WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS & CONTRIBUTIONS

fax212.613.0775

e–mailsafrane@ou.org

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

IIN 1875, A YOUNG Samuel Bath Thomasarrived in America from Plymouth,England. Following his arrival, he

opened a bake shop in New York City,producing a specialty line of products,including English Muffins. Both tex-ture and flavor of Mr. Thomas’ Eng-lish Muffins were unlike those ofother muffins or cakes on the mar-ket and the product quickly gaineda loyal following of customers. Wordquickly spread about the excellence ofMr. Thomas’ English Muffins. To keepup with demand, he added a second bak-ery near his original shop and beganmaking wholesale deliveries by horse andwagon. Mr. Thomas died in 1919 and thebusiness was inherited by his daughtersand nephew.

Similarly, in 1898, William Enten-mann arrived in America from Germany.He opened a bakery in Flatbush, NewYork and began delivering cakes, breadand rolls door-to-door in a horse drawnbuggy. He prospered and within a fewmonths his delivery routes and reputa-tion for quality spread beyond the Brook-lyn area. By the early 1900’s he hadmoved the business to the country – BayShore, Long Island. His son, William, Jr.,followed in his father’s footsteps and tookover the business, expanding through aretail shop and 30 home and deli deliveryroutes. It was in the retail shop where hemet his wife, Martha, who was then oneof the pastry saleswomen. The couplehad three sons, Robert, Charles and

William. In1951, William, Jr. diedand his sons, alongwith their mother, optedto phase out the breadproduction and concen-trate on wholesale deliv-ery of cake products.

Today, the Thomas’ and Enten-mann’s businesses are part of the GeorgeWeston Bakeries family. A family whichincludes 14 baking facilities throughoutthe eastern half of the United States. Inaddition to being an integral part ofGeorge Weston Bakeries, Thomas’ andEntenmann’s products are certifiedkosher by the Orthodox Union ( ), acertification both companies haveenjoyed for decades!

Unionsymbolsymbolbehind the

3

9

SUMMER 2002

Industry TrendsBagels, Biscuitsand other Baked GoodsHow to Keep YourCakes Kosher

A Kosher ClarifierSay Cheese! An in-depth look at the kosher dairy world

On the Roadwith the OUOil, Oil, Toil and KashruthAn inside look at theRFR's life in Malaysiaand Indonesia

14

Thomas’® and Entenmann’s®

A Kosher Tradition

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

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

Spotlight on OUCompanies

2 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

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

RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREBExecutive Vice President

DAVID OLIVESTONEDirector, Communicatons and Marketing

BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL

RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRANEditor–in–Chief

PAMELA WEIMANGraphic Designer

OrthodoxUnion

KOSHER CERTIFICATION is a never–ending process that calls for ongo-ing communication, clarification

and education. There is just no substi-tute for communication. Indeed, thecontinued enlightenment and rein-forcement of the OU’s kosher stan-dards and policies and their effectivecommunication are integral to theOU’s mission. When you and yourcompany’s staff and personnel have agreater awareness and understandingof Kashruth [kosher law], everyoneultimately benefits.

We are particularly pleased to fea-ture in this issue an in–depth look atthe many facets of certifying theever–growing baking industry, whilesharing several certified baking com-panies’ feedback to their certificationprogram. Increased interest in thepareve market as well as in the pas Yis-roel niche within the baking industrymoves us to include further insightsinto that market share. Additionally,the need to better understand themany fine points and standardsinvolved in the OU’s certification ofthe dairy industry prompts us to revisitthis vitally important topic in RabbiOssey and Rabbi Gordimer’s piece, “AKosher Clarifier for the Dairy Industry.”

There is so much we need to say toone another. All of our many certifiedcompanies, both big and small, havetheir own individual needs and con-cerns that are regularly addressed byour expanding and highly regardedcadre of educated, trained and skilledrabbinic coordinators in New York,and by the hundreds of energetic rab-binic field representatives visiting andinspecting the plants. Be assured how-ever, that even as we grow and expandour scope and horizons, there is alwayssomeone here to react and respond toyour needs and concerns. Our groupleaders and senior management teamare eager to communicate, listen andbe responsive to assure your satisfac-tion even as we maintain our higheststandards.

In today’s market kosher is hot! Itis estimated that 95 percent of Ameri-cans know the word “kosher”–albeitwith varying definitions. Kosherfest–the annual international kosher foodand food service trade show – attracts15,000 food representatives from 45states and more than 30 countries.Representatives from more than 100supermarket chains across the UnitedStates and Canada converge on thisever–growing kosher food “fair.” Theyare testimony to an industry that hasexceeded $4.5 billion in sales thatreach far beyond the traditional kosherbase. It is remarkable that a third of thefood products produced in the UnitedStates – or $130 billion worth – are cer-tified kosher. This surge in kosher cer-tification is led by the OU, the world’spremiere kosher certification agency,certifying the highest percentage ofkosher certified products. In order toensure that our companies betterappreciate the greater market sharethat their kosher products can attain,we continue to present you with themost extensive kosher marketing expe-rience. This issue features Milt Wein-stock of Grey Worldwide whodescribes why financially it pays tobecome kosher. Please note the sidebarthat lists OU “Marketing Tips”, to helpfocus your attention on how to attainincreased benefit from your OU symbol.

Keep in touch!

Rabbi Eliyahu SafranEditor/Senior Rabbinic Coodinator

From the Editor

❝In today’s market kosher is hot! It is estimated that 95 percent of Americans know the word “kosher”❞

www.ou.org 3

INNOVATIONS IN BAKING have beenemployed by man since timeimmemorial. Upon the exodus

of the Israelites from Egypt, theBible recounts that a new ‘ugosmatzos’ or unleavened cakewas created unintentionally.In their haste to leave behindthe shackles of Egyptianbondage, the Israelites bakedtheir dough in the desert sunand thus created the venerableJewish tradition of eating matzoduring the festival of Passover. Theeffects of this new discovery,namely the category of flat andunleavened breads, led to a furtherphenomenon called pita bread.

