is right in themiddle of an agricultural community. It’shard to believe the changes that have takenplace in the last seven years. When I firststarted working in China, everything I sawwas 1950’s Russian technology. Today I amin the middle of nowhere at a facility that isISO9002, GMP.

On entering the conference room, I amgreeted by the senior staff. The conferencetable is laden with bananas, grapes andoranges. Apparently they remember the les-sons learned from their initial inspection.Lots of green tea in disposable cups. TheChinese drink an average of ten cups ofgreen tea daily. After verifying both theSchedules A & B, I proceed to tour the entireplant. On this visit, I planned to stayovernight in Xian and fly to Shanghai onFriday morning. I try not to fly on Friday forfear of getting stuck somewhere for the Sab-bath, like in an airport, which happened oncein Taipei during a typhoon. But this time Iwanted to be in the ancient city of Xian.

Xian is a walled city with a moat sur-rounding it. It is the very beginning of theSilk Road, where caravans left with the treas-ures of Cathay only to return with the spicesof the Middle East. There is a phenomenalmonument to those caravans, with life-sizedhandlers and animals. My driver fromC.A.S.T. took me to see the Terra Cotta Sol-diers—the eighth wonder of the world—justa few short kilometers from Xian. A peasantfarmer trying to dig a well discovered thesoldiers. The Ministry of Ancient Relics hasunearthed the life-sized statues. So far, morethan 4,000 have been discovered—generals,captains, lieutenants, horsemen andinfantrymen. All in full uniform and inparade formation guarding the tomb of theemperor. I understand why it is one of thewonders of the world.

It is a four-hour car ride from Shanghaito Wuxi. I can’t wait to watch howaspergillus niger on an agar slant fed withbenign nutrients is turned into alpha amy-lase. I spend four hours in the factory andanother four hours returning to Shanghai tocatch an early flight to Qingdao. But Qing-dao is a whole other story, coupled with Ger-man beer making. Qingdao is the site of the

CHINA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LAND OF MYSTERYfor Westerners—a far away and exotic place. How-ever, it has also beckoned as a place offering untold

potential. In the global economy, China, with its inexpensive,yet highly trained and motivated workforce, has become theawakening giant. In China, one sees the future. Businessesfrom all over the world are either already there, or are work-ing to be there.

I went to China both to review operations there, and as anOU representative to the FI Asia China food show in Shang-hai. The OU has been working in China for many years—pri-marily at the request of our established clients who source avariety of goods there—mainly raw materials. Recently, therehas been an increased interest in kosher, much of it fromwithin China.

The sheer volume of traffic at the show amazed me, asdid the keen interest in kosher certification. The Chinese arerealizing that one of the keys to successful marketing in theWest is kosher approval. On more than one occasion, a com-pany representative approached us proffering his businesscard, and requesting information.

I was also pleased to see how many of our establishedcompanies had representatives there looking for opportuni-ties. Many were planning to integrate kosher into their Chinaplans, and useful discussions were held. Some representa-tives, however, were unaware of the OU’s relationship withother divisions of their companies. Others had not yet thoughtabout integrating kosher into their operations—something thatis best done early in the planning phases. If ingredients mustbe sourced, productions planned and plants visited, thenadvanced planning is critical. We are here to help you designoperations in the most kosher friendly manner. This is espe-cially critical in a country like China where rabbis are not locallyavailable, and where communications and travel can be diffi-cult. In Chicago, we can get someone to a plant at almost anytime. In Chanchung, more advanced planning is needed.

Kosher certification, like production and other operations,should be handled through an integrated approach. Other-wise, it will become inefficient and, at times, difficulties mayarise. For example, the kosher standards that one divisionworks under may not meet the OU standards of another.When the question is asked if the OU can help in China—or inany other part of the world for that matter—the answer is anemphatic yes. We send representatives to 68 countriesaround the globe, and we are prepared to go wherever youmay need us.

Rabbi Aharon Brun-Kestler is a rabbinic coordinator in the New Companies Department.

Behind the Bamboo Curtain

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

F EW FOODS FAN THE GASTRONOMICpassions as does chocolate. Lauded by theAztec and Inca for thousands of years, choco-

late was enjoyed by Hernando Cortez in the courtof Montezuma, brought to Europe by theSpaniards and improved upon by the intrepidDutch. Processes and ingredients have increasedover the centuries, and new applications—andnew kosher issues—for this unique food presentthemselves to the industry on a constant basis.

The process of chocolate making begins withthe harvesting, fermenting and roasting of thebean of the cacao tree. The “meats” inside thebean are broken into small pieces called nibs and

then ground to yield a viscous liquid called choco-late liquor. The Aztecs mixed this liquor with hotwater to create a much prized, if bitter, beverage —hence the term chocolate from the MexicanIndian choco (foam) and atl (water). When Cortezintroduced the beverage to Europe, his market sur-veys indicated that Europeans preferred a sweeterbeverage, and by 1580, hot chocolate flavoredwith sugar and vanilla was common in Spain.Interestingly, it is claimed that Jewish tradersbrought the drink to France, from where its usespread throughout Europe.

