Kosher Alerts:Your authorization is invalid

From Kosher Overseers, 22 July 2005:

Please be advised that due to a reformulation, the Kikkoman Teriaki sauces, produced by Kikkoman, USA in Walworth, WI, are not currently certified kosher by Kosher Overseers. The Soy Sauces remain under kosher certification.


From OU 26 July 26 2005:

Pop'em Regular Potato Crisps-Expiration dates June 5 and 6, 2006 (UPC 423810310) and
BBQ Potato Crisps-Expiration dates April 12 and 13 and June 16, 2006 (UPC 4238103030),
Super Pufft, Ontario, Canada
Issue: These products bear an unauthorized OU symbol and are not certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union.


The following peanut allergy alert was from FAAN

Nabisco Foods is recalling approximately 838,000 of the 7.5-oz. boxes of Pure Milk Chocolate Covered Oreo Sandwich Cookies with the UPC product code number of 44000 01094 and all "Best When Used By" dates through 05NOV05 because some boxes may contain cookies with peanut butter crème filling, rather than the vanilla crème filling depicted on the front label. The product is packaged in a dark brown box and is prominently labeled Pure Milk Chocolate Covered Oreo Sandwich Cookies. The UPC product code number of 44000 01094 is printed on the back of the box and the "Best When Used By" date is printed on the side flap of the box. Consumers and retailers that purchased the Pure Milk Chocolate Covered Oreo Sandwich Cookies with the UPC product code number of 44000 01094 may return the product to the store where purchased for a full refund. Consumers with questions about the recall should call (800) 464-8264 or visit the company's website at www.kraft.com/specialreport/PureMilkChocolateCoveredOreo/

Kosher Alerts:Check your chips

Posted: July 22nd, 2005

No Name BBQ Potato Chips 170 gram canister,
bearing COR 344 DE are not kosher when the following expiry date is stamped on the bottom of the canister: 2005/12/14

No Name Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips 170 gram canister,
bearing COR 344 Dairy are not kosher when the following expiry date is stamped on the bottom of the canister: 2005/12/13

No Name Original Potato Chips 170 gram canister,
bearing COR 344 DE are not kosher when the following expiry date is stamped on the bottom of the canister: 2005/10/17


This product is being recalled. If you notice the product in the store please contact the COR office.

Miscellaneous:Tattoo Anjou

Interesting article over at The New York Times. Apparently those stupid little sticky stickers on fresh fruit are going the way of the coal engine (although not if George Bush has his way) and the fine art of tattooing is taking its place.

However, in an interesting point made over at The Kosher Blog, this poses a problem for shomer Shabbat Jews who run the risk of violating the melacha (prohibited activity) of erasing on Shabbat. Read the post on Kosher Blog for more insight into this potential dilemma. Could the offending tattoo simply be excised? Would it have to be sliced off prior to Shabbat? Will cutting out the tattoos become standard practice immediately upon getting fruit home - put away the vegetables, de-tattoo the fruit...

Food:Cuckoo for coconut milk!

Coconut milk is one of those products that drives us a little crazy. We love cooking with coconut milk but with a hechsher at kosher stores it sells at outrageous prices (usually over $4 when non-certified coconut milk sells for less than half that price). But don't panic!


Fiesta Brand from the Phillipines (distributed by RV Industries to the US and Canada) has OK certification. We've found the Cream of Coconut (which is like thick coconut milk and easily diluted) in specialty Phillipino stores in Vancouver such as PAG-ASA Filipino mart, 185 E. 16th Avenue. (604-708-4166) Unfortunately, we've never seen Fiesta Brand in general Asian stores which seem to prefer coconut milk from China and Thailand (probably cheaper).

Here are links to the details you really should check before you go trusting something you've read on the internet:

OK Kosher Certification information for coconut products
RV Industries (Fiesta Brand)

There are a number of other brands that are allegedly kosher without a hechsher: some authorities permit Goya brand Coconut Milk when labeled "Product of Dominican Republic;" others say Aroy-D coconut milk is fine. We'd like to see something in writing from BCKosher before suggesting anyone use these brands.