u behind the nionsymbol - kosher t is not simply a letter of understanding nor is it a mere...

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WITH ITS ROOTS in providingnutritious food products, Nestléwas founded in 1847 when

Henri Nestlé developed the world’s firstinfant food for babies who were unableto breastfeed. Over 157 yearslater, providing the verybest in nutritiousfood and beverageproducts is still acompany priority.Nestlé has been com-mitted to making goodfood for all occasions inlife—from the first cupof Nescafé® coffee in themorning to an eveningtreat with Nestlé® TollHouse® candy bars. Nestlé isalso known around the worldfor its high standards of qual-ity. Therefore, Nestlé’s under-standing of the integral role foodplays in life, coupled with its devotion toquality, spurs on its commitment to pro-viding kosher products.

Nestlé USA has been named FortuneMagazine’s “Most Admired Food Com-pany” six years in a row. With 2002 salesof $11.1 billion, Nestlé’s well-known

brands include Nestlé® Toll House®,Nestlé® Nesquik®, Nestlé® Coffee-mate®,Nescafé®, and Nestlé® Carnation®. NestléUSA is part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey,

Switzerland—the world’s largestfood company with 2002 salesof $57.6 billion.

Nestlé USA and theOrthodox Union (OU) havea long-standing relationshipthat dates back to the orig-inal Nestlé Foods Corpora-tion, which was openedin the United States in1900. Kosher was a pri-ority for Nestlé’s initialconfections businessin this country. Thecompany establisheda close relationship

with the OU, which wasits local kosher certifying agency

as well as the largest such agency in theUnited States. In addition, Nestlé recog-nized that the OU symbol is the mostwidely known kosher symbol and ishighly regarded for the certification stan-dards it represents. Nestlé acquired othercompanies through the years, and whenthey were consolidated into Nestlé USA

Unionbehind the

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WINTER 2004

Industry TrendsBehind the Scenes of Flavor Companies

Test Your Kosher IQ

Let's Talk More Turkey

Resources for Success

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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

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symbolsymbol

}Nestlérecognized that the OUsymbol is themost widelyknown koshersymbol and ishighly regardedfor the

certificationstandards itrepresents.~

Spotlight on OUCompanies

Nestlé USA: Providing Good Food for Kosher Lifeby Nicole Turner-Stone

IT IS NOT SIMPLY a letter of understanding nor is ita mere affirmation of trust or faith between twotrusting partners; it is a legally binding contract

governing the “terms and conditions pursuant towhich OU will supervise and permit the certification”of a given company’s products. It is the contract(“deemed to be executed and delivered in the State ofNew York and shall be construed and enforced inaccordance with the laws and decisions of said Stateapplicable to contracts made and performed entirelywithin said State”) that legally binds the two signato-ries, the Orthodox Union and the company, whosesignatures are now affixed to a seven-page agreementwhich “supersedes all prior written and oral agree-

ments between the OU andthe Company and may notbe amended or modifiedexcept by a writing signed byboth parties.”

It is this contract, co-signed by the company andthe OU, which clearly enun-ciates all policies and regula-tions governing the koshercertification of a given com-pany’s products and therebypermits the use of the OUsymbol which is “a registeredtrademark of the Kashrut Divi-sion of the Orthodox Union.”

It is imperative that com-panies’ corporate officials,usually involved in the exe-cution of the contract whenfinalizing its certificationwith the OU’s New CompanyRabbinic Coordinator, filterdown to the plant and man-ufacturing levels the con-tract’s contents and dailyobligations. Manufacturingexecutives, quality assurancedirectors and plant managersmust be enlightened about,and made fully aware of, allthat will ultimately be partof their daily responsibilitiesin implementing and assur-ing all of the contract’s obli-gations. This will obviouslyinclude the responsibility toascertain that all raw materi-als in the plant conform to

Schedule A, and that all finished products bearing theOU or OUD symbol produced in the certified plant con-form to Schedule B. But there is more about the con-tract that must filter down and be made abundantlyclear at the plant levels.

Your contract stipulates that OU-certified produc-tion is limited to the specific plant(s) mentioned inthe contract (2a). Should your company manufactureproduct at other facilities and seek to place the OUsymbol on this product, it is required that the newmanufacturing facility first become OU certified andauthorized to produce the certified product. Place-ment of the OU symbol on product manufactured atplants not authorized by an OU contract constitutes amaterial breach of the original contract and is a viola-tion of federal trademark law.

In order to protect the consumer, the mutual focusof our relationship, your OU contract contains a par-allel product clause. This means that your companycannot manufacture identical product in kosher andnon-kosher versions, even if only the kosher varietybears the OU symbol. The purpose of this limitation isto safeguard consumers from accidentally purchasingthe non-kosher version of the product, mistaking it forthe kosher one. (It is our experience that consumersreadily identify with products which are known to beOU-certified. When otherwise loyal consumers realizethat the identical product is not always kosher, theirtrust in the product is challenged, and they view thebrand as less “user-friendly.”)

It is therefore important to assure that any newmanufacture of product which is identical to productalready certified be brought to the attention of yourrabbinic coordinator so that the OU can arrange forthe product, wherever it is made, to bear the OU sym-bol. Sometimes increased sales of your new successfulproducts may not call for new plants, but for more

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

n n n

DR. CHAIM WASSERMANChairman, Joint Kashrut Commission

RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEINDirector, Business Management

ANNA FULDACoordinator, Letters of Certification, Labels, Private Labels

n n n

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

STEPHEN STEINEREditor

PAMELA WEIMANGraphic Designer

OrthodoxUnion

From the Editor

} Increased familiarity byyour plant’s staffs withyour company’s OU con-tract will undoubtedlyreduce kosher mistakesand misunderstandings.~


2 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER 2004

by Rabbi Nathan Neuberger

FOOD MANUFACTURERS READILY acknowl-edge the importance of flavors in the design ofa food product. Soy milk, for example, would

never be the success it is today without the sophis-ticated flavor systems that mask the off-taste of nat-ural soy. Newer, more exotic, beverage flavors arethe alpha and omega of the beverage industry. Butwhen you ask most people in the food industrywhat goes into the flavors so critical to their prod-ucts, they will lack even an inkling of the basicbuilding blocks.

In fact, the flavor industry is a closed book tonearly everyone outside this growing sector, but myposition here at the OU, together with the Directorof the Flavor Department, Rabbi Moshe Zywica, hasafforded me an opening into the wonderful andmysterious world of flavors. While confidentialityagreements limit discussion of some of the things Iencounter in my job, some of my experiences canbe freely shared.

The first striking aspect about the flavor industryis that the people involved in developing flavors—the flavorists— have a language all their own. It’s alanguage of organic chemistry: strawberry flavor ismade of ethyl esters, amyl acetate, heliotropin, anddozens of other obscure and not so obscure chemi-cals. It’s a language of aroma descriptors: “top

notes,” “green notes,” “bottom notes” are central tothe experience of a flavor. And it’s finally a languageof a poet and of a chef: caramelized, intenselysweet, cooked, earthy, rancid, woody, tangy, linger-ing, even painty are some of the adjectives flavoristsuse to describe their creations. Philosophers maydebate whether any given individual’s experience ofa chocolate bar can really be communicated. But aska flavorist and he will give you an entire lexicon.

Flavorists deliberately cultivate a low-profile. Fla-vor houses are exceedingly secretive about what theydo. Rarely have I visited a flavor company withouthaving to sign a confidentiality agreement, eventhough we had already agreed to that through the OUcontract. There are several reasons for their secrecy.

First, ingenious methods of developing flavorsare the trick of the trade of flavorists. Who wouldthink that autolyzed yeast, converted from beerdregs, could be used in a cheese flavor? And, forthose who think that natural vanilla flavor comesfrom a vanilla bean, just read US patent number6,235,507—natural vanilla flavor can also be devel-oped by fermentation of ferulic acid—a chemicalderivative of rice.

Sometimes, ingenuity is expressed not by novelproduction methods but by putting together unusualcombinations of conventional ingredients. Any oneof the flavors we certify is the result of a dizzyingarray of chemicals. Some of them distinguish them-selves precisely because, hidden in the myriad ofother chemicals, is an unexpected aroma that pro-vides an unexpected, barely detectable, “note.”

In fact, flavorists, concerned that some of theirmasterpieces will be copied by competitors, willdeliberately add flavor chemicals that help hide thetrue content of the flavor. Analysis of a flavor can bedone through sophisticated equipment called gaschromatography. Flavors may contain chemicalsthat will deliberately obscure analysis of the truecontent of the flavor. Some customers will specifi-

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Behind the Scenes of the Amazing(ly secret) World of a Flavor Company

}Because every chemicalthat is detectable to thehuman nose is considered ameaningful part of the flavor,the kosher status of the entireflavor turns on whether eachand every flavor ingredient is acceptable. ~

by Ilana Kurts

WHETHER IT’S MAKING A TOAST at a holidayparty, or eating Grandma’s famous pot roast at afamily gathering, the acceptability of almost

everything that passes our lips is to some extent depend-ent on its flavor. The flavor industry, with about a $10billion worth of annual global revenue, dedicates muchtime and resources to creating the perfect flavor for aparticular customer.

The flavor industry is consumer-driven. Many peo-ple today do not have enough time to prepare a mealfrom scratch; and they are more interested in a fast,nutritious, and tasty alternative. About 90 percent of themoney that Americans now spend on food goes to buyprocessed food. Taste usually determines whether theybuy it again. The pasteurizing, canning, freezing, anddehydrating techniques used in processing destroy mostof food’s flavor and so a huge industry has arisen in theUnited States to make processed food more palatable.

At the same time, the interest in kosher products israpidly growing. It has been estimated that about one-third of all shelf products in U.S. grocery stores arekosher certified. Some people, such as Jews, Muslims,Seventh Day Adventists, and vegetarians, adhere tokosher laws out of conviction. Much of the interest,however, comes from people who feel that kosher certi-fied products are of higher quality.