Eating chocolate is a relatively recent innova-tion, first appearing in 1845. Chocolate liquor,also known as chocolate mass, is too intense to beeaten by itself. However, in 1825, Conrad VanHouten developed a press that could separatecocoa butter from chocolate liquor yielding cocoabutter and cocoa powder, or cocoa. Cocoa butter,while contributing little flavor, is importantbecause it melts at and below body temperature,giving chocolate that “melt in your mouth” sen-sation. If additional cocoa butter, as well as sugar,is added to chocolate liquor, a new confectioncalled eating chocolate could be produced.

The U.S. “Standard of Identity” for “choco-late” allows for cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, lecithinand vanillin. Small amounts of other emulsifiersare also permitted. Milk chocolate also containswhole milk solids. If another type of fat is used inplace of or in addition to cocoa butter, the productmay be called compound chocolate, but neverplain chocolate. These fats blends are known asCBS (cocoa butter substitute), CBR (cocoa butterreplacer) and CBE (cocoa butter extender). Theyare based upon coconut, palm and palm kerneloils, and may be used in conjunction with ortotally replace cocoa butter, depending on thetype used. Many chocolate coatings use thesealternative fat blends, since such blends are typi-cally less expensive than cocoa butter and allowthe manufacturer to adjust the melting tempera-ture and other characteristics of its product. Purechocolate does not do well in the summer!

The definition of chocolate in various Euro-pean countries, on the other hand, is quite a bitbroader. Fats other than cocoa butter may be usedin European chocolates. Indeed, the Belgians arefond of using (non-kosher) animal fat in theirchocolate because of the softer texture it imparts.

While it is now clear that “chocolate” can con-tain obviously non-kosher material, many otherkosher problems can lurk beneath the surface. Forexample, lecithin (a soy derivative) would seem

❝ Gross International of London, England,

has worked successfully with Alprose Chocolate

of Lugano, Switzerland, to indeed perfect a

kosherization procedure for the production of

fine Swiss chocolate under the exacting kosher

requirements of the OU. The success of this

project has brought fine Swiss chocolate that

meets the highest standards to the kosher mar-

ket, and has ensured its broad acceptance.❞6 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

TheATheArtof KosherChocolate

by Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech

(“to life”) is the traditional Jewishtoast over a glass of wine. In recent years that toastis being repeated over increasingly sophisticatedbeverages. With growing frequency, kosher winesare winning prominent awards by major wineinstitutes.

WINE GLADDENS THE HEARTSince Noah’s post-flood merriment (recorded inGenesis), grape wine has been associated withimportant joyous events throughout the history ofcivilization. Indeed, wine plays an essential role infestive sacraments of the Jewish religion. Alterna-tively, wine’s uncontrolled intake has resulted insome of the more destructive tendencies inmankind. Jewish thought views the wonders andthe pleasures of our world as God’s gifts for ourenjoyment, providing that our indulgence in themis carefully monitored.

Ancient pagan ritual involved libations of wine.Judaism, as the world’s first monotheistic religion,therefore restricted the intake of wine and its rawmaterial (grape juice) to products that had beencarefully controlled by observant Jews. Thoughpagan rituals have been relegated to the historybooks, the Jewish law of monitoring kosher wineendures.

IS GRAPE JUICE REALLY SACRAMENTAL?

Grapes generally pose few concerns to thekosher devotee. That is, the grapesthemselves in their pre-pressed, pre-fer-

mentation potential stage. Extractsome juice from the grape—andyou’ve entered into a uniquely sen-sitive kosher precinct. Kosher lawrequires that the juice from thisjuncture be handled exclusively bySabbath observers (according toJewish tradition). That restrictionremains until the wine (or juice) iscooked. This allowance existsbecause cooked wine was unac-ceptable for those early pagansacraments. Today this is accom-plished in modern flash pasteuriz-

ers with negligible affect to thewine’s excellence.

“Why grapes?” you may ask.“Many alcoholic beverages are derived

from non-grape resources.” Note, how-ever, that the naturally occurring yeast in

grape juice renders it uniquely eligible for fer-mentation into alcohol. Hence, the special regard

for grape wine universally, and in kosher law.

KOSHER WINE IN AMERICAEarly Jewish immigrants to the eastern seaboard ofthe United States looked for regional, and thereforeeasily supervised grapes for their wine needs. Tocounter the highly acidic nature of New York StateConcord grape, sugar was added, sometimes rathergenerously. Kosher wine came to be described asavailable in three varieties: sweet, sweeter and syrup.

Kosher wines have come a long way from thosehumble beginnings. Today, kosher wine is pro-duced on five continents. To be sure, Malaga ExtraHeavy is still a popular variety. But it may sharekosher shelf space with grand vins and specialreserves from around the globe.