Ever since those days of antiq-uity, our so–called modern age hasseen one innovation after anotherin the baking industry; some byaccident and some by design.Accordingly, the range of bakingproducts is nothing less than aston-ishing when one thinks of the manyvarieties of breads, rolls, bagels,baguettes, buns, pizzas, pitas, wraps,croissants, cakes, cookies, crackers,muffins, biscuits, pies, donuts,

scones, crullers, danishes, pancakes,cereals, pretzels, etc., that existtoday.

The kosher industry has keptwell in stride with this montage ofproducts and has much to offer ineach category. Nonetheless, it is a

daunting task to ensurethe kosher integrity of such a widevariety of bakery products, but onethat the OU is proud to providewithout compromising the higheststandards of kosher. There are a fewreasons why the task is so daunting.First and foremost is the number ofingredients that a typical bakery hasin its possession. The average bak-ery’s schedule A is larger than thatof any other kosher industry. Toenumerate all of the possible ingre-dients used in a bakery would beprohibitive and most likely take upthis entire article. Suffice it to say

that there are a whole cadre ofkosher sensitive ingredients thatneed to be carefully monitored suchas: oils and shortenings, flavors,emulsifiers, stabilizers, enzymes,glycerin, gelatin, grape juice, whey,cheese and many more. Conse-

quently, it is not unusual for abakery’s schedule A to containmore than 500 ingredients andmany in fact have more than1000. Moreover, the sourcesof these ingredients andoftentimes the ingredientsthemselves are in flux. This inturn necessitates the koshercoordinator at the company

to regularly update the sched-ule A with his/her respective rab-

binic coordinator at the OU. As theschedule A represents the basis ofkosher supervision, the bakery com-pany’s purchasing and receivingpersonnel must be educated in themaintenance of an accurate sched-ule A. Purchasing must base itsorders on schedule A specificationsand receiving must ensure that onlythose ingredients listed on theschedule A enter the plant. It iscommon knowledge that even if thedesired ingredient has been ordered,in its wake may arrive an imposterwith the same name that is notkosher because the supplier pro-vided a substitute source. For thisreason, it is critical that the bakery’skosher contact arrange periodickosher orientations for purchasingand receiving personnel to explainthe workings of the schedule A, andespecially so, if there has been anyturnover in those departments.

A second area related to themassive inventory of ingredients inbakeries is the issue of compatibil-ity. The OU as a matter of policy willnot certify a product as kosher ifthere is an ingredient in that prod-uct that is being warehoused in theplant as both kosher and notkosher. A case in point would be acheese cracker that uses kosher

THE BAKING INDUSTRYBy Rabbi Yisroel Bendelstein

INDUSTRY Trends

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

❝The average bakery’s schedule A is larger

than that of any other kosher industry. ❞

An OU Primer

KOSHER AND QUALITY. Two important wordswith one meaning. By working hand in handwith the OU, Best Brands Corp. has proven

that quality is #1 in our business. The relationshipbetween a bakery manufacturer and the OU has tobe one of constant and equal communication. Weat Best Brands Corp. are ever mindful of the needto be diligent in following the OU kosher proce-dures and the impact this has on the quality of theproducts we manufacture.

Our Best Brands Corp. Dallas facility has over1,700 ingredients on our schedule A, so it isimportant for the QA manager or plant koshercoordinator and the purchasing department towork together. New suppliers and new qualityingredients are being sought daily by purchasingto meet the demands of our customers and salesforce. When an ingredient is produced as kosher,that makes the ingredient one step closer to being

added to our schedule A and beingapproved for production use. Our receiv-ing department has to be ever watchful ofthe numerous ingredients being broughtin daily to our plant. The proper trainingin the use of the schedule A by the pur-chasing and receiving personnel is essen-tial to the success of receiving onlyapproved kosher ingredients.

My experience with kosher prior toworking at Best Brands as the QA managerand kosher coordinator for the Dallas,Texas division was minimal. Workingwith our field representative and rabbinic

coordinator, at the time, Rabbi Aaron Rubin andRabbi Shlomo Krupka, was educational and inter-esting. I know I asked a lot of questions, especiallythe “why” question. I always wanted to know the“why” for certain procedures and “why” certainingredients were approved and some were not.They were both very helpful and patient with allof my inquiries. Now I work closely with FieldRepresentative Rabbi Yisroel Blitz and RabbinicCoordinator Rabbi Yisroel Bendelstein in makingthe road to continued success for both the OU andBest Brands Corp. a smooth one. My many thanksto the OU and its representatives for the work thatthey do, and for their help and support.

Sharry Wemple

QA Manager, Best Brands Corp.Dallas, Texas

UU

❝The relationship between a bakerymanufacturer and the OU has to be one ofconstant and equalcommunication.❞

4 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

OU COMPANIES Speak

BESTBRANDSCORP.Innovated Products & Service.Bottom Line Results

by Sharry Wemple

DAKOTA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL has been asso-ciated with the OU since the start of its origi-nal company almost 30 years ago and our

current bakery operation obtained the OU koshercertification approximately eight years ago. Sinceour business is producing bagels for the food serv-ice, private label, and industrial segments of thefood industry, the obtaining of this certificationwas extremely important to our success and therabbis at the OU worked closely with us to insurethat we could obtain this certification in a timelymanner.

At the beginning of 2001 we were contacted byone of our specialty customers requesting productsthat were pas Yisroel. We immediately contactedRabbi Dov Schreier to obtain further informationon the additional requirements of pas Yisroel certi-fication. With his guidance, suggestions by the OUand the addition of a piece of equipment devel-

oped by Rabbi Yehuda Shain, wewere able to modify our productionprocedures to meet the require-ments for pas Yisroel certification.

