Important news from the Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

*CHODOSH BULLETIN-18 Jan 08*

*From the Guide to Chodosh-Y. Herman*

*Chodosh telephone Hot Line 718-305-5133, email **yherman at earthlink.net* 
<mailto:yherman at earthlink.net>**

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*NEW MALT PROBLEMS.*

*SPELT IS ALWAYS YOSHON!*

*MALT PROBLEM*

We were informed by the COR kashrus organization of Toronto that malt in 
cereals and other such products that are produced in Canada may be 
Chodosh starting the unexpectedly early packing date of Sept 21 07. We 
do not know yet how this earlier malt date affects Canadian beer. This 
new development was reportedly caused by the fact that many Canadian 
farmers who used to grow barley are now finding it more profitable to 
grow crops that can be used for conversion to automobile fuel. 
Consequently, there is a shortage of old-crop barley. The early malt 
starting dates are expected to be repeated in the future.

Regarding products made in the USA, this Canadian development has a 
direct bearing on Kellog cereals some of which used Canadian malt. 
Therefore, the revised Chodosh code for malt in Kellog cereals in the 
USA is Sept 21 08. So far a we know, the Chodosh date for other USA 
companies remains Dec 15. However, we were warned by industry sources 
that the _next_ season, the fall on 2008, the Chodosh malt starting date 
in the USA may be significantly earlier than usual due to the unusually 
high demand this year for US grown barley to be used as animal feed 
overseas.

*SPELT*

The Guide had stated that spelt products in the USA may be Chodosh 
beyond a cutoff date due to the fact that they may contain Canadian 
spelt that was assumed to be mostly a spring crop. It turns out that 
that assumption was due to incorrect information given to us. With the 
corrected information as outlined below, it appears that there should be 
no Chodosh problem at all with spelt products produced in the USA.

The correct facts are as follows:

   1. The spelt grown in the USA is always a winter crop and is Yoshon.
   2. About 80% of the spelt grown in Canada is a winter crop, only
      about 20% is a spring crop that may be Chodosh. Most of the spelt
      in Canada is grown in Ontario, which is on the eastern part of
      Canada. This spelt is almost 100% winter crop. The climate in
      Ontario can support either winter or spring crops. However the
      winter crops usually yield a much bigger harvest. So Ontario will
      only produce a spring spelt under the rare occurance of a failure
      of the winter crop. Factories that use spelt that are in the
      eastern half of the USA would most likely use either USA grown
      spelt or the spelt that comes from the nearby Canadian region of
      Ontario. In either case, this would be a winter crop. The 20%
      spring spelt is grown in Western Canada.

Therefore, our conclusion that the spelt used in products made in the 
USA can be assumed to be free from Chodosh problems is based on the 
following. As always, for halacha, check with your own Rav or Posek.

   1. It is quite likely that spelt products made in the USA should use
      locally grown spelt that is Yoshon.
   2. Even if they use Canadian spelt, 80% of that is a winter crop and
      is Yoshon.
   3. In the eastern part of the USA, it is probable that much more then
      80% of the imported Candian spelt should be Yoshon. This is
      because Ontario which is in the east part of Canada basically
      produces only winter spelt. The spring spelt is produced in
      Western Canada almost excusively.
   4. Even if the Canadian spelt should be a spring crop, it may be last
      years and would be Yoshon.

We would like to thank Rabbi Norman of the COR in Toronto and Rabbi 
Jaffee of the kashrus organization in Montreal who pointed out that our 
assumptions about Canadian spelt being mostly Chodosh may not be 
correct. We were able to confirm their information independently from 
industry and university sources.

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*OTHER CORRECTIONS TO THE SECOND ISSUE OF THE GUIDE TO CHODOSH AS OF 18 
Jan 08*

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*CORRECTION: *The codes in the Guide that are based on the day of the 
year may be off by one day. In reconing the code, we forgot to account 
for the fact that February in the year ’08 is 29 days long.

*CORRECTION: General Mills Corn Chex* cereal, for the 16 ounce size the 
code is 341 days after packing. Therefore, the Chodosh code for the malt 
in this cereal is Nov 21 08. For the 14 ounce size the code is 372 days, 
giving the malt date of Dec 22 08. The code for Rice Chex should also be 
changed to 372 days.

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*? Kedem* soups with noodles and pasta, Chodosh date Aug 16, code H16G 
(H=Aug in alph order, 16=day, G=2007)

*? Kemach* updates: Grocery sizes of elbow macaroni and spaghetti have 
the revised Chodosh code of Dec 1 2008. Bulk, food service 10 lbs egg 
bows have the Chodosh code of 3357 (335=day of year, 7=year.) All 
flavors of flat breads have the revised Chodosh code of January 1 2009. 
Kemach vegetable soup Chodosh code is1609 (160=day of the year, 
9=year+2). Toasted oats, Honey Nut Toasted Oats, Fruit Whirls, Honey 
Crunch (like Honeycombs), Corn Crisps (like Kix), Bunch ‘O Krunch, all 
have a Chodosh date of Sept 1 08. However those with codes of Sept 19 
and Sept 21 still use oats that are 75% Yoshon and 25% Chodosh (for 
those who wish to be lenient for foods that are mostly Yoshon.) All 
cereals have a malt date of Feb 29 09 (1 year after packing.) Malt in 
crackers may be Chodosh starting with a package code of 7349 (7=year, 
349=day of the year.) The malt in the flour may be Chodosh, even with a 
Yoshon label, after the packing date of Mar 1 08, code Sept 1 09 (18 
months after packing.)