The largest kosher wine manufacturer and dis-tributor is the Royal Wine Corporation of NewYork. In addition to their own wineries in New Yorkand California, Royal imports wine made exclu-sively for them under OU supervision from Aus-tralia, France, Israel and Italy. Israel’s oldest andlargest winemaker is Carmel. Other well-known OUkosher wine brands include Abarbanel (France),Embassy (U.S., France, Israel, Italy, Hungary) andManischewitz (U.S.). Two premium Californiawineries of note are: Gan Eden (Sonoma) and

www.ou.org 7

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

WineL’Chaim

Kosher

WineAdvances

by Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz

8 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

annual international beer festival every August. Coinci-dently, this is right in the middle of the ShandongProvince garlic season. At Key Food Ingredients’ Qing-dao facility I have sealed up my personal wok and allutensils. When it comes time for lunch, I turn on thefire in the factory kitchen and watch the chef prepare avariety of dishes in my wok, completely vegetarian. Themanagement joins me in a kosher lunch.

Throughout China one may see a multitude of col-ors—with the exception of yellow. Yellow is reservedexclusively for imperial royalty. If you observe the For-bidden City (just across from Tienemen Square), younotice that all the roofs of the buildings and temples areyellow. The Forbidden City consists of 9,999 rooms. Thenumber 9 is a mystical complete energy number to theChinese. Any building with a yellow roof has some his-torical significance to the emperors of China.

The Great Wall of China is one of the original SevenWonders of the World and is the only man-made artifact

that is visible from outer space. I stood on the top of theGreat Wall and I could feel the power of its position.Whole battalions of soldiers were capable of marching20 abreast along the top of the Wall. Horses, carriagesand cannons went with them. Every 1,000 yards alongthe way are signal towers. The view is spectacular.

It seems that every major player in the food and edi-ble chemical market is joint venturing or doing businessin China. I am proud to represent the Orthodox Unionin China and that our presence is known and respectedthroughout this amazing land.

Rabbi Aharon Steinbergis the rabbinic field representative for the Far East.

U

AdlerM 250 Menachem Adler

BendelsteinY 253 Yisroel Bendelstein

AharonB 340 Aharon Brun-Kestler

BirnhackP 207 Pinchas Birnhack

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

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

SchepanskyE 274 Elchonon Schepansky

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 username and “@ou.org” (e.g. safrane@ou.org). Please don’t hesitate to call your RC whenever you needanything by dialing 212.613.8 plus the 3-digit extension listed below, or by sending an e-mail.1

For applications to certify NEW COMPANIES or ADDITIONAL PLANTS,call Civie Birnbaum at the OU Applications Desk, 212.613.8249.

CHINA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

The Biscuit Division of Nabisco obtained koshercertification for many of its cookie and crackerproducts in 1997. Among these products are

nationally known brands such as OREO, Chips Ahoy!,Ritz, Triscuit, Newtons, Nilla and Nutter Butter. Thebenefits that drove such a large undertaking includedthe following:

"Exposure to new market segments;

"An added indication of quality;

"Equity with competitors who were alreadykosher;

"Growing demand for certification, especiallyfrom commercial customers.

The first key step in this process, in 1991, was theelimination of lard as an ingredient. This change wasmade both to pave the way forkosher certification and inresponse to public healthconcerns over animalbased fats. In 1996, thepursuit of kosher certi-fication gained the fullsupport of Nabiscomanagement and theproject commenced.Officials from the OUand Nabisco met andmapped out a strategy for certi-fying as many products as possible.

Once the process was defined, it became clear justhow massive the project was. It took approximatelyone year to complete and involved contributionsfrom no fewer than 75 Nabisco and OU personnelaround the country. Every ingredient used in anyNabisco bakery was reviewed and approved by theOU’s ingredient department. A team of two expertsfrom the OU traveled to 11 bakery sites to reviewproduct formulas, processing methods and equip-ment. This team spent a full two weeks traveling frombakery to bakery until the job was complete. As aresult of these visits, Nabisco was able to clearly set upthe steps necessary to kosherize most of its cookie andcracker production lines.

Because of some non-kosher ingredients, not allNabisco products could be made kosher. It was there-fore imperative to create and execute an effective seg-

regation system. This system assuresthat kosher ingredients, products andprocesses are kept separate from those

that are not. Nabisco’s segregation system has becomethe standard for the kosher food industry. It is basedon four main elements:

"Tight Product Formula Control—assures onlyapproved ingredients are used;

"A Documented Kosher Procedure—sets outresponsibilities for each department relating tothe handling of kosher ingredients, products andprocesses. Defines who does what and when;

"A Kosher Segregation Record—documents whichlines and pieces of equipment are kosher at eachsite;

"Specific Employee Training Requirements—assures that all employees understand and followall requirements to maintain kosher production.

In support of these elements, therewere pre-existing production

practices—including dedi-cated production lines andequipment color codes—that helped to segregateproduction and supportequipment.