Kosher requirements add their own flavor to the fla-vor process. A simple natural raspberry flavored drinkthat a consumer may find on the shelf of a supermarketcan present a myriad of kosher concerns. The beautifulcrimson color of the raspberry drink may be contributedfrom carmine, which is derived from the dried bodies ofinsects. The raspberry flavor itself may contain civet,which is derived from cats. Neither product, therefore,is kosher.

Ultimately, the responsibility to set-up and maintaina kosher program falls to the quality control group or theregulatory group within a manufacturer. Oftentimes,selling flavors must be reformulated in response to thedemand. An approved raw material list should be avail-able to the flavor chemist for new formulations. Due toglobalization and the desire for variety, the Americanpalate is constantly expanding and changing. Ethnic fla-vors and variances increase the multiple variables thatthe flavor chemists must take into consideration.

Raw material vendors are constantly presenting newproducts to the flavor chemist, hoping that their new

material will be used in the latest and greatest flavors.Because most food and beverage manufacturers requestkosher certified flavors from their flavor suppliers, theflavor chemist will not even evaluate a raw materialwithout a kosher certification.

For a flavor to be kosher certified, the manufacturermust provide a comprehensive list of every ingredient inthe product, including stabilizers, preservatives, releaseagents, and flavors so that a kosher certifying agency isable to trace each ingredient to its original source. Addi-tionally, every step in the manufacturing process, everycleaning agent used on the processing equipment and allother products produced in that facility require closesupervision.

After the detailed supervision is conducted by a par-ticular kosher agency such as the OU, changes in theingredients or processes may be required before theagency can do any further work. Once all is satisfactoryto the OU, the necessary amount of on-site supervisionwill be determined. To obtain kosher certification, themanufacturer must sign a contract agreeing neither tochange a formulation, nor to change the ingredient sup-pliers without prior or written consent from the OU. Anactual on-site inspector will be assigned by the OU to ver-ify that the company is in compliance with the contract.

The result of all this should be a product that satis-fies the palate even as it meets the most stringentrequirements of Jewish law.

Ilana Kurts is associate flavorist at Danisco, USA.


} A simplenaturalraspberryflavoreddrink that a consumer mayfind on the shelf of a super-market can present a myriadof kosher concerns.~

A Primer on Flavors and the Kosher Process:

Yummy, This Tastes Good !

Rabbi Nathan Neuberger

Rabbi Nathan Neuberger was born and raised in Baltimore. He attended severalprestigious yeshivas, including Ner Israel of Baltimore and Toras Chaim of Den-ver. He also studied in Israel at Yeshivat Hanegev and Heichal Hatorah Btzion forthree years. He then returned to the United States to further his studies at thewell-known Bais Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, NJ, where he studied full-timefor eight years, mastering many subjects pertaining to kosher certification. RabbiNeuberger received his rabbinic ordination from the Lakewood yeshiva.

Seven years ago Rabbi Neuberger joined the Orthodox Union’s Kashrut Divi-sion as a rabbinic coordinator specializing in the certification of flavors. Histechnical ingenuity and background in Jewish law made him most suitable tojoin the field of kosher supervision. Being knowledgeable about computers, hehas orchestrated the installation of systems that have enhanced the OU kosher

certification process. Aside from co-directing the flavor department with Rabbi Moshe Zywica, Rabbi Neu-berger has successfully managed several challenging projects, including serving as rabbinic coordinator forCampbell’s first kosher certified soup, Vegetarian Vegetable.

Married with four children, Rabbi Neuberger resides in Lakewood, New Jersey.

OU

pro

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cally ask that no such “masking” flavors be added toa flavor.

The final profile of the flavor is determined byhow much of each one of the potent flavor ingredi-ents is used. Items may be used at levels of parts pertrillion, and yet can still be sensed. They are sensedprimarily by the olfactory system (that is, the nose)but are virtually undetectable in the lab, which canonly detect parts per billion. As one flavor chemist,surrounded by $750,000 of analytical equipment,once remarked to me, “Nothing is more powerfulthan the noses God gave us.” Yes, flavor is detectedprimarily by the nose; hence the phrase, “I have acold and can’t taste anything.” Jewish law takes theimpact of flavors very seriously and considers as signif-icant any detectable (by the nose, that is) ingredient.

The way a flavor behaves in a particular applica-tion is also part of the wisdom of flavor creation.Certain forms of processing may allow for a timereleased, temperature released, or pressure releasedflavor with a long shelf life

Finally, confidentiality revolves around sourcematerials and suppliers. Although recent legislationdesigned to protect against bioterrorism has createdsome hurdles in getting raw materials from some dis-tant lands, the flavor industry continues to draw onbotanical and other flavoring materials from the farreaches of the earth. Essential oils, so central to fla-vor creation, can come from the Middle East, Africa,Europe, South America. Glycerin comes fromMalaysia and Indonesia, oleoresins from India, fattyacids, from Europe, citrus derived chemicals fromSouth America. Flavorists will not turn any stoneuncovered in search of new and interesting flavoringmaterials.

KOSHER CERTIFICATION: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

While I have learned about a whole new world in theflavor industry, it seems that some of our contactshave also learned quite a bit since they becameinvolved in kosher certification. Their education, like

FLAVOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

} Flavors may contain chemicals that will deliberately obscure analysisof the true content of the flavor. Some customers will specifically ask thatno such “masking” flavors be added to a flavor. ~

OU COMPANIES Speak


by Pamela Murphy

MOTHER MURPHY’S LABORATORIES, INC.is a third generation flavor company spe-cializing in the manufacturing of flavors

and extracts for the baking, beverage, dairy, indus-trial feed, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical andtobacco industries. We have a staff of more than 75individuals dedicated to serving our customer’svery specific needs. Whether these needs are a spe-cial spray dried flavor or a custom blending of aunique vanilla extract, our highlytrained flavor chemistsare always ready todevelop a flavorto suit a cus-tomer’sneeds.

Our manu-facturing facilitiesare located in Greens-boro, North Carolina and wemaintain sales offices in Chicago, Nashville,Atlanta, Dallas, Greensboro, San Diego, San Fran-cisco and two in New Jersey. Our manufacturingfacility is HACCP approved and inspected often byvarious organizations (e.g., AIB) and it is main-tained for cleanliness to a very high standard.

Our plant in Greensboro is equipped with themost modern equipment available for the labora-tory as well as for production. As a result, MotherMurphy’s can be responsive as well as competitivein today’s ever-changing business climate. Evenfurther, Mother Murphy’s has established a very

aggressive quality control system to ensure consis-tency with every batch.

As in 1945, today sees Mother Murphy’s focusto be on the customer’s need for a distinctive andquality flavor in conjunction with excellent serviceand cost value. We have seen the refinement anddevelopment of America’s flavor pallet and oftennow, the taste of a product is the key to competi-tive success. Why? Because it’s the element that the

senses notice, and what the brainremembers.

Good taste iswhat this Murphy

family-held busi-ness is all aboutand our exten-

sive line of flavor-ings provides the

ultimate in quality andconsistency. Whether natural or

synthetic, liquid or powder, we have the flavorchemists and flavor laboratory facility capable toproduce any custom blended flavor needed. Withmore than 60 years of experience in the art and sci-ence of producing a quality flavor, our expertiseassures our customers that we can understand theirspecific flavor needs. Combined with personal serv-ice, we’re able to deliver all the ingredients that willkeep our customers coming back.

One of those services is our dedication to keep-ing a kosher plant. With the Orthodox Union’shelp, we’ve been able to maintain a vast raw mate-


} We have often heard thata flavor house is one of themost challenging to certifybecause of the quantity ofraw materials used in theflavor compounds we sell. ~

Mother Murphy’s Laboratories

FOUNDED IN 1928 in Southern California by aJewish immigrant, Sigmond Scisorek, an Aus-trian who achieved his expertise in flavor

chemistry as a young man in France and Switzer-land, S&S Flavors has a rich tradition for develop-ing products of exceptional quality whileproviding unsurpassed service to a variety ofindustries

As a dedicated custom manufacturer, we spe-cialize in creating proprietary and exclusive prod-ucts that have been developed with only the finest

raw materials, all of which are kosher certified,chosen carefully in order to achieve the highestperformance in the finished product. Our techni-cal staff is dedicated to formulating original flavorsthat capture the customer’s vision by combiningtheir talents and experience with our extensivelibrary of imaginative and unique flavors devel-oped over three generations.

Our company has been built on quality andcustomer satisfaction first and foremost. We honorour commitment to providing satisfying solutionsto each individual need. We welcome involvementin new and creative projects from our customers,both large and small, and guarantee the degree ofhonesty, professionalism and expert service thatour reputation and success has been built upon.

We are grateful to have been certified by theOrthodox Union since the early 1940’s. We trulybelieve that our association with this outstandingorganization has been a tremendous contributor toour success in all phases of our business. Weproudly carry the OU symbol on our products asan exclamation point and a testament to theimpeccable standards that the icon represents.

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OU COMPANIES Speak

GOLD COAST Ingredients,Inc., has been in businesssince 1985 and has grown

from a small niche supplier ofspecialty ingredients to a man-

ufacturer of flavors, coloringproducts and fillings.

We pride ourselves on our proactive kosherprogram, which includes computerized applica-tion forms that come from the exact database usedfor our formulas. Coupled with our bar code scan-ning system, we find that adherence to the kosherprotocol has become automatic and allows us to

work quickly and efficiently with the OrthodoxUnion and our rabbinic coordinator, Rabbi Neu-berger, thereby speeding the process of providingclients with accurate Letters of Certification.

In the years that we have worked with theOrthodox Union, we have witnessed a consistentimprovement of procedures, understanding andcustomer service while simultaneously maintain-ing the highest standards demanded by ourclients.