In 1999 Rabbi Shain created asystem that allows rabbinic fieldrepresentatives to turn on an ovenfrom a remote location, thereby ful-filling the requirements to render aproduct pas Yisroel. Under our cur-rent procedure, the ovens arestarted under rabbinic supervisionand left on 24 hours each day. How-ever, if an oven is shut down forrepairs, power failure, etc., the rab-binic field representative can restartthe oven from any location as longas he has a phone.

The key to the success of thisprogram is proper and timely com-munication with the rabbinic fieldrepresentative. Our current RFR,Rabbi Shimon Perez, does an out-standing job of staying in touchand if for some reason he isunavailable, the OU has providedus with a list of rabbis who canmake the call. In addition, the OUprovides us with a complete list of

the Jewish holidays so that we know ahead of timewhen the Rabbis will be unavailable so that we canplan our maintenance and repairs accordingly.

The pas Yisroel certification has helped us tocreate a growing business that supplies specialtybagel products. It also gives us the ability to estab-lish a “point of difference,” which as a new manu-facturer is very important. Working in partnershipwith the OU we have been able to develop theprocess and the equipment required to reach thisimportant level of certification. We look forward toseeing the pas Yisroel certified products that wemanufacture increase in sales as we continue oureffective partnership with OU.

Rabbi Dov Schreier serves as the rabbinic coordinator for Dakota Brands International.

UU

www.ou.org 5

OU COMPANIES Speak

PAS YISRAEL CERTIFICATIONImportant Component for Business Growth

By R.S. Earle, Dakota Brands International

OU COMPANIES Speak

COOKIETREE BAKERIES is proud to be certified bythe leader in kosher supervision, the OU. Thedecision to become kosher came about because

it has become necessary to maintain a kosher prod-uct in order to sell to many of the foodservice dis-tributors in the Northeast market.

By having kosher certifica-tion, a company is able to procure new business inmarkets where there are restrictions on what peoplecan or cannot eat. In addition, many large foodser-vice chains now require kosher certification on all oftheir food products. Since we maintain kosher certi-fication, we have a competitive advantage over othercookie manufacturers who are not yet certified.

Cookietree Bakeries strives to make the highestquality cookies on the market today and part of theprocess of being the best is driven by our kosher cer-tifiers. During the monthly visits by our RFR, he

imparts to us his knowledge, expertise and experi-ence in the food industry, while providing an extraset of eyes to ensure our processes are going smoothly.

Being kosher has taught us to be diligent withour inspection of ingredients, tracking materials andingredients, and to keep clear documented informa-

tion. With the world quickly becoming aglobal community, it is impor-

tant to be sensitive to con-sumer needs and provide food

products that appeal to a broadspectrum of customers. Koshercertification is an important

product attribute that givesour cookies universalappeal regardless of reli-

gion or ethnic background.If there is one thing we have

learned, it is that being certified by the OU is syn-onymous with quality.

Bob Frank is the director of quality at Cookietree.

Rabbi David Bistricer

serves as the Rabbinic Coordinator for Cookietree Bakeries

UU

6 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

Dawn FoodProducts

DAWN FOOD PRODUCTS chose to become certi-fied by the OU in 1986 because of the OU’sreputation as the oldest and largest kosher

supervising agency. In order to make our productsavailable to a larger audience, in 1991 we made thesmooth transition to pareve production. The valueof kosher supervision does not just apply to kosherconsumers. Those who do not keep kosher but areconcerned about dairy ingredients can look for the

OU pareve designation to alert them to possibledairy allergens. Additionally, the registration of ourraw materials and suppliers provides an extracheck of our formulation process.

In our commitment to worldwide service tothe baking industry, we do not accept anything butthe certification of the OU, the most highly recog-nized symbol in the international market.Throughout our relationship with the OU we havereceived excellent educational opportunities,whether through the Kosher Video, seminars, theOU’s website, newsletters or the support of RabbiBendelstein in New York and Rabbi Levy locally. Iam personally thankful for the opportunity to doGod’s work in the business world.

Jim Peacockis the Kosher Coordinator at Dawn Food

Products. www.dawnfoods.com.

UU

COOKIETREEB A K E R I E S

®

www.ou.org 7

LAND O’LAKES BUTTER, regarded as the “goldstandard” of dairy products by many con-sumers, is a product of Land O’Lakes, Inc. and

was formed as a butter–marketing association inthe summer of 1921 by representatives of severalhundred Minnesota co–op creameries.

By the second decade of the twentieth century,advances in transportation, refrigeration and sani-tation made it easier for rural Minnesota cream-eries to produce butter from sweet cream asopposed to sour cream. This resulted in a productthat was both more pleasing to the palate and thatkept longer. The new butter could also command ahigher price in the marketplace (much to the ben-efit of the co–op creameries’ dairy–farmer owners).

Within 10 years of its founding, Land O’Lakesbegan advertising heavily in major nationalwomen’s magazines and developed a premier rep-utation in the major eastern U.S. cities for its sweetcream butter, conveniently packaged inquarter–pound sticks.

Barry Vermilyea, the Director ofQuality Control for Land O’LakesDairy Foods Operations during theperiod when Land O’Lakes workedwith the OU to obtain kosher certifi-cation, explained that at the time,the butter carried a generic ‘K’kosher symbol. From the beginning,Land O’Lakes’ major market wasNew York, an area with such a largeJewish population, the company feltit needed to have kosher accredita-tion for the product if it expected todo serious business. Since all of LandO’Lakes butter was produced inMinnesota and Wisconsin back inthe early days, a local rabbinical

service in Minneapolis that was able to inspect theplants and certify the butter was hired. When but-ter sales were expanded to areas outside of theMidwest and the Northeast, and went truly“national” in the late 1980s, Land O’Lakes felt itneeded to find a truly national rabbinic service tocertify its product.

