Message from Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

The second issue of this year’s Guide to Chodosh went to the printer on Sunday,
Nov 27. The printed Guide should be available by the end of this week. As in
the past, you can request a text-only version of this latest Guide by E mail.
To do so, send E mail to :
Chodosh-request at jif.org.il

If your E mail system allows you to receive very large files, then type in the
body of the message as below. Make sure you use the exact text indicated,
including capital letters where shown:

get Guide.txt

If, like Juno, your system does not allow large files, then you can get the
Guide in 4 smaller installments by typing the following:

get Guide1.txt
get Guide2.txt
get Guide3.txt
get Guide4.txt

Meanwhile, as an update, we have reproduced below, the introductory section of
the new Guide.

Y. Herman



A SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS EDITION OF THE GUIDE
This is a summary of the changes that have become known since the printing of
the last issue of the Guide. These changes are gathered here and listed in
alphabetical order, to permit a quick review by the reader. The reader who is
very familiar with the previous edition of the Guide may choose to merely
review this list of corrections. However, for the convenience of everyone, each
of these corrections has been inserted in the appropriate locations in the
Guide below as well. In addition, the attention of the reader is called to each
item that has been corrected or added in this edition by bold print and a
bullet marking next to the changed section. In a few cases where the changes
are very lengthy, only a brief mention is made in this summary. 

SUMMARY OF THE BARLEY PROBLEM
This year, the barley situation has posed unexpected problems. The following is
a summary:
. Geffen barley is Yoshon at this time. When the company provides dating code
information for future purchases, this information will be made available on 
the Hot Line News recording and through the E mail updates. Vitarroz barley is
NOT Yoshon this year. The Chodosh packing date for the following brands of
barley is EARLIER than printed in the Guide: Benco, Jack Rabbit, Pathmark,
Peak,
Tender Cook, Trinidad. The new Chodosh packing date is Sept 25, code Nov 25
2001L (14 months after packing if the date is followed by the letter “L”) or
Sept 25 2001 (12 months after packing if the date is not followed by L).  Goya
barley, the Chodosh date is also earlier than estimated in the Guide. The
actual Chodosh date for Goya is Oct 16, code  029000 (0=not important, 290=day
of year, 00=year.) Ungers barley is NOT recommended as Yoshon until further
clarifications from the company. Martisco barley is NOT recommended at this
time. The company refuses to reveal the new dating code system. The probable
Chodosh date for barley has been moved up to Oct 2. Therefore, the probable
Chodosh code for Richfoods barley is Oct 2, 2001 (1 year after packing.)

OTHER WARNINGS

Heckers and Ceresota flours have for many years been always Yoshon. Some people
may not have noticed in the previous issue of the Guide that this flour now
contains about 30% Chodosh after the packing date of Aug 14.
HO Oats cereals, the Chodosh date is EARLIER than printed in the Guide. The new
Chodosh date for HO oats is Aug 14. The code is 24 months after packing, Aug
14, 2002.
Quaker Oats Chodosh date is EARLIER than printed in the Guide. The new Chodosh
date for Quaker oats is Aug 14. The code is 18 months after packing, Feb 14,
2002.
Ralston oats have a Chodosh date that is EARLIER than printed in the Guide. The
new Chodosh date is Nov 1. The code is 18 months after packing for hot cereals
(May 1, 2002) and 12 months for cold cereals (Nov 1, 2001).

THE IMPORTANCE OF USING THE LATEST GUIDE

This year illustrates why it is important for the Yoshon consumer to always use
the latest version of the Guide and not rely on earlier information for Yoshon
guidance. We had been warning from the early summer that the harvest of all
Chodosh crops will be substantially earlier than usual. It seems that this year
even the people producing the grain-based products were not keeping up to date
on the latest agricultural developments. That is why, we believe, we had so
many changes for barley and oats from the original Chodosh dates given by the
companies. In addition, it seemed that the winter wheat crop this year was of
lower quality than usual. That is why Ceresota and Heckers white flours, that
for many years were from 100% winter wheat, this year had to use some spring
wheat. This took many Yoshon consumers by surprise. 