Careful planning andthe expertise provided by

the OU led to successful“kosherization” of the equip-

ment at each of the bakeries acrossthe country. The actual kosherization of ovens andother equipment only took one weekend at each site.

A formal signing ceremony to execute the certifi-cation contract capped the project in October 1997.

Once Nabisco’s kosher products were rolled out,the company’s close relationship with the OU did notend. A local OU representative visits each of theNabisco bakeries at least once a month to assure allsystems are functioning properly. Day to day com-munication continues in support of new productintroductions or changes in ingredient supply. Fre-quent communication at both the plant and corpo-rate level proved to be the key to a very productiverelationship between the OU and Nabisco.

Kevin Murphy is the senior quality manager, Nabisco Biscuit and Snacking Division, Kraft Foods NA

U

www.ou.org 9

NabiscoPutting the KOSHER in KookieBy Kevin Murphy

OREO COOKIE ILLUSTRATION FROM AD CAMPAIGN BY THE JOSEPH JACOBS ORGANIZATION

10 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

harmless — were it not for the factit may contain animal-based fattyacids. Whey, which also requiresreliable kosher certification (seeBehind the Union Symbol, Winter2001), is often used in Europeanchocolate as a replacement for non-fat dry milk. Various types of fat-based emulsifiers can be used inchocolate and compound choco-late, and even butter oil can pose akosher concern. These ingredientconcerns relate to chocolate itself,to say nothing of chocolate coatedproducts that may contain anynumber of questionable ingredi-ents. Even if a chocolate containsno questionable ingredients in andof itself, it may still be processed onequipment that is used for non-kosher products.

The art of chocolate makinginvolves manipulating the crystalstructure of the cocoa, fat and sugarto provide a smooth melt in themouth. The first step, refining, iswhere fat, cocoa and sugar aremilled to a very fine particle size.The mixture is then subjected to aprocess called conching, consideredby chocolatiers to be the true art ofthe process of making chocolate.Conching involves kneading thechocolate mixture with additionalcocoa butter for 24 to 96 hours atover 150oF to get that final smooth-ness and creaminess and removeany residual moisture. (The termconch is derived from the Latin con-cha, meaning seashell. The originalconch used to process chocolateconsisted of a flat granite bed uponwhich heavy granite rollersattached to steel arms rolled backand forth over the chocolate. Theseold longitudinal conches lookedlike shells, hence the name.) Most

modern conches vary in construc-tion and use steel rollers, but theessential process of impartingsmoothness to the product remainsthe same.

The final step in the manufac-ture of chocolate is tempering. Asliquid chocolate cools and solidi-fies, the cocoa butter forms crystals.To temper chocolate, it is heatedand cooled under controlled condi-tions so that a fine, even-grainedtexture is developed. Typically,chocolate at this stage is not heatedabove 115oF. Careful temperingalso reduces the tendency of choco-late to bloom. Bloom is the fuzzywhite haze that forms on the sur-face of chocolate as cocoa buttermelts and re-crystallizes. Lecithin, anatural emulsifier derived from soy-beans, is added to chocolate toreduce this problem, which canappear on chocolate that has beenstored or refrigerated for long peri-ods of time.

One of the peculiarities ofchocolate is that water interfereswith the crystallization of the cocoabutter. During its processing, thefine particles of chocolate arealigned in a tight matrix with fat. Ifwater is incorporated into choco-late, it will become a hard, brittlemass. Although the taste of choco-late could be improved by mixing itwith milk, liquid milk is over 90percent water and incorporating itinto chocolate poses a serious chal-lenge. The thrifty Swiss, in particu-lar, were keen on finding a way toincorporate milk into chocolate as ameans of using their surplus milkand, in 1875, a Swiss manufacturernamed Daniel Peters discovered thekey to a successful milk chocolateprocess. By using milk powder, hewas able to produce a coarse, drymilk chocolate bar. By 1897, how-ever, Mr. Peters had perfected aprocess using condensed milk toproduce an intermediate productcalled milk crumb. Milk crumb is

produced by cooking chocolateliquor with sweetened condensedmilk, drying this mixture into apowder and subsequently blendingit with cocoa butter to producechocolate. Today, most chocolatecandy bars in the United States usethe milk crumb process, whileindustrial manufacturers generallyuse powdered milk.