“We had definite criteria when we went look-ing for a new rabbinical service,” Vermilyeaexplains. “First, the service we picked had to haverabbis wherever we had plants.” As a result of sev-eral mergers in the 1990s, Land O’Lakes butter pro-duction was now taking place in plants on boththe East and West coasts, as well as in the Midwest.“Second, we felt we needed to have a certificationservice and trademarked kosher symbol that wasrecognized nationally. And third, we wanted thecertification service that was considered to be thebest in its field – just like we believe our butter isthe best in its field. The OU fit the bill.”

In 1997 and 1998 Land O’Lakes worked withthe OU to certify each and every plant. Since ingre-dients and packaging are centrally purchased forthe butter manufacturing plants, the companycould not apply the OU symbol to the butter untilall of the plants had been inspected and certified.“We have been very pleased with our certificationdecision and with our relationship with the Ortho-dox Union,” said Vermilyea. “It’s like the goldstandard of rabbinic koshering services has teamedup with the gold standard of butter!”

Rabbi Eliyahu Safran serves as rabbinic coordinator for Land O’Lakes Butter

UU

OU COMPANIES Speak

Creatingthe Gold Standard” for Butter

“

8 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

cheddar cheese in its recipe butwon’t receive kosher certificationbecause a non–kosher cheddarcheese is being used in the samefacility for a non–kosher product.By the same token a product won’tbe certified as pareve if any ingredi-ent in that product is being ware-housed in the plant as both dairyand pareve. This is especially com-mon in bakeries where the use of

comparableflavors can be both

dairy and pareve orkosher and not kosher. In view ofthat, even the products that aren’tcertified OU are still integral to thescope of the entire kosher program.If any products change their for-mula to reflect the introduction ofan ingredient which can be used inits kosher counterpart, the kosherendorsement from that kosherproduct would need to be reviewed.

A third area of import when itcomes to maintaining a kosher bak-ery, would be the ingredients thatare used for Research and Develop-ment. Although virtually 90% ofthe time the new product that isbeing tested will not be manufac-tured, nonetheless, the kosherveracity of the ingredients usedtherein need to be confirmed, espe-cially if these tests are conducted onthe production lines themselves.Understandably, the company maynot desire to have these ingredientsadded to the schedule A; after alltheir fate has yet to be determined.Nonetheless, a system must beemployed so that the company canstrictly account for these ingredi-ents. The system that is recom-mended at the OU is for thecompany’s kosher coordinator tocommunicate all test ingredients tohis/her rabbinic coordinator at theOU. Upon receipt of the vitalrecords (letter of kosher certificationand spec sheet), the rabbinic coordi-nator will render a determination.If the test ingredient meetsapproval, it will be noted as such ona special customized schedule A thatthe rabbinic coordinator keeps forall R & D ingredients. This simple

communication obvi-ates the need of unnec-essarily burdening theschedule A while at thesame time ensuring all

is well with kosher.There is yet a fourth

genre of ingredient that iscritical for both bakeries and kosher.This is the rework. Many timeswhen the difference in texture,color and taste of a product is com-pletely negligible from one reworkvariety to the other there can bekosher concerns. When the reworkof a dairy product can be used for apareve one, or when the rework of anon–kosher product can be used fora kosher one, a dependable controlmust be put into operation to safe-guard the pareve status of a productfrom dairy rework, or the kosherstatus of a product from non–kosherrework. More often than not, uponconsultation with the rabbinic coor-dinator, a control can be imple-mented to circumvent this concern.

Equipment, like ingredients,can have a variety of kosher sensi-tive issues that are associated withbakeries. This is because not onlythe ingredients define the kosherstatus of a product but also theequipment that produces it. The OUdoesn’t recognize a DE or “DairyEquipment” designation, and so allproducts made on dairy equipmentare considered dairy and must belabeled D, even if all their ingre-dients are pareve. It then becomesessential for the company to com-municate the purchase of any newor used equipment to the rabbiniccoordinator before this equipmentis installed. The RC will then reviewthe pertinent information on theequipment and devise a procedurefor its kosherizing, which will beconducted by a rabbinic field repre-sentative on a pre–scheduled visit tothe plant.

The most ideal kosher supervi-sion is for bakeries that are entirely

PRIMER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

PolicyReminderFAn OU certified baking

company may not sendout loose labels bearingthe OU symbol to beaffixed to a product out-side the manufacturingfacility. This policy,included in our contract,is meant to protect theconsumer from pur-chasing a non–kosherproduct that could inad-vertently find its wayinto a kosher markedpackage. As the sayinggoes, "Don't judge abook by its cover."

FAdditionally, "breads"cannot be made withdairy ingredients or ondairy equipment norcan they be certified asOU–D. This restrictionincludes dry breadmixes [to be used tomake bread], smallrolls and bagels. It is anecessary requirementto safeguard con-sumers from eatingdairy at a meat mealwhich would be in viola-tion of a fundamentalkosher dietary law.

G

www.ou.org 9

ARECENT ARTICLE in the April2002 edition of Dairy FieldMagazine discussed the advan-

tage of separating nutrients directlyfrom liquid milk over separatingfrom the whey stream byproduct ofcheese manufacturing. The articlefurther detailed the benefits ofusing reverse osmosis, as well asultra and micro–filtration fromfluid milk to attain customizationof retentate and permeate. One ofthe advantages claimed is, “Ingredi-ents derived from micro–filtrationwill more likely fit kosher standardsthan those pulled from the wheystream… For example, the dry pow-der that results from the manufac-ture of swiss cheese cannot be usedin any kosher food product becausethe temperature in the vat duringproduction rises above 130˚F.”