James A. Sgro, President

Gold Coast Ingredients

S&S Flavors


by Rabbi Avrohom Stone

AS A DEVOTED READER of Behind the Union Sym-bol, you rightfully pride yourself on being aknowledgeable and savvy kosher food profes-

sional. After all, BTUS has given you cutting-edge infor-mation on new developments in kosher foodprocessing, insight into the “how’s, what’s and why’s”of those often confounding kosher rules, and back-ground into the basics of maintaining a smoothly oper-ating OU kosher program.

Now, for the moment of truth. How well do youreally understand your OU kosher program? Behind theUnion Symbol is pleased to present a short quiz that youcan use to test your kosher I.Q. The questions on this testhave been developed by the OU team of social scientistsand have been carefully screened through focus groupsand analyzed to ensure accurate results. Submit youranswers via e-mail to your company’s rabbinic coordina-tor to learn your score. Results will remain confidential.

1. Definition #1 — SELECT ONE

KOSHERIZE

A)B) The letters in the kosher alphabet that come after

kosher “h”sC) What a “kosherist” does when he instills kosher

through application of kosher rules D) The process through which equipment or utensils

that have become non-kosher are returned to a kosherstate. This is normally accomplished through purgingnon-kosher absorptions through a heat process.Kosherization frequently requires the presence of anRFR to verify that the criteria of cleanliness and tem-perature have been met. It is also used to returnequipment from a dairy status to a pareve status.

2. Definition #2 — SELECT ONE

SCHEDULE B

A. What you look for when you can’t find your copy ofschedule A

B. A list of things to do starting with the letter BC. What you look at to find out when “plan B” is to

beginD. The OU authorized listing of products that you are

legally allowed to place the OU symbol on, andwhich particular OU symbol is to be applied. TheSchedule B reflects exactly your OU Letter of Certifi-cation. Whenever a new product or brand name is tobe produced by your company, you must make cer-tain to register it with your rabbinic coordinator firstto include it on this most important document.

3. Like/Unlike Relationships

WHICH ITEM DOES NOT BELONG IN THE FOLLOWING LIST?

A. OU P (OU kosher for Passover)B. OU Pareve (OU kosher non-dairy/non-meat)C. OU D (OU kosher containing Dairy)D. OU S (OU non-kosher containing bacon, lard,

pork or other such derivative)

4. Number sequences

WHAT NUMBERS COME AFTER(212), 563, 4000?

A. 11/18 B. .0003596C. 94%D. 38xxx

(38 plus the 3 digit extension of your OU contact)

UU

Now, for the moment of truth. How well do you really understand your OU kosher program?

IQkosher TEST YOUR

5. Analogy #1

“OU RABBINIC COORDINATOR” IS TO “YOUR KOSHER PROGRAM” AS

A. peanut butter is to jellyB. itch is to scratchC. Moe is to CurlyD. proficient, helpful, competent, energetic, expert,

dedicated professional is to successful, consumer-oriented, industry-leading food producer

6. Analogy #2

“OU RABBINIC FIELD REPRESENTATIVE” IS TO “YOUR KOSHER PROGRAM” AS

A. peanut butter is to jellyB. itch is to scratchC. Larry is to ShempD. Superman is to Truth, Justice and the American Way

7. Concept Recognition

WHEN UNSCRAMBLED, THE LETTERS“SCHEDULE A” SPELL OUT

A. a city near a river in AlbaniaB. an animal that lives near a city near a river in AlbaniaC. a plant that grows near an animal living near a city

near a river in AlbaniaD. the name of the main document used in the OU

kosher system; the Schedule A lists every ingredientin your facility and classifies it according to labelingand usage requirements for use in the OU system.

8. If/Then relationships

IF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE:

The OU certifies over 3000 companiesThese companies have over 6000 facilities certifiedThe 6000 facilities are in over 68 countriesThe OU appears on over 275,000 items worldwideTHEN...

Your OU certified product bears the most respectedand recognized symbol of kashrut, thereby increas-ing the size of your market and gaining the envy ofyour competitors who weren’t as smart as you anddidn’t bother to try and become OU certified.

A. trueB. falseC. don’t knowD. so obvious that even someone without any kosher

IQ at all should recognize it

9.Word Problem #1

Oliver’s Original Olives starts to produce privatelabel product for Carl’s Condiment Cuisine. He completes a private label agreement withhimself, Carl and the OU. Business takes off and now Carl wants Oliver to expand the private label line to include Carl’s Cured Capers. How many more private label agreements/feesmust Oliver sign and submit?

A. 18; two for every day of the week and 6 for WednesdaysB. 197; one for every employee in Oliver’s plantsC. Oliver must send $200 every two weeks to the OU

office (attn: Rabbi Stone) until his last survivinggreat-grandchild turns 18

D. none; once a company has created a private labelrelationship between itself, a private label customerand the OU, that agreement will cover all privatelabel productions done by that producer for that cus-tomer. Of course, OU needs to be notified of all newproduct names, varieties and other changes for eachlabel, so as to authorize each item and issue a kosherletter of certification for it. That is done by submit-ting the “new product” form to your Rabbinic Coor-dinator

10. Word Problem #2

A group 3 ingredient arrives at your loadingdock. The label bears the brand name of yourdistributor (but not the source name on theschedule A) and the packaging does not haveany kosher symbol. An examination of thecartons shows that “020503B3:15KOSHER” isinkjetted on the boxes. In a properly-run kosherprogram, your next step would be to

A. accept the ingredient because it says “kosher” inthe inkjet

B. check the floor of the delivery truck in case thekosher symbol fell off in transit

C. do the Rabbi a favor and fill in the missing informa-tion

D. immediately put the item on hold and not allow itto be received in the plant. The main stipulations ofa group 3 ingredient require the label to be exactlycorrect as to product name, source and certificationsymbol to appear on the packaging. Each koshersymbol is trademarked and it is the underlyingtrademark protection that enables kosher agenciesand consumers to rely on the presence of koshersymbols on the package. This, of course, does noteliminate the need to have a current and valid letterof certification on file to validate every ingredient inthe plant.

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Q

RABBI SYSHE HESCHEL was bornin Vienna in 1930, the scion ofdistinguished rabbinic-Hassidic

lineage. In 1939, as a young boy, heemigrated to the United States with hisfamily. To fulfill his early aspirationsand to pursue his love of writing andbecome a journalist, Rabbi Heschelattended Brooklyn College. Hereceived his rabbinic ordination fromthe famed Torah Vodaath Seminary inthe 1950s. During the course of hisprofessional career, Rabbi Heschel heldvarious positions in computer pro-gramming, education, and public serv-ice. The primary focus of hisprofessional and personal life outsideof his family was influencing, assisting,and caring for others.

Rabbi Heschel joined the OrthodoxUnion in 1998. During his tenure atthe OU office, he managed the Ask theOU e-mail service, which earned himthe title “Webbe Rebbe.” In this capac-ity, Rabbi Heschel became the voice ofthe Orthodox Union Kashrut Divisionto the general public. Thousands uponthousands of e-mail queries pour intothe OU office. The sources of questionsknow no bounds, as the e-mails aresent not only from North America butalso from across the globe, includingnumerous Middle and Far Easterncountries. The e-mails range from ele-mentary consumer questions toinvolved matters of kosher law.

Typical examples include, “Whichbrands of protein bars does the OU cer-tify?” “Why isn’t pig kosher if it is oneof God’s creatures?” “I accidentallycooked a product without a kosher sym-bol. Are my pots no longer kosher?”

Whether basic or complex, eachquestion was given proper attention bythe “Webbe Rebbe.” Both gentle andwitty by nature, Rabbi Heschel was ableto write responses with an unmatchedsensitivity and uncanny sense humor.Whether joking with an inquirer thathis lengthy response “will take you for aride, but to where I am not sure,” orexplaining how to check if a fish iskosher and advising consumers whenexamining a swordfish to “just be care-ful and make sure it’s not alive,” hishumorous writing would bring smiles topeople.

Rabbi Heschel’s writing alsodemonstrated a genuine respect andempathy for the people who inquiredabout OU policies and kosher law.Most recently, Rabbi Heschel receivedseveral inquires from soldiers servingin the U.S. armed forces in Iraq. Theopening of his correspondence to thosequestions beautifully demonstratedthis attribute of the “Webbe Rebbe.” Inone e-mail response he began, “Weopen with our prayers for the heavenlyprotection of all good people in dangerand especially the brave and heroicAmerican troops. May God protect all

}The primaryfocus of hisprofessionaland personallife outside ofhis family was

influencing,assisting, and

caring forothers. ~


WE MOURN RABBI SYSHE HESCHEL

On December 23, 2003 the Orthodox Unionfamily suffered a great loss. Rabbi SysheHeschel passed away after sustaining severe injuries in a freak accident.


WEBBE REBBE

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QUESTION:I am a Jewish soldier serving in the U.S. armed forces,currently stationed in Iraq. I would like to know if Imay assume that products that are OU Kosher in theUnited States are OU Kosher overseas, even when theOU symbol is not on the package. If not, may Iassume something is kosher from reading the ingre-dients on the label? I am also enclosing a list ofingredients. Are they kosher?

RESPONSE: Before we address your questions, we would like toexpress our respect to you for your commitment tokosher under such difficult circumstances. May Godgive you and your family strength.

The OU requires that all certified companieswhich manufacture a product that has a shelf lifeand could be shipped to a market anywhere in theU.S., to produce the product under OU supervisionin all their U.S. plants. This is provided the plant pro-duces for the U.S. market. However, with fresh prod-ucts that do not have a shelf life, such as milk, dairycreams, breads and cakes, the emphasis is only onthe market. The OU restricts a company producingthe certified product for a specific geographical mar-ket not to bring a non-certified version of the prod-uct into the same geographical market.