Chocolate—and products thatcontain chocolate such as choco-late-coated cookies, pretzels andnuts—are big business, especially inthe kosher market. Both dairy andpareve (non-dairy) chocolate maybe used, although pareve productshave a special niche in that theyafford the broadest market appeal.Pareve chocolate production, how-ever, poses special kosher concerns.Most non-dairy chocolate produc-tion takes place on equipment thatis also used for the production ofdairy chocolate, a situation thatrequires the kosherization of thatequipment for pareve productions.In order to ensure the highest levelof kosher, the OU requires that thekosherization of all pieces of equip-ment that handle product at above115oF be kosherized with eitherboiling water or by heating themwith a torch to a temperature of atleast 450oF. This poses special chal-lenges for the industry, since wateris detrimental to chocolate produc-tion. However, some companieshave managed to overcome thishurdle. For example, Gross Interna-tional of London, England, hasworked successfully with AlproseChocolate of Lugano, Switzerland,to indeed perfect a kosherizationprocedure for the production of fineSwiss chocolate under the exactingkosher requirements of the OU. Thesuccess of this project has broughtfine Swiss chocolate that meets thehighest standards to the koshermarket, and has ensured its broadacceptance.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

CHOCOLATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

www.ou.org 11

IN DAYS OF OLD, people generallyate their regular (set) meals withlittle snacking in between; how-

ever, today the situation is entirelydifferent. In our fast paced societywhere people sometimes eat on thego, regular meals are often theexception rather than the rule, anda snack can be a crucial part of one’sdaily diet. Along with the need for aquick snack, millions of consumershave another dietary consideration,namely, that the product be kosher.Thus, there is a large demand forkosher certified snack products.

The foundation ofevery kosher programis to make sure that allraw materials enteringthe facility are listed onthe Schedule A. In the Snack Indus-try there are several stipulationsoften found on the Schedule A ofwhich plant personnel and/or thekosher coordinator needs to be cog-nizant. Many products require topi-cal seasonings produced in spiceand flavor houses. It is common formany of these items to require aspecial stamp or signature on thecontainer. In other circumstances, alot-specific letter may be requiredfor each shipment and should bemaintained at the plant. By verify-ing that these stipulations are metwhen the item arrives at the facility,it helps prevent serious problemsthat could affect the kosher statusof a product and/or the line later on.

Compatible ingredients areanother concern typical of thesnack industry. These are ingredi-

ents that can easily besubstituted for oneanother, or run insuccession without a concern for“flavor contamination.” Many facil-ities carry a variety of seasoningssuch as barbecue or sour cream. Allof them must be kosher even if thefinished product will not have theOU emblem on the packaging.Thus, it is crucial that all seasoningsbe approved on the Schedule A.

Nearly all snack facilities receivebulk shipments of oil. Shippingrecords for these tankers must be

maintained and available for theRFR to review. In certain instances,there may be seals from the truckthat must be maintained as well.This would be indicated on theSchedule A.

The area that creates the biggestchallenge for plant personnel andthe kosher program arises in facili-ties that produce pareve, dairy andsometimes non-kosher products onthe same line. This is generallyencountered when topical season-ings are applied prior to packagingto a “cold product.” OU guidelinesrequire that the productionsequence be pareve, dairy and non-kosher (where applicable) followedby a thorough clean out of the sea-soning tumbler and packaging. Thistype of clean out entails theremoval of all residue from the pre-

vious product when switching fromdairy to pareve or non-kosher tokosher. Clearly, if a company wereto switch from dairy to pareve inthe middle of the day it couldinvolve a significant amount ofdown time to perform the necessarycleaning. Excessive down time inturn creates a conflict of interestbetween the kosher program andthe need to get more product out. Itis for this reason that we require a

specific order for produc-tion. In busy facilitiesthat operate around theclock, this becomes a

greater challenge, and thekosher coordinator will need towork closely with the RC and RFR tomonitor the sanitation and produc-tion order. In all situations, the pro-duction records should be availableto the RFR to see that the propersequence is maintained.

In many situations it is not pos-sible for the OU to allow pareve anddairy products on one line. A typi-cal example of this is “pretzels.” If acompany runs a cheese pretzelthrough the oven, we would haveto certify all of the pretzel productsas OUD. The kosher coordinatorshould inform the R&D group andsales teams of this issue before anydairy is introduced into an all-pareve line. In addition, it is crucialto notify the RC of such a project inadvance. He will give you guidance

INDUSTRY Issues

Industry Issues takes an inside look atsome of the kosher issues and concernsinvolved in different markets. Here, a lookat the snack industry.

by Rabbi Chananel Herbsman

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

12 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

LACTIC ACIDAPPROVED FOR PASSOVER

Finally, there is a lactic acid that is more than kosher—it is Kosher forPassover. Though many lactic acids for food use are kosher, most arefermented and therefore not qualified for Passover approval.Wilke International, Inc. (Lenexa, Kansas) and the OU have worked closely

together to certify Wilke’s synthetic lactic acid as Kosher for Passover. With theassistance of Rabbis Juravel andKuber, certification was achieved in 2000.

Lactic acid is the most versatile food acidulent. It has per-formed its many stabilizing, preserving and flavoring functionsever since man has made foods such as bread, cheese,pickles, yogurt, salads, beer, wine, etc. Its strong organic acid

properties coupled with its mild, non-biting taste make it ideal for many food applications.Lactic acid and its salts—sodium and potassium—are now widely used in fresh and cooked meats to

reduce and eliminate microbial contamination. As an example, sodium lactate, when added to a meat prod-uct, will control the growth of pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria, thus extending shelf-life that can beas much as double that of the untreated meat product. Also, meat carcasses can be surface treated with afine spray of dilute lactic acid to reduce microbial count.