The study and perfection of thistechnology may very well be, aspurported in the article, “leading theway for a new generation ofdairy–based beverages.” Neverthelessthe misunderstanding of kosherstandards may be holding back fur-ther growth and opportunity in theindustry. Are all cheeses viewedequally under kosher law? Is itreally the case that 130˚F is a cut-offtemperature? Can the whey byprod-uct be kosher even when the cheeseis not? Dairy–processing decisionmakers need to be familiar with andunderstand the answers to thesequestions, as well as other funda-mental OU kosher standards.

In the following paragraphs, abrief synopsis will be presented on anumber of unique points regardingOU kosher standards for dairy prod-ucts. Keep in mind that the founda-tion for all kosher production isthat all of the raw materials and pro-cessing equipment must be kosher.Also, fluid milk must be under gov-ernmental control and supervisionto ensure that only kosher milksources (such as cow’s milk) makeup the general milk supply.

Cheeses and CaseinsRennet–set cheeses (i.e. cheesesthat use rennet as the primary coag-ulant) only meet kosher standardswhen manufactured with on–siterabbinic supervision and participa-tion. Examples of this type ofcheese are cheddar, muenster, moz-zarella and swiss.Acid–set cheeses (i.e. cheeses thatuse acid as the primary coagulant)do not require on–site rabbinicsupervision and participation.Examples of this type of cheese arecream and cottage.

The same distinction is true forrennet–set and acid–set caseins.

All cultures, coagulants,enzymes, defoamers, brine and col-ors must also meet kosher approvalwhen manufacturing any type ofkosher cheese.

Whey,Whey

Concentrates,Whey Protein

Concentrates and IsolatesTo paraphrase a famous ad cam-paign “Got Whey?” The answer isyes when referring to the liquid sep-aration from the coagulation ofmilk into cheese. Just as physicallythere is a separation between thecheese curd and whey, so too withinthe kosher standards a differentia-tion is made between the two.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

A KosherClarifierFor the Dairy IndustryBy Rabbis Avram Ossey & Avraham Gordimer

10 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

kosher dairy or kosher pareve, in which no kosherizing is nec-essary to make their products.The OU does understand thatmany bakeries desire to pro-duce both dairy and pareveor kosher and non–kosher prod-ucts, and will work diligently togrant certification utilizing aplan that won’t compromise theOU’s high standards of kosher.This plan often encompassescareful adherence to sanitiza-tions and production schedulesfor dry blends, and simplemethods of kosherizing for wetfillings and fondants. As far asovens are concerned, unless thereis special rabbinic supervision, anoven used to bake dairy can’t beused to bake pareve.

The upshot of the above discus-sion regarding ingredients andequipment is that when completed,the bakery can proudly affix the OUlogo to their finished productswhich stands as firm testimony tothe highest caliber that kosher hasto offer. But here too, the packaginglabels are subject to their own rigorsand guidelines insofar as kosher isconcerned. For starters, only thoseproducts that are registered on theschedule B are permitted to bearthe on their packaging. Once theproduct is registered, it must reflectthe proper designation as recordedon the schedule B ( for kosherpareve and D for kosher dairy).Furthermore, only certified facili-ties are allowed to use labels topackage their products. It is againstOU policy to send out loose labelsbearing the to be affixed at anon certified facility, even if theproduct itself was manufactured inan OU plant. Also, generic labelswith just a brand name and an ormerely an , are subject to thesame restrictions. For the to bedisplayed on the package, the labelmust contain a description of theproduct along with the brand

name. This is especially prevalent inbakeries where there is a tendencyamong manufacturers to commis-sion a co–packer to make productfor them to meet the high demandof orders. In order for the co–packerto place the on the packaging,they must be an officially registered

plant. One more caveat with regard to

labels is in relation to bread prod-ucts. Kosher law precludes breadsfrom being dairy or meat and sobread can only be made pareve.This is attributed to the fact thatbread, as a main food staple, is oftenused at both dairy and meat meals.As a necessary precaution to avoideating a dairy bread at a meat meal,the OU will only certify bread thatis pareve. Hence, the only koshersymbol that can be found on breadpackaging is , not D. This appliesto all forms of breads such as rolls,bagels, and buns. It equally appliesto all dry bread mixes. Interestingly,pizza dough can be certified D

due to the fact that pizza by defini-tion is a dairy food.

As much as the bakery industryhas taken the lead in innovatingand developing new appealingproducts, the OU in turn continuesto demonstrate its own prowess ofinnovation, by sharing with its

companies additional ideas forthem to become even more prof-

itable. Two such ways for bak-eries to consider are the pareveand pas yisroel routes. Theadvantage of pareve productswas advocated in the last editionof Behind the Union Symbol (Win-ter 2002). The OU is eager tofacilitate a bakery’s desire tomake pareve products in accor-

dance with the guide-lines outlined above,and would be more thanhappy to offer guidancein setting up this type ofoperation.

A further expandingmarket among kosher

consumers in which the OU isalready intimately involved is ‘PasYisroel’. The ‘Pas Yisroel’ status is anelevated level of kosher for bakedgoods. It is obtained by having anobservant Jew ignite the oven inwhich the product is being baked.The preferred method that the OUrecommends to accomplish thistask, is for the bakery to install anelectric panel by a designated oventhat enables that oven to be turnedon from off–site by a rabbinic fieldrepresentative using a remote con-trol telephone hook–up. This sys-tem meets the strictest of the kosher‘Pas Yisroel’ requirements and hasreceived great approbation amongleading rabbinic authorities. Thedevice is known as the “Shain sys-tem,” named after a Rabbi Shainwho invented this innovation. Inaddition to pareve, ‘Pas Yisroel’ isanother expanding market for bak-eries to exploit. The new marketpenetration should far outweighthe cost of the system, and it isanother way that we at the OUwould be proud to lead in an inno-vative approach for an ever bustlingand exciting innovative industry. Rabbi Yisroel Bendelstein serves as the rabbinic coordinatorfor the baking industry.