With regard to whether products produced forthe military are kosher, the answer is the classic Jew-ish response, “It depends.”

For items produced in and for the United Statesmarket the OU has an “all or nothing” policy. How-ever, the company is permitted to produce the sameitem for a foreign country market and not be kosheras long as it does not bear the OU symbol on thepackage. Similarly, a company is permitted to pro-duce the same item in a foreign country plant andnot be kosher as long as it does not bear the OU sym-bol. This is provided it is not the practice to regularlyimport such products to the United States. Thechances are 50 - 50 that a large conglomerate in theUSA that ships for export or the military and decidesto leave the OU symbol off the packaging will ship

kosher products anyway. There are economic reasonswhy they would, or why they would not.

If you have a specific product and can identifythe plant and the expiration date we might ask thecompany to track down which product they shipped.We advise you to check which plant produced theitem. If the plant is located in the United States andthe product sold on the commercial market is OU cer-tified, then the military product is kosher. However, ifit is produced outside the United States you need tocheck if that plant has certification.

In regard to your list of ingredients, one cannottell if a product is kosher or not kosher just by read-ing the ingredients list. The reason is simple. Sup-pose you see in the ingredient panel ‘strawberryflavoring’—the first image one has is of someonedunking a bag of strawberries in the brew for fiveminutes or longer (something like a tea bag). Thetruth is that ‘strawberry flavoring’ can be as farremoved from a strawberry as pastrami is from milk.Any particular flavor may be made up out of a com-bination of chemical and so-called ‘natural’ ingredi-ents. (If one were to take an enzyme from a swine orfrom any animal, they would be allowed to label theenzyme as an ‘All Natural Enzyme’!) Unless youknow the source of each ingredient, you would neverknow for sure if the ingredient were kosher or not.

There are additional reasons why one can’t relyon what is listed. The FDA requires an ingredientthat is at least two percent of the product (the per-centage varies depending on the food category) toappear on the ingredient panel. Anything less thanthe specific percentage point doesn’t have to belisted. Kosher law is different. Less than two percentof lard will still render the product non-kosher.Moreover, the ingredient panel won’t tell you every-thing about the kashrut of the product, namely, onwhich equipment the product was made and whatother products are made on the same equipment. Soyou have to depend on the OU symbol.

Sincerely,The Webbe Rebbe

Editor’s Note: The answer was edited slightly for reasons of space.

As the Webbe Rebbe, Rabbi Syshe Heschel received several questions fromthe United States armed forces serving in Iraq about keeping kosher in thathostile environment. An example follows of a question and his response.


LAST NOVEMBER It was Istan-bul; this past November wewere off to Izmir to observe

firsthand as the Orthodox Union’scertification is sought out by addi-tional companies in this beautifulcity and region with a 5,000-yearhistory. Joined by my wife Klari andour dynamic OU Rabbinic Repre-sentative, Rabbi Yosef Tirnauer, weeagerly anticipated meeting withcompany personnel whose firmswere recently added to the ever-growing OU roster in a city built atthe crossroads of civilization,referred to as the “Pearl of the

Aegean,” where the golden beachesand uniquely beautiful inletsstretch out side by side.

Izmir is a region where itsblessed soil bears grapes, figs andolives next to the turquoise sea. It isa place where the love of heavenencounters nature’s passion, wherethe mountains, plains, lakes, rivers,waterfalls and hot springs areoffered feely to mankind. Izmir is acity rising from one of the most for-tunate geographical locations, witha history that stretches far back intoancient times, a cultural mosaicthat connects Europe to Asia.

The third largest city in Turkey,Izmir has a total land area of nearly13,000 square kilometers and a pop-ulation of more than three millionpeople. This city, one of Turkey’smost important socioeconomic andcultural centers, also has within itsborders the biggest gulf found alongthe country’s Aegean coast. In thiscity, OU certification continues tobe the kosher certification of choice.

Tracing their family roots to fif-teenth century Turkey, Moshe andAlbert Hemsi established a family-owned company in 1984, specializ-ing in the export of top quality agri-

LET’S TALKMORE TURKEY

By Rabbi Eliyahu Safran

Taris figs thoroughly cleaned

}This city (Izmir), one of Turkey’s most importantsocioeconomic and cultural centers, also has withinits borders the biggest gulf found along the country’sAegean coast. In this city, OU certification continuesto be the kosher certification of choice.~

www.oukosher.org 13


cultural products, satisfying stan-dards of consumers seeking thefinest of Mediterranean specialties.Seeing the inside operations of theHemsi production plant and its3000 tons capacity of fresh vegeta-bles, 250 tons of sun-dried toma-toes, and one million tins of readymeals per year, one is quicklyimpressed with the high quality,beautiful vegetable products exclu-sively used by Hemsi. The many vari-eties of pepper products, vine leavesand capers are in great demandthroughout the United States mar-kets as Hemsi’s superb quality,sumptuous taste and OU symbolmake for an excellent combination.

As one of Turkey’s mostrespected companies, Taris, the firstand biggest union of agriculturalsales cooperatives in Turkey, isactive in fig, raisin, cotton, oliveand olive oil cooperatives in 65locations in the Aegean and Mar-mara region of Turkey, encompass-ing more than 127,000 producermembers. Through its enormousnetwork of producers, Taris is ableto serve all of Turkey and manycountries throughout the world,reinforced by its “TS-EN-ISO-9002Quality System Certificate” and inrecent years with OU certificationfor its top of the line olive oils,olives, figs and raisins. Since its con-ception in 1914, when the fig pro-ducers of Aydyn formed theirassociation, Taris has consistentlygrown as the idea of establishingagricultural sales cooperativesgained wide acceptance.

Using the most up-to-date refin-ing methods at its recently com-pleted state-of-the-art plant, Taris

Zeytin ve Zeytinyagi Birligi (TarisOlive and Olive Oil Union) devel-ops its refined olive oil withoutcompromising or altering the natu-ral properties of the oil. In varyingshades of yellow, the Taris olive oilhas low acidity which is comple-mented with a light flavor andaroma and is widely sought after forfrying purposes. It is said that Taris’

extra virgin olive oil has inspiredpoets and artists of the ages inpraise of the naturally pressed olivesgathered from around the skirts ofthe Ida mountains, rich in soils,pure springs and gentle breezes.With a pure transparency and colorranging from yellow to green, Tarisextra virgin olive oil flavor andaroma is an essential element

}Using the most up to date refining methodsat its recently completed state of the art plant,Taris Zeytin ve Zeytinyagi Birligi develops itsrefined olive oil without compromising or alteringthe natural properties of the oil.~

Observing yet another phase of the Taris fig plant meticulous sorting and cleaning during November, 2003 visit are: (from left to right) Mr. Ismail Ciner, fig plant manager,Mrs. Klari Safran, Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Rabbi Yosef Tirnauer, Turkey's Orthodox Unionrabbinic field representative and Ms. Banu Er, Taris Export Chief.

acclaimed for its use in salads, sauces and cooking. Inrecognition of its uniqueness, Taris Special Extra VirginOlive Oil received the first place award at the FertileMediterranean Festival organized by Le Conservatoiredes Cuisines Mediteraneeses, acknowledging the incom-parable taste of this oil resulting from the natural pro-cessing of olives ranking among the world’s finest.

Taris’ green olives are picked ever so carefully duringthe plentiful harvests and meticulously selected,processed and fermented in brine. Finally, the pasteur-ized green olives are packed in either jars or tins underthe most hygienic conditions. Taris’ black olives arehand-picked, after which they go through careful selec-tion and classification.

They are then fermented until the desired color andtaste is obtained and then are packed in jars or tins withbrine. As no additives are used in the processing of Taris’black olives, the color may change from brown to black.

Turkey is the motherland of figs, so acknowledgedand praised in ancient civilizations and mentioned insacred texts. Dried figs with their rich nutrients provideessential and natural energy for the human body, con-taining high levels of calcium and iron while also serv-ing as a source of pectic substances. Taris Incir Birligi(Taris Fig Union) distinguishes itself with the highestquality figs meticulously selected from the best quality

specimens in the Aegean region, packed and presentedas befits royalty.

The Ulukartal family has been active in the Turkishfood industry for more than seventy years. Starting withtheir olive oil production, they are continuing their fam-ily history and tradition of providing stellar products forconsumers in Turkey and far beyond. The Verde trade-mark represents a product with a rich history of its ownas well as an established brand in Italy.

With this wealth of experience Verde A.S. has cur-rently become one of the leading establishments in theTurkish food industry, with continued emphasis on theimportance of hygiene, quality and health. Verde’s oliveoils are produced in an updated, meticulously cleanplant in the Ayvalik district, the region which producesthe highest quality olives grown in Turkey. Within 24hours of harvesting, the olives are pressed at the plantlocation using the Pieralsi cold press method. Each day,approximately 120 tons of olives are pressed at the Verdeplants, resulting in a yield of 25 tons of olive oil with astorage capacity of 4,000 tons of olive oil in under-ground air conditioned storage tanks, especially pro-duced for Verde A.S. Having attained its OU certificationthrough the guiding hand and understanding of itsdynamic and creative General Manager V. Umit Etiz, arespected Turkish entrepreneur, Verde prizes its OU sym-


TURKEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

}The OU key is continuing to open many doors to an ever-growingroster of Turkishcompanies, as it maintains its highest and most respectedstandards of koshercertification. ~

bol as it exports its fine olive oil products to the UnitedStates, Argentina and Australia.

Founded in 1979 as a family owned and managedcompany, the family’s care and attention to details bigand small are evident in its ever growing market shareand top quality products, UGS Urla Food & AgriculturalProducts Ltd. received its Orthodox Union certificationabout a year and a half ago. With its processing plantlocated in Izmir’s Ataturk Organized Industrial zone,olives, stuffed vine leaves, and vine leaves are its domi-nant products. UGS products are represented in manymarkets throughout the world including the UnitedStates, Canada, Russia, Greece, Israel, Australia, Franceand other European countries. Since obtaining OU cer-tification, requests for private labels with the OU symbolhave increased dramatically, particularly for its naturaldolma (stuffed vine leaves), vine leaves in brine, andwide range of olives including kalamata, gaeta, nicoiseand country mix olives.