 

ANNUAL MALT REMINDER 
We never found any malt manufacturer that begins to ship Chodosh malt from the
new barley crop earlier than Dec. 15. The malt is then shipped, Dec. 15 or
later, to other factories that begin to use it in the end products. Therefore,
using the terminology established in the Guide, all malt in foods is
“definitely” Yoshon before Dec 15. Up to Jan. 15 such malt is “probably” Yoshon
The following applications of malt pose a problem of Chodosh. Malt is used for
several purposes. Foods using malt for flavoring or coloring should not be used
if packed after Dec 15 or at least Jan 15 since that malt may be Chodosh. That
includes cereals flavored with malt such as Corn Flakes and Rice Crispies, as
well as most pretzels where it is used for coloring. Beer is also included in
the category of items which are Chodosh because of malt. (In the case of beer,
we recommend that the Dec 15 date should be used, not the probable date of Jan
15.)  In addition there are specialty vinegars such as malt vinegar, terragon
vinegar and salad vinegar which are made with high concentrations of malt. 
The following items, which we had urged our readers to avoid in past years, we
have since discovered, are not a problem so far as the malt content is
concerned. This includes baking flour that lists barley malt in the
ingredients. Also permitted are most vinegar-based items such as ordinary
household vinegar, and condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard,
pickles, etc.

NEW HASHGOCHOS
Note: The following products are under hashgocho for Yoshon. A letter of
certification is on file at the Guide to Chodosh. The Rav Hamachshir is your
assurance of the reliability of Yoshon arrangements. Please note that not all
items made by the company are Yoshon, unless specifically stated as such. The
Guide does not endorse any Rabbonim or products.


Brooklyn, the following under hashgocho of Kehilah Kashrus: Jerusalem Steak
House II, 1319 Ave J., Jerusalem Steak House Kings Highway 533 Kings Highway
and  Kinneret Steakhouse, 521 Kings Highway. Everything Yoshon except egg
noodles in the soup and anything produced with frozen dough such as Cigars and
pastry doughs, also except cous cous and Baguettes. Kings Highway Glatt, 497
Kings Highway. All items produced in the store are Yoshon. Olympic Pita, 1419
Coney Island Ave, only Lafa and pita breads are Yoshon. The schnitzel,  barley
in the soup and cous cous are NOT Yoshon.
Dependable Foods carries some commercial size pastas that are Yoshon under
hashgocho. The details were not available at the time of this printing.
Los Angeles: Sams Bakery (North Hollywood) and Schwartz Bakery are both Yoshon
under the hashgocho of the Rabbinical Council of California. Eilat Bakery under
the hashgocho of Kehilla of Los Angeles
Montreal, Canada: The Jewish Community Council of Montreal, issued their Yoshon
Update #2 on Nov2, 00. See Section 4.12A below for details.
Rothberg Bakeries, Long Island, NY. All items Yoshon under the hashgocho of the
KAJ.
Toronto, Canada. The COR of Toronto has issued their Yoshon Update #4. It
contains a comprehensive list of cereals, flour, noodles and pasta, bakeries,
pizza shops and other local establishments. This list is too lengthy to repeat
here. However it is reprinted in totality in Section 4.12A, below.

OTHER CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE GUIDE FOR ITEMS UNDER HASHGOCHO FOR
YOSHON
Detroit, New Local contact: Mashgiach for Yoshon is Binyomin Rothstein, 15101
Dartmouth, Oat Park, MI, 248-068-4950.
Dependable Foods is now providing a full line of Yoshon pasta in commercial
sizes. Please see Section 
Kemach has sent us a very extensive list of updated product listings. Those are
too lengthy to repeat here. However, the Kemach lists of each section of this
Guide have been updated. See Sections 3.4A, 3.5A, 3.8A, 3.11A and 3.15A.