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PRIMER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

by Milt Weinstock

OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS at GreyAdvertising, I’ve had the privi-lege of working with a number

of the top food companies in theUnited States including Kraft,M&M/Mars, Procter & Gamble,ConAgra and Dannon.

All of these companies success-fully vie for customers in theextremely competitive packagedgoods market, where success andfailure are judged by small incre-

ments of market share growth. Insuch competition, a 1% share pointgain can be worth $70 million inthe $7 billion cereal or $7 billioncookie/cracker market category.

Thus, finding ways to distin-guish your products so that they aremore compelling to the buyer is anextremely important task for mar-keters. This assignment has becomeall the more challenging in today’senvironment given that technologi-cal breakthroughs and marketingexpertise are often available to allmarketers, not just the more sophis-ticated companies.

So how does a company distin-guish itself in such a competitivemarket? Over the years, I have dis-

covered that increasing a con-sumer’s perception of the quality ofa marketer’s product and obtaininga kosher designation are two com-pelling ways to grow a brand’s shareand sales.

While I am an Orthodox Jew,my clients from corporate Americaare understandably more focussedon the needs of the general UnitedStates population whose numbersaccount for a majority of the sales.

However, these companies have dis-covered that obtaining kosher certi-fication has now become a veryeffective way to improve the qualityperception of their product lines,across all consumer segments. Thisis perhaps why we have witnessedthe dramatic growth of mainstreamcompanies such as Nabisco (Oreosand Chips Ahoy!) seeking koshercertification.

What is so compelling aboutkosher certification? Research con-ducted by my company providesinteresting insight:

Most of the people who recentlybought kosher certified brands werenot even Jewish.

The appeal of kosher is based onthe fact that consumers believekosher means better quality.

Better quality has both tangibleand intangible benefits:

8The product does not containundesirable ingredients;

8The product is healthier;

8More stringent standards arebeing observed.

The “quality” benefits associ-ated with the kosher designationare relevant across many categoriesincluding cookies, cereals, yogurtsand confectionery products. Forexample, Confectioner Magazinereported that Nabisco saw an $8million increase in the sales of Oreocookies in the six months after thekosher symbol appeared on theirpackaging. A recent Wall Street Jour-nal article reported that the Germancandy company Haribo plans tointroduce kosher Gummi Bears inorder to expand the appeal of itsproducts.

I guess it’s no mystery why somany major companies and brandshave turned to kosher certification.

It just makes good business$ense.

Milt Weinstockis executive vice president of Grey Worldwide.

UU

❝The appeal of kosher is basedon the fact that consumers believekosher means better quality❞

KOSHER CERTIFICATIONIt Makes Good $ense

www.ou.org 11

12 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

This distinction is not of signif-icance when the cheese curd itself iskosher acceptable. However, wheycan also be acceptable when thecurd is not. The kosher status ofsuch whey is contingent on a num-ber of factors including the rawmaterials, the interaction of thewhey with the cheese curd and theinteraction of the whey with otherbyproducts of the cheese manufac-turing process. Specific exampleswill be given to illustrate this con-cept. Each of these examples ispredicated on the fact that all rawmaterials meet kosher standards:

(1) The cheese vat temperaturemust be below 120°F (Note: Thearticle referenced above mistakenlyused a temperature of 130°F). A ren-

net–set cheese such as cheddar,even when produced withouton–site rabbinic supervision andparticipation, creates a kosher wheyby–product. On the other hand, arennet–set cheese such as swiss,when produced without on–siterabbinic supervision and participa-tion, creates non–kosher whey sincethe cheese curd is cooked with thewhey above the 120˚F cut–off tem-perature.(2) Mixer–molder liquid (“Cookerwater”) cannot be introducedinto the whey stream. An Italiancheese such as mozzarella, after thecoagulation of the curd, undergoesa further process of cooking andstretching in a hot water bath(above 120˚F) before being molded.The by–product of this process,which contains valuable fats, can beintroduced into the whey stream

wherethe separationof the fat contentfrom both streams will occur (See:Sweet Cream and Whey Cream).The combining of these streams willtaint the kosher status of the whey. (3) Whey concentrates, proteinconcentrates and isolates muststem from kosher whey and beprocessed on kosher equipment.

Sweet Cream & Whey CreamSweet Cream (“Cream”), the fatskimmed from milk, is inherentlykosher. However, it must be ascer-tained that no other fat sourceshave been blended into this creamin order for it to retain its kosherstatus.

Whey cream, the cream sep-arated from whey, will havethe status of the whey fromwhich it is separated. If thewhey has been cooked withits non–kosher curd abovethe cut–off temperature or ifthe whey stream has beentainted with cooker water,

then the whey cream that is sepa-rated will be considerednon–kosher. Often, it is renderednon–kosher by containing cookercream that is separated from cookerwater.

In fact, small amounts of wheycream have been found to be pres-ent in products marketed as“cream” or “sweet cream”. This hasprompted the OU to design a creamapproval system. The OU’s researchdepartment has investigated hun-dreds of dairies and has determinedtheir kosher status for cream. Plantsthat have been found to separateonly their own sweet cream or onlybuy from similar sources have beenapproved as acceptable sources.However, plants that manufacturecheese or receive whey cream havenot been approved without accept-able kosher certification.

DAIRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Marketing TipsIf your companymaintains a websiteor puts out a tradejournal, be sure toinclude the fact thatyou are CERTIFIED.