Wheat, the symbol of fertility, takes its color fromthe sun. Protein packed durum wheat acquires its lifefrom the ever rich soil of Anatolia’s abundant sunshineand plentiful waters. It is from this Anatolian durumwheat that all of Pastavilla Makarnacilik San. & Tic.A.S.multiple pasta products, many with Orthodox Unioncertification, are produced at its technologicallyadvanced Izmir plant. Synonymous with its delectabletaste since 1928 both in Turkey and throughout theworld, Pastavilla has recently been acquired by TAT, oneof the oldest, most respected and experienced food sec-tor companies in Turkey.

It was almost time to bid farewell to our newlyacquired friends in Izmir, all so respectful, friendly, help-ful and appreciative. At companies already certified bythe Orthodox Union—including the ever-growing Sibas,Kukre vinegar and more—as well as at meetings withcompany representatives seeking out our kosher certifi-cation in the future, it was evident that the OU symbolconsistently impacts on the growth and expansion ofcompanies big and small in Izmir and elsewhere. Never-theless, the full impact of all that the OU represents toIzmir companies did not really hit home until meetingMr. Yildirim Sannav, an energetic, success-oriented andinsightful gentleman heading up Sanex Inc., an organic

fruit and vegetable company which obtained OU certifi-cation this past year. Spending several hours in Mr. San-nav’s company on our last evening in Izmir, I probed asto what prompts companies such as Sanex to seek theOU certification.

In his response, Mr. Sannav elaborated on the needto receive “general acceptance from the big industrialcorporations. As our business got bigger and we havemore class ‘A’ customers. . . we decided to get a moreacceptable, distinguished, well-organized and institu-tional certification. Upon a strict research that we havedone with these criteria, we had found ourselves apply-ing to Orthodox Union.” Mr. Sannav went on to expressconcerns that in spite of the obvious business need forthe “premier certification, “ the “probable high cost ofreceiving the kosher certification from such a primeorganization” was a cause for reservations. “These worrieshave been washed away after the first visit of esteemedRabbi Tirnauer. It was not expensive at all. So, we havejump-started our certification work and tried to fulfillevery requirement passionately.”

I was then eager to learn of the OU certification’ simpact on Sannex’s business, particularly after findingout that Mr. Sannav systematically “prepared a text andsent it to each and every customer with a copy of the OULetter of Certification.” It was indeed gratifying to return

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Q: What could bemore natural, morepure, more kosher—than fresh, raw pro-duce?

A: Fresh, raw pro-duce which is free ofany infestation.

Of course, most rawproduce is inherentlykosher. However,many fruits and veg-etables are subject to insect and other infestation, whichwould render the produce non-kosher, if not adequatelydealt with.

The Orthodox Union experts and researchers haveidentified specific natural produce which is commonlyinfested, and consequently has implemented steps toprevent infested product from entering the “kosherfood chain.” In some cases, the produce is cleansedaccording to kosher regulations, while in other cases,the product is barred from use.

During our Izmirtrip, I came upon theOU certified Taris figplant, which undoubt-edly can serve as amodel for the perfectkosher produce facility.Not only are the Tarisfigs heavenly in theirquality and taste, theypass through such a rigidprocess assuring theirpurity and cleanliness, itis truly astounding.

When the figs initially arrive to the to the Taris IncirTarim plant (HACCP and ISO 9000 certified) they arepromptly inspected by the quality control staff to assurethey meet Taris’ highest standards. After reviewing andregistering these initial results, if the fig shipment meetsthe quality specs, the figs are then fumigated in vac-uum-operated fumigation tanks for two hours to assurethat any insects or other living organisms are destroyed.After the fumigation process, the dried figs are trans-ferred to the Aflatoxin control rooms.

In TurkeyAvoiding Infestation Is No

Figment of the Imagination

LET’S TALKMORE TURKEY

Taris fig plant workers checking and rechecking the figs using theAflatoxin control system.

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Aflatoxin control rules call for all of the figs to bechecked one by one under ultra violet lamps. Over 300women each sit at their designated tables checking eachand every fig, placing the rejected ones in red sacks whichare picked up and delivered to the Aegean ExportersUnion. Control groups circulate around the enormousultra violet lit room, sampling figs from the Aflatoxintables while checking the “checkers” performance, regis-tering and documenting their results and findings.

After the meticulous Aflatoxin control is completed,the dried figs are washed with hot and salty water to fur-ther assure that the figs are purified from any dust or anyother foreign materials. Quality assurance staff regularlycontrols the degree and salt rate of the water and againdocuments the results in official files.

Following the washing process, the figs are againmanipulated to further check their quality and appearanceand then packed according to customers’ specs. During thepacking process, teams of women continue to visuallyinspect the figs, before they are finally packed (in speciallydesigned packaging according to customers’ requests) andpassed through metal detectors before leaving the plant.Prior to shipping all packages are fumigated.

Close to 700 people work in this fig plant. Each ofthem has a role to play in assuring Taris’ highest stan-dards guaranteeing the deliciously clean figs.

These figs don’t only taste as if they emanate fromthe Garden of Eden; they have the standards of the Gar-den of Eden.

}These figs don’t only taste as if they emanatefrom the Garden of Eden; they have the

standard of the Garden of Eden.~

to my New York office and soon after find Yildirim San-nav’s e-mail citing his customers’ enthusiastic and posi-tive responses: “This is excellent news. Please thereforehave the OU create a private label agreement for ourbrand of peppers so we can use the OU symbol on ourpackaging.” “Congratulations on your obtaining the OUkosher certificate. I am sure this was not easy.” “What afantastic report! Congratulations Yildirim on yourOrthodox Union certification.” “This is very good news.Thank you for letting me know.”

Mr. Sannav concludes his thorough feedback: “Theseare word by word quotes from the replies to our letternotifying our kosher certification and another customerfrom France instantly approaching for a contract of

kosher frozen tomatoes. It was really a wonderful key foropening many doors.”

It was rather late when Yildirim dropped us off at thehotel... after a long but most beautiful drive throughbreathtaking scenery and a reassuring dialogue confirm-ing yet again that the OU key is continuing to openmany doors to an ever-growing roster of Turkish compa-nies, as it maintains its highest and most respected stan-dards of kosher certification.

Rabbi Eliyahu Safranis OU Senior Rabbinic Coordinator and is Editor-in-Chief of this publication.

TURKEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

NESTLÉ AND THE OU:A RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON COMMUNICATIONS

Perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects ofthe relationship between Nestlé and the OUis the level of communication that has been

achieved between both parties. Due to the size ofNestlé USA and the many players involved, it iscrucial to bridge all communication gaps. Withthe total commitment of the Nestlé team andthrough the guidance of Ken Mercurio, Director ofRegulatory and Nutrition, contact at Nestlé withthe OU New York office has reached unprece-dented heights.

The QA managers at the plant level handlethe day-to-day management of the kosher pro-

gram at Nestlé. This typically involves the submis-sion of new ingredients and products for approvalto the OU office. Furthermore, the OU office usu-ally addresses issues raised during routine inspec-tions with the plant QA managers. Nevertheless,the Nestlé corporate offices in Glendale, CA andSolon, OH recognize the importance of monitor-ing the maintenance of the kosher program in itsplants. To ensure that ingredient and labelingissues are properly handled, correspondence

between the Orthodox Union and Nestlé shouldbe copied to both the plant and corporate levels.The schedules A & B of the various Nestlé divi-sions are sent to the corporate QA managers forthe corporate kosher files, and are forwarded totheir counterparts at the plants.

The ultimate responsibility for confirming theaccuracy of the schedules A & B rests with the cor-porate QA managers. This is achieved throughproper communication and review between theGlendale and Solon offices and the plants. Inaddition, copies of letters of approval and lettersof certification are sent to the corporate offices.The role of corporate has greatly centralized andenhanced communication between Nestlé and theOU. Moreover, it has created an excellent systemof checks and balances to monitor the Nestlékosher program.

The primary kosher responsibilities of the cor-porate QA managers include supervising theimplementation of kosher policy at Nestlé,addressing significant production issues, day-to-day management of certified co-packing plants,and financial management. The handling of pro-duction issues at the plants is a prime example ofthe importance of good communication betweenthe Nestlé corporate offices, plants, and the OUoffice. For example, if Nestlé were interested incertifying an OU-D product as pareve, a changewithin the plant’s production scheme might bewarranted. The mandate to pursue changes withinthe production at a facility begins with corporate.However, the planning and implementation ofthe changes takes place at the plant level. Never-theless, it is still necessary to submit the finalchanges to corporate for approval.

Both Nestlé and the OU have learned thevalue of open communication between both par-ties at all levels. This has led to an increasedorganization and efficiency of the kosher programat Nestlé USA. The level of hard work and com-mitment of Nestlé to the OU clearly demonstrateswhy Nestlé is ìthe very best.


}The level of hardwork andcommitment of Nestlé to the OUclearly demonstrateswhy Nestlé is the very best. ~

www.oukosher.org 19

NESTLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

in 1990, the relationship with the OUwas carried over to other businesses asmuch as possible.

