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Kosher 101
 
 FAQ
  1.  If grape juice is listed in the ingredient panel, is the grape juice mevushal?
  2.  Are Tabatchnik Soups that are certified KOF-K Dairy, Cholov Yisroel?
  3.  What is the Pas Yisroel status of Food-For-Life?
  4.  What is the Passover status of Seaworthy salmon fillets?
  5.  What is the Pas Yisroel status of Tofutti Cuties?
  6.  What is the Yoshon status of Tradition Soups?
  7.  What are KOF-K standards concerning hotels, tours, and cruises?
  8.  Does KOF-K rely on the "heter mechira" for Shmittah?
  9.  Which KOF-K companies are certified Pas Yisroel?
  10.  I have a KOF-K product which states on the label “made on shared equipment with milk, nuts, shellfish etc.” Is this a mistake or is the food kosher?
  11.  Should one recite a beracha on Listerine pocket packs?
  12.  What does the D.E. designation on a product mean?
  13.  Can the KOF-K tell me which hasgachas are reliable?
  14.  Are KOF-K diary products Cholov Yisroel?
  15.  Can Listerine Pocket Paks be used on Pesach?
  16.  Food For Life makes many different kinds of products. Are they Pas Yisroel?
  17.  Are Bigelow Teas really dairy?
  18.  Some KOF-K certified cheese companies say this cheese has been aged six or ten months on the packaging? Is one required to wait six hours after eating these cheeses before consuming meat?
  19.  Are Oneg Cheeses Cholov Yisroel?
  20.  What are the berachas for Food for Life breads, cakes, and cereals?
  21.  Are KOF-K companies Yoshon?
  22.  LISTERINE POCKETPAKS has had the KOF-K symbol on the package for a while, and I recently noticed that there is no KOF-K symbol on the packaging. Is this product still under your supervision?
  23.  Are Ener-G Foods Bread Products Pas Yisroel?
  24.  Are the Mama Mary''s regular Pizza Crusts dairy or dairy equipment?
  25.  What is the beracha on Cliff Bar Energy Bars?
  26.  What is the beracha on products manufactured by Ener - G Foods?
  27.  What is the position of the KOF-K regarding waiting after Hard Cheese (not melted)?
  28.  I bought PEPSI but it does not have a KOF-K on the bottle can I use the product?
  29.  Are Terra Chips Bishul Yisroel?
  30.  I bought Casbah brand Safronned Jasmine Rice which used to have a KOF-K pareve, and now it has a Kof-K D on it. What changed?
  31.  Are all of the Ben andJerry's icecream flavors under theKOF-K Supervision?
 
 ANSWERS
 
Q: If grape juice is listed in the ingredient panel, is the grape juice mevushal?
A: All the grape juice used in products that are certified by the KOF-K is always mevushal.
 
Q: Are Tabatchnik Soups that are certified KOF-K Dairy, Cholov Yisroel?
A: Tabatchnick soups are NOT Cholov Yisroel.
 
Q: What is the Pas Yisroel status of Food-For-Life?
A: All KOF-K certified Food-For-Life products, with the exception of pita bread, are Pas Yisroel. Pita bread is KOF-K Parve, but not Pas Yisroel.
 
Q: What is the Passover status of Seaworthy salmon fillets?
A: Seaworthy salmon fillets that are unseasoned and unflavored are Kosher for Passover, even without the Kosher for Passover symbol. Blackened salmon is not certified Kosher for Passover.
 
Q: What is the Pas Yisroel status of Tofutti Cuties?
A: Tofutti Cuties (Parve ice cream sandwiches) are Pas Yisroel.
 
Q: What is the Yoshon status of Tradition Soups?
A: Tradition soups are NOT certified as Yoshon.
 
Q: What are KOF-K standards concerning hotels, tours, and cruises?
A: Any hotel, tour or cruise has to comply with all aspects of Orthodox Jewish life. Besides the kitchen which, of course, meets the highest standards of kashrus. KOF-K supervised facilities have separate swimming, family entertainment with no Kol Isha, and no gambling.  
 
Q: Does KOF-K rely on the "heter mechira" for Shmittah?
A: NO. Israeli products which carry KOF-K certification are "shomer shvi'is", mehadrin, and trumos and ma' asros are taken. All Israeli products certified KOF-K Dairy are exclusively Cholov Yisroel.  
 
Q: Which KOF-K companies are certified Pas Yisroel?
A: Pleae contact us for a complete list of KOF-K certified Pas Yisroel companies.
 
Q: I have a KOF-K product which states on the label “made on shared equipment with milk, nuts, shellfish etc.” Is this a mistake or is the food kosher?
A: The product meets the highest standards of kashrus. The reason for the declaration on the label is an allergen concern. Although the company cleans and kashers the utensils from previous runs, there may still pose a threat to highly allergic people.  
 
Q: Should one recite a beracha on Listerine pocket packs?
A: If one is eating the pocket pak because he enjoys the flavor then a beracha should be recited. Otherwise one does not have to recite a beracha.  
 
Q: What does the D.E. designation on a product mean?
A: The D.E. designation means the product is made with only pareve ingredients, but made on the same equipment as dairy products.  
 
Q: Can the KOF-K tell me which hasgachas are reliable?
A: The KOF-K does not comment on the reliability of other kashrus agencies. Please contact your own personal Rabbi for his recommend kosher list.  
 
Q: Are KOF-K diary products Cholov Yisroel?
A: The policy of the KOF-K and other major kashrus agencies is that unless the package says Cholov Yisroel, the product is Cholov Stam.  
 
Q: Can Listerine Pocket Paks be used on Pesach?
A: Listerine pocket Paks are not recommended for Pesach.  
 
Q: Food For Life makes many different kinds of products. Are they Pas Yisroel?
A: All of their products are Pas Yisroel (except for the pita).  
 