4Many companieshave reportedincreased sales fromthis simple “advertis-ing” technique.

4Additionally, byincluding a link tothe OU’s website,you will enable allthose interested inyour product to learnfor themselves whatkosher means andwhy it is important toyou. In turn, we willbe happy to featureyour brand nameand logo – with a linkto your website – ona special OU client company page we are developing for this purpose.

4And finally, think howmuch you will benefitfrom placing the OU symbol in yourconsumer or tradeadvertising. Formany people, the OU is much like the“Good Housekeeping”symbol as anendorsement of yourproduct’s quality.

❝Are all cheesesviewed equally under kosher law?❞

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

www.ou.org 13

*** The OU has collated the entire list of acceptablecream sources and distributed it to client companies.This enables all OU companies to have access to numer-ous sources. This list can be used for pre–approval priorto an actual application to the OU office (which is stillrequired).

Our cream list is continuously updated, and weencourage you to contact your rabbinic coordinator orMs. Nechama Zweiback 212.613.8270, zweiback@ou.org) for copies of the list.

Kosher certification requires that independentlyverifiable and fail–safe systems be in place at cheesemanufacturing plants to protect the cream and wheyfrom being rendered non–kosher. The OU has suc-ceeded on a number of occasions to create these sys-tems. We have successfully set up plants where cookerwater is present and have certified the whey creamwith proper controls. This can be accomplished on anindividual basis.

Butter, Butter Oil and Anhydrous MilkfatButter (an emulsion of butterfat, water, air, coloring, andsometimes salt), made by the churning of cream andother ingredients, requires that all raw materials andequipment be kosher. As mentioned above, cream maybe kosher or non–kosher depending on the source of thecream and/or whey cream. Some butter plants use an

abundance of whey cream for lower grade and off–gradebutter. Even sweet cream, the primary component ofgrade AA and grade A butter, has been determined toneed proper kosher verification, as detailed above. Infact, we have confirmed with state and federal authori-ties that small amounts of whey cream can and at timesare added to the cream before the churning of AA butter.

All starter distillates and colors must also meetkosher approval. Obviously, the cream source for butteroil and anhydrous milk fat must also meet kosher stan-dards.

In conclusion, the dairy industry continues toexpand in different directions. New technologies, acqui-sitions and consolidations, HACCP program implemen-tations and plant expansions, have and will be some ofthe driving forces behind this movement. The OU strivesto remain abreast of the latest manufacturing and prod-uct trends (including the new milk–sourced mineralsfrom filtration referenced at the beginning of this arti-cle). We are willing and able to present seminars to theindustry or to meet individual companies one–on–oneto ensure that OU companies are maximizing theirkosher potential.

Rabbis Avram Ossey and Avraham Gordimerserve as rabbinic coordinators for the dairy industry.

UU

DAIRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

FOR MOST OU CERTIFIED COMPANIES, the Letters of Cer-tification are essential because without them orderscould not be filled. We therefore recognize how vital

it is that our companies receive their annual Certifica-tion renewals in a timely fashion. Outlined below is thesimple procedure necessary to facilitate renewal.

Every company registered with the OU is certified onan annual basis. Approximately six weeks prior to therenewal date, a mailing is sent to every company, whichincludes the company’s product listing broken down byplant – what we call the Schedule B. Also included are aset of forms comprising a Request for New ProductApproval, Request for Private Label Authorization, Prod-uct Termination and Private Label Termination. Sinceaccuracy is paramount, and the Letters of Certificationreflect the data on your Schedule B, we request that youreview the form closely for any inaccuracies that mayhave escaped your or our attention within the last twelvemonths.

Once you have reviewed your Schedule B, indicatingin the forms what changes have been made, you are now

ready to request your annual Letter of Certification. Anumber of Certification formats are available. Generally,by faxing in last year’s Certificate with a simple covernote requesting renewal, we are able to tell immediatelywhat kind of format you receive. Changes to yourschedule B should be faxed to your rabbinic coordinatoror to me at 212.613.0658. Letters of Certificationrenewal requests should be faxed to my attention at theabove fax number.

All renewal requests are processed within a day ortwo of receipt (provided that the company is in goodstanding with our office and all information is includedas outlined above). Generally, a copy is faxed prior tomailing. We are now happy to be able to offer .PDF ver-sions of your Letters of Certification which will beemailed to you. Email requests for renewals can be madeto fuldaz@ou.org.

Zehava Fulda serves as the Coordinator of Letters of Certification,Labels and Private Labels

UU

Letters of Certification By Zehava Fulda

14 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002

Oils Well That EndsKosher

IN A FANCY HOTEL in Johor Bahru,Malaysia, a poster warns that ifpatrons are caught bringing in

durians they will be fined five hun-dred ringgat, or $250. A durian isnot a drug, nor is it a weapon(although when I first read theposter I figured it must be); a durianis a fruit. Although some people in

Malaysia adore them, many othersfind the aroma, which is apparentlynearly impossible to remove, sick-ening. So the hotel managementhas aggressively discouraged itspatrons from bringing in theseunusual delicacies.

However, I was not in Malaysiato certify these controversial fruits,which, though not universallyappreciated, are inherently kosher. Iwas in Malaysia, as well as Indone-sia, because several OU certifiedcompanies are based in this bounti-

ful agricultural region that includesmillions of acres of palm andcoconut trees. Extracting oils fromthese trees makes up a large portionof the industrial effort here and sev-eral companies have taken advan-tage of the variety of ingredientsthat in turn can be derived fromoils. These products, called oleo-chemicals, have become an impor-tant part of ingredient formulationsin America and Europe and there-fore many of the oleochemical com-panies in this area have turned tothe OU for certification.