Today, providing kosher productsis still important to Nestlé USA.Kosher dietary laws significantlyinfluence the food-buying needs ofmore than seven million consumers.Providing kosher products is anotherway Nestlé meets consumers’ uniqueneeds. Nestlé USA’s kosher program covers a wide spec-trum of food and beverage products from thirstquenchers and coffee break delights (including Nestlé®

NESQUIK® flavored milks, Nestea® instant and regulartea, Nescafé®, Taster’s Choice® instant coffee, Nescafé®

Frothé®, and Nestlé® Coffee-mate® coffee creamer), totasty treats and baking pleasures (such as Nestlé® BabyRuth®, Nestlé® Butterfinger®, Nestlé® Crunch®, Nestlé®Toll House® Candy Bar, Nestlé Signatures TreasuresTM,Nestlé® SignaturesTM Turtles®, and Nestlé® Carnation®

evaporated milks). Nestlé USA also has kosher babyproducts (such as GOOD START® ESSENTIALS andGOOD START® ESSENTIALS SOY infant formulas) andfoodservice products (including Nestlé® Toll House®

cookie dough and Trio® gravies and sauces). Nestlé USA’s kosher program requires significant

teamwork. The kosher status for each product is coordi-nated among many people, including ingredient suppli-ers, factories, marketing, technical services, qualityassurance, legal, and regulatory affairs. Each of thesegroups is responsible for a piece of the process, and theirexpertise is essential for delivering the appropriatelymanufactured and labeled kosher product.

Coordinating the kosher program across so manygroups has several advantages. First it establishes a uni-

fied corporate approach. This both aligns and ensuresthe completion of all kosher-related obligations. It alsoassists the growth of a strong relationship between thecompany and rabbinical groups. Opportunities to coor-dinate processes and contracts help reduce the cost ofNestlé’s kosher program. Along with this, administrativesystems have been created to ensure successful docu-mentation and maintenance of the kosher program.Maintaining a tight process is key when so many differ-ent players are involved. Clearly defined policies andprocedures ensure the integrity of the kosher program.

Richard Hutson, Director of Quality Assurance, over-sees all of the kosher labeling information for the NestléUSA’s Confections & Snacks Division. He says the biggestchallenge in obtaining and maintaining kosher status isthe availability of kosher raw ingredients. “Each producthas a complex formulation that requires a multitude ofingredients. Each ingredient has to be kosher. This can bea hurdle in achieving kosher status. Despite this obstacle,Nestlé USA strives to help brands that want their prod-ucts OU-labeled to achieve their goal.”

This goal has been the most difficult to achieve withmanufacturing facilities abroad. In some countries, thesignificance of kosher practices is not well understood. Itcan also be difficult to find kosher ingredients and local

Rabbi David Bistricer

BORN AND RAISED IN BROOKLYN, Rabbi David Bistricer received a BS degree inaccounting from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business in 1997. Aftercompletion of his undergraduate studies, he worked in public accounting atEdward Isaacs and Co., LLP, specializing in tax and fiduciary accounting. RabbiBistricer received his CPA license in New Jersey; he has been a member of theAICPA since 2000.

Rabbi Bistricer received his rabbinic training and education at Yeshiva Uni-versity’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. During that time, heinterned at the Max Stern Division of Communal Services, an affiliate of YeshivaUniversity. He obtained his rabbinic ordination in 2001 and joined the Orthodox

Union’s Kashrut Division the following year. Aside from his responsibilities as Nestlé’s rabbinic coordinator,Rabbi Bistricer ably services a variety of industries including baking, salad, sauce, fish and pasta.

Rabbi Bistricer has been a contributor of insights in Jewish law to Yeshiva University’s Torah journal, BeisYitzchok. Married with three children, he resides in upper Manhattan.

OU

pro

file



The Entenmann’s-Bakers Treat Connection:

A Tale of Rugelach, Philanthropy & OU Kosher

Rabbi Kalman Scheiner,Orthodox Union rabbiniccoordinator, kosherizingequipment and supervis-ing production at Baker'sTreat Flemington, NewJersey plant.

By Stephen Steiner

PERHAPS CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, but in onenotable recent example it began in a bakery actu-ally in two bakeries with a mighty assist from the

Orthodox Union Kashrut Division.The bakeries are the giant Entenmann’s, whose

mouth-watering products all bear the OU symbol; and asmall New Jersey specialty bakery and caterer, BakersTreat, whose recipes are seemingly one part flour andone part social consciousness.

Throw in 1,000 one-pound tins of rugelach, and thetale is waiting to be told.

The story starts with Bakers Treat. Opened in 1999in Flemington, NJ and owned by Nancy and StanleyBaron, Bakers Treat produces a wide array of delicacies,including chocolate seven-layer cake, apple turnovers,croissants, fudge brownies, linzer torts and cheese cakes.The products are sold at the bakery, and increasinglythrough catalogue sales, including the prestigiousNeiman-Marcus edition.

But Bakers Treat is not your everyday food manu-facturer. The Barons have a philanthropic vision of

using the firm for a mission – that mission being toassist women recovering from drug and alcohol abuse tolearn a trade and to rebuild their lives. Consequentlymany Bakers Treat employees – both in baking andoffice positions, as well as trainees – are beneficiaries ofthis ideal. All of them, according to Bakers Treat GeneralManger Nancy Keyes, “are being prepared to be produc-tive members of society.”

“The Barons are determined to make this visionhappen. They see that the people who come here towork are so dedicated. It’s not just a regular job for themwhere you come in and go home. You come hereinspired to be part of the solution,” Ms. Keyes explains.

Moreover, she declares, all of the firm’s profits willgo into fulfilling the mission.

But Bakers Treat is still a small firm. The Barons—“they are terrific marketers,” Ms. Keyes declares—recog-nized that pairing with a larger, better- known bakerwould boost sales and help more women. Through theiracquaintances in the industry, the Barons last fall con-tacted Entenmann’s, which for years has been belovedby the kosher community. The idea was to use the win-

www.oukosher.org 21

ter gift season to sell rugelach, hand-rolled spirals of del-icate sour cream pastry, filled with pecan apricot or wal-nut golden raisin, and just demanding to be eaten.

When Entenmann’s learned about the project, man-agement was pleased to become involved, says MaureenSticco, Senior Product Manager at the firm. Research anddevelopment teams from both companies met andworked together to develop the rugelach plan. “Wefound value in this project and decided to move for-ward,” Ms. Sticco declares.

But the rugelach could only be distributed by Enten-mann’s if the product was certified as kosher—usually atime consuming process. And the winter gift season—aperfect time for the rugelach sales—was quickly approach-ing. Thanks to the especially rapid response from the OU,the philanthropic project was given a boost, all in keepingwith the Jewish tradition of tzedekah, or charitable giving.

“We received their application in early November,went to visit the plant to determine what had to bedone, informed Nancy Keyes and her Executive PastryChef Heather Freeburg of what the process would be like,and got to work,” reports Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, SeniorRabbinic Coordinator in the OU Kosher Division. RabbiSafran, together with Rabbi Sholom Lifschetz, SeniorRabbinic Field Representative, determined that all of theingredients in the rugelach were already kosher – in fact,95 percent of the ingredients used by Bakers Treat in allof its products could be certified as kosher. It was onlynecessary to “kosherize” the equipment.

On Sunday, November 30, Rabbi Kalman Scheiner,joined by Rabbis Gavriel Finkel and Elliot Cohen, arrivedat 9:00 a.m. in Flemington to supervise the kosheringprocess. As the staff watched with great interest, they lis-tened to Rabbi Scheiner’s explanations, “He kosherizedthe oven, mixer, sink and tables,” reports Ms. Freeburg,

the executive pastry chef. Then theproduction run began. Twentyhours later, the thousand tins werein Entenmann’s boxes and loadedonto Entenmann’s trucks on theway to market.

In each box, there is a Bakers Treat Mission State-ment. It reads: “Our mission is to donate 100% of ourprofits to programs for women in early recovery fromalcohol and substance abuse. Bakers Treat serves as atraining ground providing culinary and work experiencefor individuals as they free themselves from drug andalcohol addiction.”

For Entenmann’s, being involved in this kind of phi-lanthropy was a unique and appreciated experience, Ms.Sticco reports. “An opportunity to take on such a projectis very unusual. We feel really good to be able to partici-pate with Bakers Treat in this effort and to support theirgood work.”

Looking ahead, since almost all of Bakers Treat’singredients are kosher, it would not be difficult for otherproducts to be sold under the OU label once the plant isre-kosherized—and this is under consideration.

“The decision is up to us, the Barons would supportanything we do,” Ms. Keyes, the general manager, says.“To become kosher, now we know what we have to do,”Ms. Keyes says. “Our job is to make Mr. and Mrs. Baron’svision happen. OU Kosher can help bring that about.”

Stephen Steineris OU Director of Public Relations and Editor of this publication.

Rabbi Yerachmiel Morrison serves as the Orthodox Union Rabbinic Coordinator for Entenmann’s.

equipment. Your contract stipulates that the “companyshall notify the OU prior to using any used equipment inthe plant in order to permit the OU to determine thekosher status of that equipment.” (2c)

Do keep in mind that your contract clearly spells outthat “OU’s representatives shall have the right to inspectthe plant at all times during regular business hours, andwhenever the plant is in operation, without prior notifi-cation of the company.” (5a) Your plant ought to havetwo or three personnel assigned to be available toaccompany the OU rabbinic representative on his plantinspections.

Increased familiarity by your plant’s staffs with yourcompany’s OU contract will undoubtedly reduce koshermistakes and misunderstandings and avoid the unpleas-antness and expense of violations and possible recalls.

Might I suggest that your next in-house service semi-nar focusing on OU Kosher begin with Rabbi AvrahamStone’s multiple choice quiz featured in this issue, con-tinue with a good review of the OU’s contract’s high-lights, and conclude with a viewing of the OrthodoxUnion’s just released educational video, “The KosherStandard—Implementing and Maintaining a Kosher Pro-gram in your Plant,” especially geared for plant personneland staffs. You might want to ask your RFR to be present.

Best regards.