Wilke International and its staff have specialized in lactic acid and its derivatives for over 40 years. Duringthis time they have worked closely with the OU to supply the highest quality kosher ingredients. Now, for thefirst time, a Kosher for Passover lactic acid is available.

Wilke International can be contacted at 913.438.5544 or at www.wilkeinternational.com

Rabbi Eliyahu Ferrellis the rabbinic coordinator for Wilke International

about how a dairy item would impact on the kosher sta-tus of the line.

Compatibility is a kosher concern not only withingredients but also with equipment. A particular facil-ity may have two tumblers, one for a dairy line and onefor a pareve line. Precautions must be taken to preventthe equipment from moving between the lines. If usedequipment is purchased it may need kosherization, so itis crucial to inform the RC in advance of such a purchase.

Private labeling has always been an important seg-ment of the snack industry. Recently there has also beenan increase in co-packing. This is where a certified com-pany (Company A) with their own product goes toanother facility (Company B) to have it manufacturethe product as well. Company A will supply the uniqueingredients to Company B and Company B will make itand ship it out. This too generates concerns for thekosher program. In certain cases, Company B may be an

all-pareve facility and Company A wants to produce itsdairy product at Company B. Alternatively, it may cre-ate a situation of compatible ingredients. Clearly thiscreates a challenge for the kosher certification programand must be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

One last issue is product development. Many com-panies are constantly looking for new products to catcha small niche in the snack market. Some of these arevariations of their traditional items, while othersexpand into completely new lines of product. Whateverthe case, we want to work with you from the develop-ment stage through the certification of the product. Weare here to help. In particular, if you are having diffi-culty locating an acceptable source for an ingredient,the OU can be a useful resource.

Rabbi Chananel Herbsmanis the rabbinic coordinator for several OU certified snack companies.

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www.ou.org 13

Hagafen (Napa). Other kosherFrench wines with OU certificationinclude: Clovis Lesieutre and winesdistributed by M&G Vins and Metset Vins de France.

Industrial grape wine (includingkosher) is produced by the FloridaDistillers Company at their LakeAlfred, FL and Louisville, KY facili-ties. Kosher wine is an ingredientused in Heinz red wine vinegar, GreyPoupon Dijon Mustard and innumerous flavor applications by fla-vor houses such as Bell Flavors andFirmenich.

GRAPE JUICESimilar to its fermented cousin, non-alcoholic grape juice carries identi-cal kosher requirements. Once con-sidered a headache for certain foodand beverage industries, koshergrape juice is today available atprices and in varieties hithertounfeasible. kosher grape juice isproduced in California, New Yorkand Washington by Canandaigua,Milne and Royal, in Israel by Carmel

and, most recently, in Argentina byCepas Argentinas. Major food man-ufacturers such as General Mills andH.J. Heinz are foremost consumersof kosher grape juice.

Kosher has even provided fringebenefits for certain producers.Attempting to advance the point ofpasteurization in order to free theproduct from its special kosherrestrictions, colorant benefits wererealized because product was heatedtogether with skins.

Whereas the availability, thecost and the variety of kosher grapeproducts imposed serious limita-tions to the earlier kosher consumer,today’s kosher market leaves us littleto whine about.

Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz

is a rabbinic coordinator in the New Companies Department,and has been involved in settingup certification for manywineries.

Rabbi Shmuel Singeris the rabbinic coordinator for wine and grape juice.

U

Wines are certified only when the OU symbol appears on the label bottleneck

Kosher Wine Brands

Marketing TipIf your companymaintains a website,be sure to includethe fact that you are

CERTIFIED. Several companies have reported increasedsales from this simple“advertising” technique.

PolicyReminder"All purchases of new

and used equipmentmust be brought to the attention of the OU.

"The OU may have toexamine the history oruse of the equipmentin order to see how itcould affect your com-pany’s kosher pro-gram. If the equipmentposes any concerns,the OU will work withyou to resolve thembefore they become a problem.

CHOCOLATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

��Abarbanel

�Baron Herzog

�Bartenura

�Bastide la Graviere

�Bokobsa

�Bordeaux Grillon

�Carmel

�Chateau Croignon

�Chateau de Tigne

�Chateau Girard de Tiffray

�Chateau Haut Vallon

�Chateau le Pradel

�Chateau les Allouettes

�Chateau Palon

�Clovis

�Comtesse d’ Assigny

�Embassy

�J. Furst

�Gan Eden

�Hagafen

�Kedem

�Korbel

�Manishewitz

�Margauex

�Rashi

�Simcha

�St. Emilion

�Star of Abraham

�Star White

�Tam Pree

�Teal Lake

�Tirosh

�Tonnelli

�Vin D’oc

WINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Modern research has suggesteda host of benefits to chocolate,ranging from an ability to calm thenerves to preventing tooth decay.Chocolate also offers opportunitiesfor the manufacture of new prod-ucts, or improvements on the old.As is the case with many otherfoods, the OU represents the high-est standards demanded by kosherconsumers, and companies that for-mulate products that meet thesestandards can be confident of broadacceptance in the kosher market.

Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech is the rabbinic field representa-tive for Alprose Chocolate of Lugano, Switzerland.

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E

14 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2001

KNOW YOUROLEO

Glossary of Kosher Concepts & TermsPrepared for the Oleochemical Industry

by Rabbi Yosef Goldberg

KOSHER refers to those foods andfood ingredients that are per-missible according to Jewish

dietary laws (laws of kashrut). Kosheringredients and products fall underthree categories:

1) meat; 2) dairy; and 3) pareve(that which is neither meat nordairy). The typical oleochemical com-pany does not produce dairy prod-ucts, nor does it produce or deal inkosher meat products. All products ofan oleochemical company certifiedby the Orthodox Union are thereforepareve, being derived either frompetrochemicals or from vegetable fats.

An intrinsically kosher productcan become non-kosher in essen-tially three ways:1) A non-kosher ingredient is added

to it; 2) It is cooked with utensils that a

non-kosher product or ingredienthas been cooked with;

3) A liquid product is stored for 24hours within a container that hasserviced a non-kosher liquid eithervia heat or by storage for 24 hours.This last point is significant interms of bulk shipments of oils,alcohols or fatty acids.

This is especially true for veg-etable oils and emulsifiers. Kosherproducts that are produced with non-kosher utensils can be consideredentirely non-kosher.

In plants that have adjacent ani-mal-vegetable facilities, the segrega-tion of steam systems, and preferablyeven cooling systems, is a veryimportant issue. Our experts willhelp devise plant specific solutionsfor dealing with any problematicsteam and steam recondensate issues.

Equipment that has been usedwith non-kosher ingredients or prod-ucts may become “kosherized” underthe supervision of a rabbinic expert.Usually, down time (a full 24-hourperiod without use) is associated withthe process of kosherizing. Manyspray-dried products are dried in dry-ers that are used for almost anythingand everything, including meatproducts. Such spray-dryers must bekosherized with a down day beforeany kosher spray-dried products maybe produced on them.

The OU Schedule A has sevenbasic group listings:

GROUP ONE contains ingredientsdeemed innocuous, from akosher perspective, such as water,sugar, salt and most inorganicchemical products.

GROUP TWO ingredients requirekosher supervision—hashgacha.However, the source of the ingre-dient is a plant that is only kosheror wherein the product is onlyproduced in kosher mode. There-fore, the kosher certifier does notrequire that the package bear akosher symbol. The source (man-ufacturing plant) of the ingredi-ent must appear on the package.

GROUP 2TR ingredients are thosewhose information was derivedthrough our research staff indi-cating that the ingredient pro-duced at a certain plant is pro-duced in a kosher fashion evenwithout certification.

GROUP THREE ingredients requirea kosher symbol to appear on thecasing as it arrives and is stored inan OU supervised facility. The

kosher symbol should remain vis-ible on the package as long as theingredient remains in the plant.Sometimes a Group Three ingre-dient requires a rabbi’s stamp orspecial production letter, as isoften the case of bulk glycerinthat is drummed in a drummingfacility that also drums non-kosher glycerin.

GROUP FOUR ingredients are thebulk equivalent of Group Two.Bulk shipments of vegetable oilcoming from an all-kosher facil-ity that has a dedicated all-koshertransport system would be GroupFour. Bills of lading indicating themanufacturing plant origins ofGroup Four ingredients must beavailable for presentation to theOU rabbinic field representative.

GROUP FIVE ingredients are thebulk equivalents of GroupThree. Tanker, rail car, barge,ship and isotank shipmentscoming from plants that pro-duce both kosher and non-kosher oils or glycerins musthave a special seal and rabbinicletter accompanying the deliv-ery. Such seals and letters shouldbe saved for presentation to theOU rabbinic field representative.

GROUP SIX (ALLOWED) ingredi-ents that are non-kosher yet theOU permits them to be kept at afacility because they are incom-patible with use in the produc-tion of any kosher-certified prod-ucts produced at the plant.

GROUP SEVEN (now referred to asGroup Six NOT ALLOWED)ingredients are non-kosher ingre-dients that may not be kept in

www.ou.org 15

OU facilities. They are generallyingredients that might be inad-vertently substituted for kosheringredients. Once a plant hasapplied for such an ingredient,that ingredient is maintained onthe Schedule A so that the rab-binic field representative canguarantee that it will not befound in the plant in the future.

Because of the complexity of theGroup system, it is imperative thatthe receiving agent in each plant becarefully trained in the use of ourSchedule A, and record each ingredi-ent as it arrives, showing that it com-plies with the terms of the ScheduleA. In the event that there is a prob-lem, the receiving agent shouldinform his superior, who should, ifdeemed necessary, either return theingredient or call the office for advice.