*? Wheatena* cereal uses winter wheat only.

*X Strauss Bakery*. 5115 13^th Ave Brooklyn The Yoshon status of this 
bakery has not yet been confirmed. So far it has been confirmed that 
items listed in the Guide under the section for Frozen Foods, for 
Strauss Bakery frozen doughs as being Yoshon under the hashgocho of the 
O-U are correct.

*? Kellogs* cereals that contain malt but no wheat barley or oats, the 
malt may be Chodosh starting Sept 21 (code Sept 21 08).

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*THE FOLLOWING AS OF 31 DEC 07*

*Greenwald Caterers*, Lakewood, NJ. Yoshon available on request only. 
Under the hashgocho of Rabbi Gornish.

*Adirim* pasta. The farfel is Yoshon all season. All other Adirim noodle 
and pasta products have a Chodosh code of 26 11 09 (26=day of the month, 
11=Nov, 09=year+2). Under the hashgocho of Rabbi Shlomo Gissinger.

*Milk & Honey *has two listings on 10^th Ave, Brooklyn. The second, Milk 
& Honey Restaurant 5013 10^th Ave should be deleted.

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*THE FOLLOWING AS OF 17 DEC 07*

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*WARNING:* *Beigels* whole wheat breads and bread doughs are all 
Chodosh. We have received reports of some frozen whole wheat doughs 
having a Yoshon label on them. That is an error, these are all Chodosh 
according to the company.

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*Unger* pizza crust ,both 12 inch and 6 inch size, the revised Chodosh 
code is Apr 9 08. Under the hashgocho of the Bais Din of New Square.

*Pizza Mizza* in Brooklyn is no longer under the hashgocho of the 
Kehilah Kashrus. Therefore, it should be deleted from the Guide.

*Dougies on the Run* in Baltimore is under the hashgocho for kashrus of 
the Star-K. It is not certified as Yoshon.

*Bagel Nosh, *380 Clifton Ave, Lakewood is listed on page 5 of the 
Guide. That was included by mistake and should be deleted. The Guide 
does not list any information about Bagel Nosh.

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*FOLLOWING AS OF 6 DEC 07*

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The second issue of the Guide to Chodosh has been made available by 
email and BBS during the week of Nov 12. It was mailed out to all paid 
subscribers in the beginning of the week of Nov 25. The following are 
corrections to the new Guide

*WARNING*: According to the Star-K of Baltimore, * Shindler* fish sticks 
and fish nuggets in _blue* *_packages are Chodosh until further notice. 
Shindler products in packages of other colors are still Yoshon.

*REVISED URGENT WARNING: GEFEN BARLEY*

The Gefen Company asked that an urgent bulletin be issued. Two batches 
of Gefen barley, that went to the stores during the week of Nov 11, are 
NOT YOSHON. These have the codes of 10-22-09 and 10-29-09. Gefen had a 
contract with a company to store Yoshon barley to last the entire 
season. However, that company went bankrupt and the stock of Yoshon 
barley was liquidated. Gefen has not been able to secure replacement 
stocks of Yoshon barley. _Therefore, until further notice, all Gefen 
barley with date code of 10-22-09 or later is Chodosh._

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*Brewer’s yeast*. It is questionable whether this poses a Chodosh 
problem or not. Brewer’s yeast is listed as an ingredient in some foods 
such as some potato chips.

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*Streits* noodles are usually Yoshon under hashgocho. However, one batch 
of Streits noodles has been produced that is Chodosh. The bags of 
Chodosh noodles have a sticker warning that it is not Yoshon. All bags 
without such a sticker are Yoshon.

*Kemach* updates: Grocery sizes of elbow macaroni and spaghetti have the 
revised Chodosh code of Dec 1 2008. Bulk, food service 10 lbs egg bows 
have the Chodosh code of 3357 (335=day of year, 7=year.) All flavors of 
flat breads have the revised Chodosh code of January 1 2009.

*Masbia* barley is not being produced any more. Any of this barley on 
the market is certain to be Yoshon.

*Kineret *chalehs produced in the USA are probably not Yoshon as of the 
purchase date of Nov 26, according to the mashgiach.

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*KCL hashgochos in Lakewood*. On page 55 of the new Guide there is a 
statement that KCL does not give any hashgochos yet on Yoshon. That was 
, by mistake, copied from the previous issue of the Guide. In fact, the 
KCL does give several hashgochos for Yoshon, as detailed on page 56 of 
the new Guide.

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I encourage you to download the complete PDF version of the new Guide by 
sending a blank email message to ONE of the following:

chodosh at sefer.org <mailto:chodosh at sefer.org>

chodosh at moruda.com <mailto:chodosh at moruda.com>

The introductory part of the Guide, the part that did not change from 
the first issue to the second, can be requested by sending a blank email to

chodosh-intro at sefer.org

These are also available, as usual, from our BBS.

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