Update from the Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

UPDATE FROM THE GUIDE TO CHODOSH

Important new information is being received almost daily now. The Guide can 
not be published until all required information has been received. We 
currently estimate that the Guide will be ready around mid September. 
Meanwhile we plan to disseminate information on a frequent basis via E mail 
and news recordings on the voice Hot Line (845-356-5743). If you find the 
frequent E mails annoying, you may unsubscribe from the E mail list, as 
described below.

News as of Sept 03

For situations where specific Chodosh dates or package codes are not known, 
the following information may be used for general guidance. These estimates 
should not be used when more precise information is available in later 
sections.
Freshly baked products in local bakeries such as breads, challehs, rolls, 
bagels probably Chodosh starting: Sept 9 in the East and Far West, Aug 20 
in the Mid West.
Packaged foods containing wheat, other than pasta: Definitely Yoshon up to 
a packing date of Aug 12. Probably Yoshon if purchased up to Sept 11. After 
that package codes have to be used.
Packaged pasta probably safe if packed before Sept 15, probably safe to 
purchase up to Oct 6.
Foods containing oats probably safe if packed up to Sept 14, probably safe 
to purchase up to Oct 5.
Foods containing barley (other than malt) probably safe if packed up to 
Sept 14, probably safe to purchase up to Oct 5.

Also note that the oats Chodosh packing date for Quaker has been moved 
earlier, to Aug. 12!
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News as of Aug 29

It is recommended that those who purchase Yoshon products to be stored 
should do so now and not wait for the Guide to be published. By the time 
the Guide is ready, some items in the stores may be Chodosh already.

The following are current estimates freshly baked bakery products are 
probably Chodosh (unless baked especially from Yoshon flour) starting Sept 
10 in the East and Far West. The same bakery date for the Midwest is Aug 21.

Oats are probably Chodosh starting with a PACKING date of Sept 24. Probably 
Yoshon if purchased up to Oct 15. The known exception is Quaker oats for 
with the Chodosh packing date is Sept 9.

Barley products are probably Chodosh after the PACKING date of Sept 23. 
Packaged barley products are probably Yoshon up to Oct 14. Here, however, a 
major word of caution is due. The following brands have a Chodosh PACKING 
date of Aug 23: Trinidad, Benco, Jack Rabbit, Pathmark, Peak, Tender Cook.


News as of Aug 25

Updated estimates: Freshly baked bakery products such as breads, chalehs, 
pizza that are not baked from special Yoshon flour are probably Chodosh 
starting Aug 20 in the Midwest (such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland) and 
Sept 5 or later in the other parts of the USA. The earliest Chodosh date 
found so far is for spring wheat bakery flour from Cargill with a code of 
M2242 (M=factory, 224 is the day of the year for Aug 12, 2=year). The 
earliest date for bakery flour in the East is Sept 2 for Bay State Milling 
Co. We estimate that packaged wheat products should be Yoshon at least up 
to the purchase date of Sept 5. Dates are not yet available for oats and 
barley. Current estimates are that both should be Yoshon at least up to the 
purchase dates of Sept 10. These dates are subject to change. In any case, 
we urge people who store items that may become Chodosh during the season, 
to start their shopping now.

It seems that the USA oats crop is very small in quantity and poor in 
quality. Therefore, most companies are now using only Canadian oats for 
which the Chodosh date usually starts in October. Last year, only Quaker 
started earlier. We are still waiting for Chodosh date information from 
Quaker.

Quaker cereals sold in Israel have the same cutoff dates and codes as the 
cereals sold in the USA. For General Mills cereals sold in Israel, If the 
box has the O-U hashgocho symbol printed on it, then the American dates and 
codes apply.


News as of Aug 14

The harvest of the Chodosh crops is very much in progress, with about 1/3 
of the new spring wheat, about ¼ of the barley and about ¾ of the oats 
already harvested. I expect that some bakeries in the Mid West may already 
be using Chodosh spring wheat flour. More specific information will (BE”H) 
be forthcoming in the next few weeks in a series of these E mail bulletins, 
as well as news messages recorded on the Chodosh Hot Line (845-356-5743).

Regarding the three crops of interest, we expect that about 82% of the 
spring wheat will be Chodosh the upcoming season. Similarly, 94% of the 
durum spring wheat (used for noodles and other pasta), about 80% of the 
barley and about 73% of the American oats crop will be Chodosh.

________________________________________

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