Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread

[ushdadude]

Fun fact: many European hechsherim are more meikel when it come to kashering the conch that's used for making chocolate. Water will ruin it so they use other liquids. The shulchan aruch says not to use shar mashkin though.

[EliJelly]

Fun fact: many European hechsherim are more meikel when it come to kashering the conch that's used for making chocolate. Water will ruin it so they use other liquids. The shulchan aruch says not to use shar mashkin though.

AFAIK the OU is also meikel with kashering chocolate equipment with a chocolate run. 

[ushdadude]

AFAIK the OU is also meikel with kashering chocolate equipment with a chocolate run.

The Ramasays that one should not kasher with any liquid other than water,but b’dieved one is allowed to use “other liquids” to kasher. A pressing situation has the status of b’dieved. Based on the above, some kashrus organizations permit a company to make dairy and pareve chocolate on the same equipment after a “kashering” of chocolate in between. Those who do kasher with chocolate do not have to wait twenty-four hours before kashering. The opinion of the OU is that since chocolate becomes solid at room temperature it may not be used for kashering.This applies even if one were to follow those opinions that permit kashering with other liquids. Therefore, their policy is to have two separate systems for pareve and dairy chocolate. Many other kashrus agencies follow this opinion.

[EliJelly]

TIL and I stand corrected. Thanks.

[EliJelly]

Fun fact: many European hechsherim are more meikel when it come to kashering the conch that's used for making chocolate. Water will ruin it so they use other liquids. The shulchan aruch says not to use shar mashkin though.

@ushdadude While I was mistaken about the alternative for water would be doing a chocolate run, the OU will indeed kasher with other liquids when water isn't ideal, same as the European hechserim you mentioned do.

From the OU website.

If this is not possible, depending on why there is a need to kasher and other factors, the OU may allow for kashering with very hot vegetable oil (such as soybean oil) in place of water. Pipes and other narrow areas likewise can be kashered with oil

[ushdadude]

@ushdadude While I was mistaken about the alternative for water would be doing a chocolate run, the OU will indeed kasher with other liquids when water isn't ideal, same as the European hechserim you mentioned do.

From the OU website.

I actually came to post that I have a vague memory of R' Belsky mentioning this in shiur. I want to check the R' Belsky kashrus sefer, which is basically a collection of OU documents, to see what it says.

[koplonko]

Spot the problems

[yelped]

Spot the problems

A new take on "backdating" lol.

In general, this letter doesn't inspire a lot of confidence and is practically begging people to trust him.

[aygart]

the 2 different dates, both a few years ago?

[koplonko]

the 2 different dates, both a few years ago?

Yes, and in the letter it says that it's only valid till end of Sivan...
And א תמוז was Tuesday that year...

[koplonko]

In general, this letter doesn't inspire a lot of confidence and is practically begging people to trust him.

That's the first thing that struck me

[Something Fishy]

Would ground-up coral be kosher?

It's basically made up of layers of secreted calcium carbonate from sea creatures which are definitely not kosher, and the final product is essentially calcium powder. Does the fact that it's not exactly a real food matter?

[avromie7]

Would ground-up coral be kosher?

It's basically made up of layers of secreted calcium carbonate from sea creatures which are definitely not kosher, and the final product is essentially calcium powder. Does the fact that it's not exactly a real food matter?

What so you do with it?

[ushdadude]

Would ground-up coral be kosher?

It's basically made up of layers of secreted calcium carbonate from sea creatures which are definitely not kosher, and the final product is essentially calcium powder. Does the fact that it's not exactly a real food matter?

Generally secretions from a non-kosher animal are not kosher. The lac bug which secretes a wax is a big controversy

[Something Fishy]

What so you do with it?

Came up during my trip to Papua New Guinea where each and every person is chewing betel nut 24/7. They dip it in ground up coral first.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40884065

[Something Fishy]

Generally secretions from a non-kosher animal are not kosher. The lac bug which secretes a wax is a big controversy

Figured that was the issue

[ushdadude]

Came up during my trip to Papua New Guinea where each and every person is chewing betel nut 24/7. They dip it in ground up coral first.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40884065

and you want to do that why?

[Something Fishy]

and you want to do that why?

I most definitely do not.

Was wondering about the kashrus aspect of it.

[dasmo801]

PSA: I was never makpid to sift flour. This past Friday afternoon, after baking a batch of challos and cakes, we found numerous bugs in the remaining flour. Yesterday we bought a sifter and opened another bag of flour. Found a few more bugs.

[av83]

PSA: I was never makpid to sift flour. This past Friday afternoon, after baking a batch of challos and cakes, we found numerous bugs in the remaining flour. Yesterday we bought a sifter and opened another bag of flour. Found a few more bugs.

What brand flour and what was the date on it?