The Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc) presents 10 kashrus questions that were answered in June 2013:
Q: Does Yuzu Juice need a hechser?
A: Yes, Yuzu juice requires a hechsher. In general, all bottled and canned juices require a hechsher.
Q: Do coffee filters need a hechsher?
A: No, coffee filters do not need a hechsher.
Q: What is the cRc policy on canned vegetables when the only additional ingredients are salt and water?
A: cRc policy requires a hechsher on all canned vegetables, even if the additional ingredients do not pose a kashrus concern. Canned vegetables are processed in a retort which can be used to produce non-kosher canned items.
Q: Does unflavored instant oatmeal need a hechsher? Can I make it on Shabbos?
A: Unflavored instant oatmeal does not need a hechsher. Instant oatmeal is made of finely rolled raw oats and one would not be allowed to make it on Shabbos.
Q: What is the cRc’s policy on fresh raspberries?
A: The cRc does not recommend using fresh raspberries due to insects.
Q: Does salmon need a hechsher?
A: Salmon is unique in that the skin color itself acts as a siman (identification sign) and a skin patch is not required. Accordingly, frozen salmon with no other kosher sensitive ingredients does not need a hechsher. Fresh salmon fillets do not need a hechsher either, but there are other concerns regarding the knives and cutting boards that need to be addressed before the purchasing them from a non-certified store.
Q: What is the cRc policy regarding corn on the cob?
A: Our investigations have not shown any significant infestation in corn on the cob in the USA.
Q: Does baking powder need a hechsher?
N: No, baking powder does not need a hechsher.
Q: Does toothpaste need a hechsher?
A: Rav Schwartz holds toothpaste doesn’t require hashgachah, but it is preferred to use varieties that do not contain kosher sensitive ingredients such as glycerin.
Q: Can the Stanley Cup be kashered?
A: In general, all metal cups can be kashered through immersing the cup into boiling water after not having been used for 24 hours. Under certain circumstances the law regarding a vessel not used within 12 months can be more lenient, and we hope that is not the case with the Chicago Blackhawks’s Stanley Cup!
To receive email kashrus alerts, send your name and email address to: alerts@crcweb.org. For more FAQs, visit CRCweb.org
Do flour or corn tortillas need a hechsher?
There was a recent article in Kashrus Magazine about ‘plain water’ that was pasteurized on the same machine as ??? (it needed to be kashered).
Is it worth paying a few cents more for water bottles that have a hechsher?
What is kosher sugar? Sugar is sugar.
Search Starbucks on COLlive and you will find at least 3 articles discussing kashrus there
Alternatively, visit http://www.KosherStarbucks.com
I know this is a bit off topic, but since it is summer and we all like to get refreshing drinks at starbucks, I was just wondering what is kosher there
and coca cola? coke?
1 Cocoa,2 Salt, 3 Sugar 4 , Rice, 5 Pasta, 6) Spices…?
Baking powder often contains cream of tartar, and there’s a machlokes haposkim whether it must be made from kosher wine. Presumably the CRC paskens that it’s permitted even from treife wine, but be aware that not everyone agrees. For instance, Kosher Australia holds that cream of tartar made from treife wine is not acceptable, and therefore that baking powder that contains it must have a hechsher.