Rabbi Eliyahu SafranEditor/Senior Rabbinic Coodinator

EDITOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2


rial list and to find not only rawmaterials that are kosher certified,but are of the highest quality. RabbiNathan Z. Neuberger is our Rabbini-cal Coordinator in New York and hehas always been able to help us inour quest to be a kosher facility. Wehave often heard that a flavor houseis one of the most challenging tocertify because of the quantity ofraw materials used in the flavorcompounds we sell. Natural or syn-thetic, powder or liquid, almost allof our raw materials are kosher certi-

fied as well as FDA approved. Also, aflavor house develops new flavorsevery day, which means an ever-expanding Schedule B. This alsoresults in an expanding Schedule Aas we use add new chemicals to ourraw material roster. Rarely does aweek go by with out several new fla-vors being sent in for certification.

Further, new advances in thecomputer world have come to theOU and we now receive our LOC’sfrom the OU through e-mail. Thishas made renewing our certificates

each year much easier — it all comeson CD-Rom discs! We are now ableto download all of Mother Murphy’sOU Letters of Certification whichmeans we are also able to send themout by e-mail. Our customers reallylike being able get such clean copiesof the LOC’s from us rather than afaxed copy.

Given our location in the South,the challenge was also to find Ortho-dox rabbis who are available to inspectour facility. There were none availablein Greensboro but we have been luckyto find two…one in Raleigh (RabbiPinchas Herman) and one in Char-lotte (Rabbi Binyomin Weiss).

Fifteen years ago, kosher certifi-cation meant a visit from New Yorkevery year or so and one manilaenvelope listing those few flavorsthat were being certified. Now wehave several four-drawer cabinets tokeep track of the raw materials’ Let-ters of Certification, Mother Mur-phy’s Letters of Certification, etc.,and we are inspected regularly byour two local rabbis.

We have seen our customersdemand for kosher grow from just afew accounts in the Northeast toaccounts all over the world. And asour customer base has grown inter-nationally, we have seen that newcustomers always ask for the koshercertification; when they see the OUon our product, they know that theOU is a symbol not only of beingkosher but of a quality product.

In Mother Murphy’s lobby is asign stating, “We are proud to be anOU company.” This is indeed true—we are proud to be a part of such aprestigious organization.

Pamela Murphyis Vice President of Mother Murphy’s Laboratories.

Rabbi Nathan Neubergerserves as the Orthodox Union’srabbinic coordinator for Mother Murphy’s.

MURPHY’S CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

} Now we haveseveral four-drawer

cabinets to keeptrack of the raw

materials’ Letters ofCertification,

Mother Murphy’sLetters of

Certification, etc.,and we are

inspected regularly by our two local

rabbis.~

MARKETINGTIPSIf You’ve Got It—Flaunt It.

FLetting your customersknow that you are OUcertified should be asmuch a part of yourmarketing strategy asany other significantbenefit your productoffers.

FBe sure the OU logo isclearly visible in youradvertising—either onthe product label orelsewhere in the ad.

FFeature OU certifica-tion on your website

FAsk our marketingdepartment how bestto reach the kosherconsumer—thousandsof them contact usevery day about foodproducts they canbuy, places they canshop and eat, andinformation aboutkosher in general.

FPlan special promo-tions around Jewishholidays: Passover(March/April), RoshHashanah (Septem-ber) and Chanukah(December) are themost widely observed.

www.oukosher.org 23

by Elie Rosenfeld

PEOPLE CONSTANTLY ASK ME, “So, what’s new inkosher?” I usually respond by quickly naming a listof products some famous, some not that have

recently “gone kosher.” Some of the products represent amove forward in kashrut and kosher/Jewish marketing;some merely represent another SKU with an OU.

In any case, after some recent travel for business andsome (thankfully) with my family, I have come to thinkwe are really on the verge of the next “new” in kosher:foodservice. Many of you will pshaw that it isn’t new atall. After all, hospitals and airlines and even non-kosherrestaurants have for many yearsserved kosher-keeping patrons.

Nonetheless the scenes of publicattractions, such as sports stadiums,offer a clue to a better kosher future.Many have begun to seize the oppor-tunity that kosher service can bringthem. There are no fewer than a halfdozen baseball and football stadiumsthat now offer glatt kosher hotdogsand other dishes, on separate, fullykosher supervised carts. This is aneasy solution to the business issue ofhaving customers with money tospend, who are yet without productto buy.

The stadium response to how these patrons could beserved has been, “If a consumer only buys kosher, sellthem kosher.” At first how to do this seemed a dauntingproblem. The questions were and (for many would-bepurveyors of kosher foodservice) remain: “How do I findkosher product?” “How do I keep kitchen utensils/ ovensseparate?” In the case of the stadiums, it was easy. Theonly item people really want at a ballgame is a hotdog,and there is no problem finding kosher hotdogs to serve.Next, the cooking dilemma. Answer: Take a new hotdogcart and use it for kosher only, have the kosher supervi-sor lock it up after each event. Really quite simple.

So what to do if you’re not in the sports business?Recent trips to two amusement parks offer two differentapproaches. Hershey Park in Pennsylvania found that somany of their visitors were looking for kosher food thatthey hooked up with the local Jewish community tohave a full-time kosher counter right in the park with avery extensive menu of freshly cooked items. This clearlyworks for the local community and Hershey.

At Disney World in Orlando, there are two differentbut equally impressive concepts put into play. First,believe it or not, if you call ahead by forty-eight hourswith a kosher request, Disney will serve you kosher mealsin any of their theme restaurants throughout the park.These are freshly-made, although sometimes frozen,meals from a caterer in Miami. They come doublewrapped ready to be heated and served. Secondly, withinthe Magic Kingdom Disney has one location (CosmicRays) that offers glatt kosher meals without pre-ordering.

These examples indicate there is advancement fromthe schlepping along of kosherfood when traveling, which thekosher consumer universally hadto do in the not-so-distant past.

But there remains an impor-tant piece missing from expand-ing and completing the situation:communication.

So much information aboutthe availability of kosher food atvarious places is by word ofmouth or email alone. As moreand more family attractions,business hotels, and travel desti-nations offer kosher food, the

need is there to tell people about that availability. Theeffort poured into acquiring kosher meals, the goodwilldeveloped by offering them and, most of all, the oppor-tunity for the purveyor to build business is lost if thekosher consumer doesn’t know his meal is there waitingfor him. Marketing and advertising do work. A smallmessage gets heard loud and clear, especially when youspeak the one international language everyone under-stands...FOOD.

Elie Rosenfeld

is the COO and principal of Joseph Jacobs Advertis-ing, an 82-year-old agency specializing in helpingmass-market brands communicate with Jewish con-sumers. He can be reached at 212.787.9400 x106 or [email protected].

If You Provide Kosher Food,Let the Consumer Know:‘Your Meal Is Waiting’

} No fewer than half dozen

baseball and footballstadiums now

offer glatt kosherhotdogs.~


rabbis to work with. However, withthe support of local leadership andemployees, it is possible to have asuccessful kosher program. In addi-tion, United States coordinatorsmust learn to address language andcultural barriers as well as allow formore time in the kosher certifyingprocess.

Another key aspect to a success-ful kosher program, both interna-tionally and domestically, is a goodrelationship with the rabbis. Anestablished relationship with therabbis must occur at the corporatelevel as well as between the factories

and the local rabbis. According toKen Mercurio, Director of Regulatoryand Nutrition Affairs, “With somany factories and products acrosssuch diverse manufacturing lines, itis important to maintain not only agood relationship, but good commu-nication with the OU.” The kosherteam works diligently to activelycommunicate with the OU everytime there is a new ingredient, a newco-manufacturer, or any issue theagency should be aware of. The con-sistent dialogue allows Nestlé USA tocontinue producing so many differ-ent kosher products successfully.

Nicole Turner-Stoneis Labeling and Nutrition Specialist for Nestle USA.

Rabbi David Bistricer serves as the Orthodox UnionRabbinic Coordinator for Nestlé .

Rabbi Moshe ElefantOrthodox Union Executive Rabbinic Coordinator, served asNestlé 's rabbinic coordinatorfor many years.

11. Like/Unlike Relationships #2

Which of the following is not a trademarked kosher symbol?

A. OKB. Kof KC. Star KD. Kellogg’s Special K

12. Word Problem #3

An OU rabbinic field representative hascompleted his inspection of a juice plant. Leaving the facility, he turns two blocks norththen proceeds another eight blocks west, finallygoing south two blocks and arriving at the nextplant he is to visit. What kind of facility is hegoing to visit?

A. a furniture factoryB. another juice plantC. a secret factory D. any one of a variety of plants spanning the entire

food and chemical industries. A rabbinic field repre-sentative for the OU has expertise in many areas ofthe modern food industry and is at home in almostany type of production facility. Whether it is juices,chemicals, baked goods, meat, confectionary, spicesor anything else, the OU RFR applies his knowledgeand experience to the supervision and smooth-run-ning of your kosher program.

13. Word Problem #4

During the course of a normal inspection, theRFR and your QC manager discover an item inuse that was not approved on the schedule Aand is possibly not kosher. As your company’spoint person for kosher issues, your response is:

A. immediately assign blame on whichever employee isthe closest at that given moment

B. pretend you are a tree and hope no one notices C. ban the RFR from the facility in the future until he

apologizes and agrees in writing that he will neveragain discover another issue in your plant

D. proceed along a course of action that will provide theOU with the most information it needs to resolve theissue at hand, such as: getting purchase history forthis item, running a “where-use” to find out what theingredient has gone into, preparing copies of the for-mulae the item was used in and names of all productsmade with this item.

Extra Credit:Draw a smiley face. Connect the ends of the smile tothe eyes. Now, for all the points, tell us:

What is the happiest kosher symbol in the world?

Good luck!

Rabbi Avrohom Stone serves as rabbinic feld representative in the Tri-State area. His instructive andentertaining feature articles appear regularly in Behind the Union Symbol.