OTHER CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE GUIDE WITHOUT HASHGOCHO FOR YOSHON

Anchel’s Bakery, 488 Hempstead Ave, West Hempstead, NY all items baked on
premises are Yoshon. Anchel’s bagels, sold wholesale are Yoshon.
Brown’s Best barley’, by the Kelley Bean Co. Probable Chodosh date Oct 2, code
Oct 2, 2003 (3 years after packing.
Caravan Dough conditioners have a probable Chodosh packing date of Sept 8. The
code given was incorrect. It should have been 1I08160 (1 not important, I=Sept
in alph order, 08=day, 16 not important, 0=year.)
Dougies Bar B-Q restaurant, 73-27 Main Street, Flushing, NY. All items in the
store are Yoshon, except Buffalo Wings. No hashgocho for Yoshon.
Eden Foods Soy beverages, see the revised listing in Section 3.14B.
England. Corrected telephone numbers: For Section 4.13A and B, England. The new
number from the USA to Rabbi Meir Posen is 011-020-8-800-5380. For Dayan
Berkovits 011-44-181-2-2-2263.  For Section 4.14 A and B, Switzerland, Rabbi B.
Posen, 011-4141-3207403.
Flour USA packs high gluten flour packaged in brown paper bags of 5 and 6 pound
sizes and sold in New York area groceries. These flours are NOT Yoshon at this
time.
General Mills Captain Crunch cereal. The date on the package is 270 days after
packing.
General Mills flour from factory V. The while all-purpose Gold Medal Flour is
from winter wheat. The Better For Bread flour from factory V contains 30%
spring wheat. White all purpose home baking flour from factory K is also from
winter wheat. Chodosh packing date Sept 15 (code Mar. 15, 2002). Gold Medal H&R
flour from factory D is from winter wheat. General Mills Gold Medal and Robin
Hood whole wheat flours From factory H, uses 100% spring wheat, Chodosh date
Aug 28, code Feb 28, 2001 (6 months after packing). From factory D the Chodosh
date is Sept 18, code March 18, 2001. From factory V the whole wheat flour is
50% spring wheat. Chodosh date Sept 15, code March 15, 2001 (The factory code
is the first letter following the date stamped on the package.)
General Mills Oats, the new Chodosh packing date is Nov 6.
King Arthur flour code may have changed so that the packing date of Aug 25 may
now be coded as 08 25 01 (08=Aug, 25=day, 01=year, 1 year after packing).
Kinneret and Kosherrific frozen products. The company has declined to
respond to
our repeated inquires for information. Therefore, we can not recommend any of
their products as Yoshon at this time.
Landau brand pasta made for the Chuster Company is Yoshon at least up to the
purchase date of Nov 15. This does not include Landau whole wheat pasta made
for the Landau Company which may be Chodosh. 
Liebers products: All Lieber products under the kashrus hashgocho of Rav
Weissmandl are Yoshon at least until the purchase date of Jan 31, 01. This
includes: bread crumbs, cake and cookie, and matzo ball mixes, cookies
(including those containing oats), and soup mixes, as well as cereals.
Manischewitz whole wheat matzos, crackers and other baked items are always
Yoshon. Manischewitz pasta and noodles have a Chodosh date of Oct 30, code 3040
(304=day of the year, 0=year).
Minneapolis, MN- New Local contact: R’ Meir Smith, 2637 Rahleigh Ave.
South, St.
Louis Park, MN, 612-915-9957.
Nabisco Shredded wheat, the company name changed to Post. It is still from
winter wheat.
Oronoque frozen pie crusts, the probable Chodosh packing date is Aug 25.
The new
code is 159 02580 (159 not important, for 0258, the 0 and 8 combine to 08=Aug,
the middle 25 is the day of the month, the 0 that follows =2000, the year.)
Pasta revised dates: The following brands of noodles and other pasta have a
revised Chodosh packing date of Dec 1: Bordens, Bravo, Creamette, Gioia,
Goodmans, Luxury, Pennsylvania Dutch, Prince, R&F, Red Cross, Ronco, Vimco,
code
0336 (0=year, 336=day of the year).
Pasta La Bella has a probable Chodosh date of Sept 25, code Sept 25, 2002 (2
years after packing.)
Pillsbury flours are mentioned in Sections 3.8B and 3.9B of the Guide. However,
the explanation of the code was left out of the Guide. A dating code of I0S07
would be Sept 7, 00 (I=Sept in alph order, 0=year, S=factory, 07=date.)
Pillsbury home bread flour from factory E is from winter wheat.
Pizza Pious has a second location: 18 East Park Ave., Long Beach NY. Has Yoshon
pizza, falafel and salads.
Post wheat cereals have listed a probable wheat Chodosh date of Sept 2. The
sample code for this date was printed in error it should be Sept 2, 2001.
Pride of the Farm cookies and ice cream is Yoshon.
Sabra Puffed Pastry Dough is NOT Yoshon.
Smilowitz Bakery, 325 Rutledge St. Brooklyn. All products are Yoshon, including
the C&L frozen kishke. No hashgocho for Yoshon.
Yossie’s Heimishe Bakery and Sweethouse, 4406 14th Ave and 5717 18th Ave,
Brooklyn, all items are Yoshon-no hashgocho for Yoshon.


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This gets the estimates of percentage Yoshon for this year.



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