During my last trip to IndonesiaI spent a few days learning how theoleochemical industry in the regionworks. The plants are located prima-rily in Sumatra, which is the largestisland in the vast archipelago ofIndonesia. Sumatra is not a placediscussed in many tourist books,but it is one of the more fascinatingplaces I have ever been to. In orderto get there we drove through smallfishing villages where little hadchanged, at least technologically,for hundreds and hundreds of years

(save for the fact that a highwaynow runs through it).

In the midst of the humid andtropical region of North Sumatra Ifound the magisterial productionplants. Essentially what happens inthese plants is the breaking down ofcoconut, palm oil, palm stearin(itself derived from palm oil) andpalm kernel oil to its two majorcomponents: glycerine and fattyacids through the process of hydrol-ysis. The glycerine is then separatedand goes through its own process ofrefinement. Despite the fact thatglycerine comes from oil, it ismiraculously sweet. It is also clearand odorless and is a versatile ingre-dient for food formulations. It isused to moisten baked goods, toprevent crystallization in candiesand icings and as a solvent for fla-vors and colors. Hand lotions andother cosmetics often contain glyc-erine as well.

All oils by definition containglycerine and the glycerine that isseparated is identical, no matterwhat the source material. The qual-ity of the oil is therefore measuredby the length of the fatty acid com-position. Fatty acids, after beingseparated from the glycerine, areisolated and further refined.Depending on their length, fattyacids have a variety of applications,including their ability to be won-derful emulsifiers, plasticizers andtheir use in cosmetic applications.

with a Rabbinic Coordinator

Welcome to another installment of “On the Road,” a column thatfeatures OU RFRs’ experienceswhile certifying plants throughoutthe world. This report comes fromthe diverse and adventurousregions of Malaysia.

❝The companies in Malaysia and Indonesia areexcellent examples – communication is the bestguarantee that a certification program will prosper.❞

ON THEROADby Rabbi Gavriel Price

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

www.ou.org 15

Today, the market for kosherfoods is increasing. Kosher foodsin the U.S. represents over a $35billion market. Kosher foods arepurchased and consumed not onlyby the Jewish population but also byvegetarians, people with variousallergies and others who viewkosher foods as being a “higher”quality.

The Thomas’ and Enten-mann’s businesses take great pride inbeing kosher certified. It takes a great deal oftime and effort and not all companies qualify.Having products certified as kosher has become a sym-bol of quality and both the Thomas’ and Entenmann’sbusinesses are honored to be certified as kosher by theOrthodox Union.

Thomas’ and Entenmann’s are registered trademarks.Used with permission. ©Entenmann’s Products, Inc. 2002.All rights reserved.

Rabbi Raymond Morrisonserves as the rabbinic coordinator for George Weston Bakeries.

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ENTENMANN’S CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Back in Malaysia, an OU firm takes glycerine and oiland reacts the two to yield an even more sophisticatedproduct, mono and diglycerides. Mono and diglyceridesare used as emulsifiers and in many other specialty foodcontexts.

Indefatigable OU representatives visit Indonesia andMalaysia several times a year. They are careful to makesure that all raw materials are in line with the ScheduleA. In this case, “raw materials” include all processingaids, even for catalysts and other aids that may not bedetectable in the final product. The RFRs also reviewtransportation issues with the companies in order toguarantee that all product are being shipped—whetherthrough ISO—tank, tanker, or drums—in kosher ap-proved containers.

Malaysia and Indonesia are unfamiliar places to anAmerican like me–for one thing, they drive on the leftside of the street. But, by working together, a relation-ship can flourish. In the case of kosher supervision—andthe companies in Malaysia and Indonesia are excellentexamples—communication is the best guarantee that acertification program will prosper.

Rabbi Gavriel Price serves as a rabbinic coordinator for several of the OUcertified companies in the Far East.

UU

For applications to certify

NEW COMPANIES or ADDITIONAL PLANTS, call Civie Birnbaum at the

OU Applications Desk, 212.613.8249.

Among the companies in Malaysiaand Singapore Certified by the Orthodox Union are:

8Cognis Nutrition & Health

8Cognis Oleochemicals SDN BDH

8FPG Oleochemicals SDN BDH

8Fuji Vegetable Oil Inc.

8Palamaju Edible Oil SDN BHD

8PGEO

8Rikevita

8Shell Chemical

8Soon Soon Oilmills

8Tropical Consolidated Corp. SDN BHD

FREEWAY CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

ORTHODOX UNION

NON–PROF IT ORG .U .S . POSTAGE

P A I DSTATEN I SLAND , NY

PERMIT NO . 301

ORTHODOX UNIONEleven Broadway, New York, NY 10004

TO ORDER“THE KOSHER VIDEO”

CALL 212.613.8115

E–MAIL SAFRANE@OU.ORG

VISIT WWW.OU.ORG

Have You Seen It?Geared for food and marketingexecutives, as well as plant personnel, this 15–minute videoexplains what kosher reallymeans and how food becomesOU certified.

It can serve as a wonderful tool for your in–house KosherReview Seminar.

Have You Seen It?

NOW in

Spanish!

Rabbi Richard Levine, Rabbinic Field Rep-resentative Mid Atlantic Region, addressingan in depth session focusing on "EnhancingOrthodox Union and Companies' Relation-ships". The session chaired by RabbiEliyahu Safran, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator[to the left of Rabbi Levine], was alsoaddressed by Rabbi Avraham Gordimer,Rabbinic Coordinator and Rabbi MosheHeimowitz, RFR Upstate New York [pictured left to right].

Spring 2002 Kashrut Conference at Ramada PlazaLaGuardia Hotel, New York

Addressing a session on"Genetically EngineeredFoods and Kashruth" isDr. Robert Last, directorof Discovery Genomicsat Cereon GenomicsLLC. Rabbi MenachemAdler, Rabbinic Coordina-tor, chaired the session.