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24 Shevat 5762 - February 6, 2002 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Shemittah Concerns Still Trouble USA
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

As the Pesach season approaches, we have received several inquiries for individuals and hotels who are concerned, as the gedolei haposkim recommended, about the presence of even small amounts of spices that were produced under an enhanced "hetter mechirah".

According to the kashrus division of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU), the types of foods that may contain these spices are: pickles, seasoned snacks, pickled meats, pickling spice, soup bases, falafel mix and balls, salad dressings, pizza sauces, spice blends, frozen knishes, frozen quiche, barbecue sauce, egg rolls.

The gedolei haposkim of Eretz Yisroel said that even though bedi'eved one can follow the principle of the holchin achar horove since the amount of the questionable spices is clearly a mi'ut, lechatchilah if products that certainly do not contain the questionable spices are known and accessible, then one should not rely on the principle of holchin achar horove.

More than two months ago we asked the OU if they could determine: "1] the first date that some of the Sde Eliyahu products in question reached America; 2] the date of the last shipment of Sde Eliyahu products in question to have reached America; 3] a reasonable estimate of when the products will have all worked their way through the system, subject to whatever qualifications you want such as some manufacturers not behaving like the "typical" food manufacturer."

Having this information would allow a concerned consumer to determine that he or she had only products that do not include the problematic spices, with a reasonable degree of certainty.

So far we have received no answer at all to our inquiry, though they told us they would have information at the beginning of January.

We have contacted other supervisory services, to at least be able to provide some information. Other supervisory agencies have made sure that their products are free of this problem.

Manufacturers or supervisory services with information are invited to contact us at: Yated Ne'eman, POB 18191, Jerusalem 91181 ISRAEL, or email: yatedmp@netvision.net.il, or Fax: 972 2 538 3855.

 

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