IQkosher TEST YOUR

NESTLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

IQ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

mine, is born of pragmatic concerns: flavor-houses canonly be confident that they will comply with kosherregulations if they understand the requirements.

The kosher program requires, first and foremost,that the purchasing agent be knowledgeable about thekosher status of the chemicals and other additives thatare brought into the facility. Because every chemical thatis detectable to the human nose is considered a mean-ingful part of the flavor, the kosher status of the entire fla-vor turns on whether each and every flavor ingredient isacceptable. Although companies typically do not divulgepercentages of specific ingredients, formulas are submit-ted for review before production. As a result, contacts atflavor houses must submit sources of raw materials. Thisresults in formulations that may list a 100 items withmultiple suppliers/manufacturers per item.

Back here at the OU, such submissions generate somuch work that an entire staff of able flavor analystsworks full-time to be sure that all OU flavors will bekosher. Each ingredient submitted is reviewed andchecked with our database. If the ingredient does notexist on the database, or if a new source is listed for apreviously-used ingredient, a review is done to seewhether the new ingredient is acceptable.

Just as companies must be alert to submit all newingredients, companies must also be familiar with pro-cessing issues that impinge on kosher status. For exam-ple, a dairy liquid that sits in situ (in its originalposition) for 24 hours in one tank renders that tankdairy. A pareve material could not be put into that tankwithout first kosher-cleaning the tank. General manu-facturing instructions are therefore also required inaddition to the submission of ingredients.

OU field representatives are dispatched periodicallyto manufacturing sites to audit inventory and overseeproduction. The thousands of flavor ingredients of a fla-vor lab are typically stored in small, generic, non-descript brown glass bottles, row after row of them,countless shelves of them. Review of this materialrequires patience and meticulousness.

A summary of some of the responsibilities of thecontacts at the flavor houses includes:

*Understanding OU requirements

*Educating staff—both flavorists and purchasing

*Directing personnel in receiving or warehousingto check incoming raw materials that kosher spec-ifications are met.

*Orchestrating scheduling of kosher productions

*Communicating with the local OU rabbi whenequipment requires kosherization or productionsneed to be supervised

*Review revisions of kosher certified flavors.

The companies have handled these responsibilitieswith aplomb. And they expect a lot from the OU inreturn! With the tremendous volume of production andthe many applications that come in to the OU—some-times several a day from any given company—I havecome to appreciate the urgent need for kosher certifi-cates as soon as possible...at the latest! The OU has triedto accommodate those needs. With the installation of anew web-based operating system, the service will hope-fully be even better.

Learning about the flavor world has been a verynovel experience for me. And learning about kosherhas been a novel experience for some of our flavorassociates. Because we work together, the OU and theflavor agencies have developed strong and, in manycases, long-lasting relationships.

Rabbi Nathan Neuberger serves as Co-Director of the Orthodox Union Flavor Department, under Rabbi Moshe Zwicka.

Special thanks to Rabbi Gavriel Price for his insightsand help with all aspects of this article.

When attending your industry conferences or exhibiting atshows be sure to display your "We Are Proud to Be an OUCompany" sign. Your marketing people and show organiz-ers ought to always have the signs in their show kits. Theyare sure to attract the kosher buyers to your booth. If youneed more copies of the sign, we will be glad to supplythem. Email [email protected] for your copies.

www.oukosher.org 25

FLAVORS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

1201—A HIGH-HEAT NON-FAT DRY MILK BLEND/ WORLD DAIRY


ONE OF YOUR COMPANY’S major customers franti-cally calls your director of marketing asking for aLetter of Certification (“LOC”) for a new blend

which you manufacture. The order for this product hasbeen placed on hold, as the blend seems to be non-certi-fied.

“How could this happen? Our LOC indicates thatthis item is OU-kosher!” exclaims the director of mar-keting to your customer.

“It is not listed!” replies the customer.It turns out that the product, packaged in boxes

labeled “1201-A High-Heat Non-Fat Dry Milk Blend/World Dairy” is listed on the OU LOC as “Non-Fat DairyMix 12-01/Dairy USA,” among dozens of other, similarentries. After a lot of research and much stress, both par-ties realize that the product is indeed certified, but the

customer keeps the order on hold until the OU issuesan LOC which reflects the blend’s actual labeling.

What went wrong?The OU issues LOCs based on its clients’ submissions.

Each product title appears exactly as your company sub-mits it to us. It is critical that your marketing and labelingstaff work together with your company’s kosher contactto assure that all product names submitted to the OU pre-cisely match product packaging, and that all brandnames (which change all too often) are accurate.

The OU office sends your company annual renewalforms, in which you are asked to confirm the list of certi-fied products (Schedule B). Please take the time necessaryto do this with utmost care, so that future time loss, aggra-vation and business risk can be avoided down the road.

Your LOC: What’s in a Name? Plenty.

GPOLICY REMINDERFCompanies are encouraged to maintain an

updated file of kosher certificates for all rawmaterials. Expired letters should be replacedwith current ones. Supplier names, productdescriptions, and letter stipulations are oftensubject to change. A current LOC file facilitatesmanaging the accuracy of the Schedule A.

FPurchases of all new and used equipmentmust be brought to the attention of your OUrabbinic coordinator and field representative.The OU may have to examine the history or useof the equipment in order to evaluate how itcould affect your company’s kosher program. Ifthe equipment poses any concerns, the OU willwork with you to help resolve them before theybecome a problem.

of you, and bring you home soon in good health andin victory.”

The warmth and concern expressed in this passagewere typical of him. The e-mail queries from Iraq alsoattest to the complicated and sensitive nature of somequestions Rabbi Heschel would receive. “What optionsare there for a kosher-observant soldier in isolated Iraq?”“Under what circumstances may something be assumedkosher, without the kosher symbol?” “Is it acceptablepractice to judge the kosher status of a product by read-ing labels?” This recent correspondence also attests tothe great responsibility that was carried on the shouldersof the “Webbe Rebbe.”

Rabbi Menachem Genack, Rabbinic Administrator ofthe OU Kashrut Division, commented after Rabbi Hes-chel’s passing: “Rabbi Heschel was an unusual person, asensitive soul, a caring Jew and a gifted writer. He wasrespected and admired by all who knew him.” Rabbi’sHeschel’s warm personality and sparkling wit wereencountered and appreciated by all. He will be greatlymissed.

HESCHEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Y

www.oukosher.org 27

For applications to certify

NEW COMPANIESor

ADDITIONALPLANTS,

call Civie Birnbaum at the

OU Applications Desk212.613.8249

YOURCOMPANY hastaken a very impor-

tant step in its growth byseeking kosher certification.The “system,” as you well know, includes (hopefully) fre-quent communication with your rabbinic coordinator(a/k/a your account executive at OU headquarters) andsite visits from a rabbinic field representative (RFR).

There is another benefit available to you through theOrthodox Union that can save you thousands of dollarsand precious product development time. What is thisgold mine? It is your RFR! While we at the OU areextremely meticulous about confidentiality, your RFR, asa kosher food and production professional, has theadvantage of seeing numerous products being made thatmay enhance your product line and marketability.

At a recent informal hallway meeting (all that wasmissing was the proverbial water cooler), a plant’s direc-tor of research and development mentioned in passingthat the plant needed to change an ingredient in one ofits products and that it was having a difficult time find-ing an acceptable substitute. Whatever it found thus farwas expensive, difficult to obtain from the other side ofthe country, and did not perform as desired. The RFR sug-gested a product made in the plant’s state which the R&Ddirector had never seen. The end result? A trial was con-ducted, and not only did the suggested ingredient worksatisfactorily it was less expensive than the original.

The same director of R&D later pulled the RFR asideand asked about a few other ingredients for projects thatwere not moving along as swiftly as planned. The RFRwas able to make some suggestions that were beneficialto the projects. Later, the company’s president told theRFR that the information he provided saved the com-pany at least $45,000 in development costs!

At a different plant, there was a desire to launch aretail product bundled with an item that would be usedtogether with the company’s products. The companywas having a problem finding a source that would allowit to package the products together. Once again, therelationship with the OU accrued additional benefit tothe company. The RFR was told of the situation, and he

immediately sug-gested that the

company contact aplant a few miles away.

The product worked, andthe marriage recently cele-

brated its tenth anniversary!In addition to the knowledge base of your RFR, OU

headquarters, through its Ingredient Approval Registry(IAR), can provide OU client companies with sources foringredients that are already OU approved. The IAR hasover 200,000 ingredients in its registry, and quite oftencompanies have saved considerable time by knowing up-front what ingredient sources are currently acceptable. Amere phone call (or fax or e-mail) to your rabbinic coor-dinator can put you in touch with a world of these pre-approved OU ingredients.

The OU is much more than a highly respected sym-bol on your label; it is also a very valuable resource toyour team!

Rabbi Reuben Nathanson serves as the Orthodox Union’s senior Rabbinic Field Representative on the West Coast.G

Resources for SuccessBy Rabbi Reuven Nathanson

NON–PROF IT ORG .U .S . POSTAGE

P A I DSTATEN I SLAND , NY

PERMIT NO . 301

ORTHODOX UNIONEleven Broadway, New York, NY 10004

WWW.OUKOSHER.ORG

At the recent KosherWorld Conference &Expo in held in the LosAngeles Convention Cen-ter on February 15-17,many OU certified com-panies proudly displayedtheir OU certification,including Campbell'sVegetarian Vegetablesoup, Aaron's Meats,Sadaf Mediterranean andGalil Herbal Teas.

Representing the Orthodox Union at thenew Kosher World Expo were RabbisNahum Rabinowitz, New Companies rabbinic coordinator; Noach Vogel andReuven Nathanson, West Coast rabbinicfield representatives; and Michael Morris,rabbinic coordinator.

u behind the nionsymbol - kosher t is not simply a letter of understanding nor is it a mere...

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