Q: Are Bigelow Teas really dairy?
A: The KOF-K certifies several RC Bigelow products as Dairy. These items can be made with dairy flavor components and are therefore considered kosher dairy. If the tea was used in "meat" cup please call KOF-K information for assistance.  
 
Q: Some KOF-K certified cheese companies say this cheese has been aged six or ten months on the packaging? Is one required to wait six hours after eating these cheeses before consuming meat?
A: The custom of many is to wait six hours after eating aged cheese (six months and more). However, one should ask his local orthodox halachic authority as to how they should act.  
 
Q: Are Oneg Cheeses Cholov Yisroel?
A: Oneg Cheeses are not Cholov Yisroel.  
 
Q: What are the berachas for Food for Life breads, cakes, and cereals?
A: Breads
Ezekiel 4:9 Bread – the beracha rishona is hamotzei / the beracha achrona is birchos hamazon.

Genesis 1:29 Bread - The beracha rishona is hamotzei / the beracha achrona birchos hamazon.

Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin Bread – The beracha rishona rishona is hamotzei / the beracha achrona is birchos hamazon

Rice Bread - The beracha rishona is mezonos/ the beracha achrona is boreh nefoshos.


Tortillas
Brown Rice Tortilla - The correct beracha rishona for this product is mezonos / the beracha achrona is boreh nefoshos.

Sprouted Whole Grain Corn Tortillas - The correct beracha is hadama / the beracha achrona is boreh nefoshos.


Cereal
Ezekiel 4:9 - The beracha rishona is mezonos. The beracha achrona is al hamichya.
English Muffins - The beracha rishona is hamotzei / the beracha achrona is birchos hamazon.

(This applies to 7-sprouted grains, bran plus, cinnamon raisin, Ezekiel 4:9, Genesis 1:29).  
 
Q: Are KOF-K companies Yoshon?
A: Unless it says yoshon on the package the product is not certified yoshon.  
 
Q: LISTERINE POCKETPAKS has had the KOF-K symbol on the package for a while, and I recently noticed that there is no KOF-K symbol on the packaging. Is this product still under your supervision?
A: Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of LISTERINE®POCKETPAKS® has informed KOF-K Kosher Supervision that they will be discontinuing their kosher certification as of July 1, 2009. In anticipation of this change, Johnson & Johnson has revised packaging to no longer bear the KOF-K kosher symbol. Due to potential consumer confusion, KOF-K Kosher Supervision recommends LISTERINE®POCKETPAKS® only when bearing the KOF-K symbol.
 
Q: Are Ener-G Foods Bread Products Pas Yisroel?
A: There is no Pas Yisroel requirement for Ener-G Foods’ Bread Products. Bread products from Ener-G Foods do not contain wheat or other flours subject to the requirements for Pas Yisroel. They are made from one or more of the following: Rice Starch, Tapioca Starch, Flax Meal, Corn Starch, Bamboo Fiber, Potato starch, Montina Flour, Orange Citrus Fiber.
 
Q: Are the Mama Mary''s regular Pizza Crusts dairy or dairy equipment?
A:  Their are no dairy ingredients listed in the ingredient panel. However, the company has requested that we certify this product as dairy to allow them the flexibility to reformulate the product at any time with dairy ingredients. The KOF-K recommends consumers who are makpid on Cholov Yisroel not to eat this product as the status of this product can change from day to day.
 
Q: What is the beracha on Cliff Bar Energy Bars?
A: The correct beracha on these products is a hadama.
 
Q: What is the beracha on products manufactured by Ener - G Foods?
A: Since Ener – G foods do not use wheat or any other ingredient which would require a mezonos, and rice flour is the main component in their product, the beracha is a shehakol.
 
Q: What is the position of the KOF-K regarding waiting after Hard Cheese (not melted)?
A: The KOF-Ks position is that if a store (such as a bagel store etc.) uses parmesan cheese (not melted) a sign indicating its usage will be placed in the store/on the kosher letter. One is advised to ask their local Rav as to the waiting permitted after consuming parmesan (or any other hard cheese).
 
Q: I bought PEPSI but it does not have a KOF-K on the bottle can I use the product?
A: In general the KOF-K only certifies Pepsi Brand products when bearing the KOF-K logo on the product. Presently the KOF-K is certifying six bottling facilities which produce Pepsi products. Part of Pepsi's licensing agreement with the bottling facilities requires all of them to use the same exact ingredients to have a uniform product. I would advise you to consult with your local Rabbi before purchasing these products to ensure that this is the appropriate thing to do.
 
Q: Are Terra Chips Bishul Yisroel?
A: Terra Chips, although a pricy item are not considered to be fit for a king’s table and therefore, are not subject to the halachos of bishul akum. However, to satisfy those who wish to have bishul Yisroel on this product, we have arranged for this. When the letters “MH” appear on the label the product is bishul Yisroel.
 
Q: I bought Casbah brand Safronned Jasmine Rice which used to have a KOF-K pareve, and now it has a Kof-K D on it. What changed?
A: The facility that makes this product used to produce both parve and dairy products and has recently switched to become an all dairy plant. Due to this change they wanted to have the Casbah product labeled as dairy as well. There is currently no change to the product formula and that is why you will not find any dairy ingredients listed. However, since this plant is now all dairy, they have the liberty to add or substitute dairy ingredients in this product as they wish. We therefore also had to change the Kof-K designation from parve to dairy to accommodate any possible future ingredient changes.
 
Q: Are all of the Ben andJerry's icecream flavors under theKOF-K Supervision?
A: Currently all Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Flavors are certified Kosher (cholov Stam). However the KOF-K only stands behind product that bears the KOF-K symbol. Additionally the KOF-K does not certify and ice cream shops.