Some sensitive ingredients, froma kosher perspective, are vegetableoils, shortenings and emulsifiers.Such products are sometimes madein plants that also produce productsderived from lard or tallow. The sameequipment is used for the vegetableproducts rendering them non-kosher. Another very problematicingredient is glycerol, which can bederived from animal, vegetable and

petroleum tri-esters. Nickel catalystsused in the hydrogenation of fatsrequire kosher certification, as theyare themselves coated with fat.

Flavors are critical ingredientsbecause they may have animal orgrape components. Grape prod-ucts, although derived from a sim-ple fruit are problematic from akosher perspective because of rab-binic laws stemming back toancient times when grape wineswere used for idolatrous rites (Seerelated article on page 7). In a some-what similar fashion, grains, fruitsand vegetables from Israel musthave special supervision becausethese products must be tithed. Col-oring agents such as carmine andcochineal extracts, which arederived from insects, are viewed bythe OU as being non-kosher.

BULK SHIPMENTSAll trailer trucks and railroad cars thattransport liquid oleochemicals mustbe certified for kosher service. Thisgenerally implies that these cars havebeen dedicated to only kosher prod-ucts, or that they have been kosher-ized by a C.I.P. that would meet thestandards of kosherization asapproved by our rabbinic field repre-sentatives prior to being introduced

into kosher service. It is important tonote that any laundry grade kosherproduct is kosher only as an inedibleproduct and should never be sent ona kosher transport vehicle.

Regarding ship cargo holds, OUpolicy is that the previous three car-goes that traveled in the hold, nowreserved for a kosher liquid product,must also have been kosher compati-ble. All adjoining cargo holds shouldalso be carrying only kosher materials.Documentation to this effect mustalways be presented to the OU office.Since glycerols and fatty acids derivedfrom palm and coconut oils oftenreceive Passover status, it is importantthat none of the prior cargoes carryethanol or ethyl acetates of a grain(wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt) origin.

It is important to note that allstorage facilities, e.g. tank farms,wherein bulk shipments are stored orheld, must be under the kosher certi-fication of a recognized kosher certi-fication agency. The transfer of a bulkshipment into a non-kosher holdingtank will jeopardize the kosher statusof that shipment.

Rabbi Yosef Goldberg serves as rabbinic coordinator formany OU certified oleochemicalcompanies.

U

OU and The Coca-Cola Company.Mr. Barone notes that, through theclose and productive relationshipthat exists between the OU and hiscompany, “The Coca-Cola Companyis able to provide products to a verylarge Jewish population because thatpopulation can be assured that outproducts meet Jewish dietary laws.”In turn, Mr. Barone adds, “The OUcertification is one of the best-known trademarks in the world.”

The Coca-Cola Company man-ufactures beverage bases in the U.S.that are produced under the rab-binic supervision of the OU. In

addition, the OU certifies syrupsmanufactured by The Coca-ColaCompany for use in its fountainproducts. The company provides itsbeverage bases to bottlers and can-ners, who in turn use the beveragebases to manufacture finished bever-ages. It is left to the discretion ofeach Coca-Cola bottling company tohave the finished beverage certified.

Even before beverage base pro-duction, every new product is dis-cussed with OU rabbis. The rabbiresponsible for a particular manu-facturing plant then observes theproduction of the beverage base.

Throughout this process, the man-ufacturing plant personnel workclosely with the OU’s supervisingrabbi. Hard work, cooperation andattention to detail are key compo-nents of a relationship thatensures strict adherence to Jewishdietary laws. The resulting koshercertification of beverage bases pro-vides, for the bottlers and canners,the foundation for koshering fin-ishing products.

Rabbi Raymond Morrisonis rabbinic coordinator for The Coca-Cola Company.

U

COCA COLA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The OU hosted the Spring 2001 KashrutConference in Newark, New Jersey. A keynote session at the Conference focused on“The Far East—Certifying Companies Far Out.” Thesession was chaired by Rabbi Aharon Brun-Kestler,Rabbinic Coordinator—New Companies Division, andwas addressed by Rabbi Doneal Epstein, RabbinicCoordinator for many OU certified companies in theFar East, and Rabbi Aharon Steinberg, RabbinicField Representative in the Far East. Pictured (left to right): Rabbi Reuven Nathanson, RabbinicField Representative, West Coast; Rabbi LeonardSteinberg, Rabbinic Coordinator; Rabbi ChananelHerbsman, Rabbinic Coordinator; and Rabbi NoachVogel, Rabbinic Field Representative, West Coast.

To Order“The KosherVideo”

call212.613.8115

e-mailsafrane@ou.org

visitwww.ou.org

Geared for food andmarketing executives,as well as plant person-nel, this 15-minute videoexplains what kosherreally means and howfood becomes OU certi-fied. It can serve as awonderful tool for yourin-house Kosher ReviewSeminar.

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