The OU has released a new notice about a well-known baby food brand, saying its hechsher will no longer appear on future products, and since old certified stock may still be on shelves, consumers will need to check each label carefully before buying.
The Orthodox Union, the most widely recognized kosher certification agency in the world, has announced that it is no longer certifying Beech-Nut Baby Food.
Beech-Nut, a longstanding and trusted brand in the baby food market, has been known for its natural fruit and vegetable purées and previously carried reliable OU certification on a number of its products. The recent change means that these products are no longer under kosher supervision by the OU.
At this time, no reason has been provided for the removal of certification.
Consumers are urged to carefully check each individual package. Only products that bear the OU symbol on the label are certified kosher. Items without the symbol should not be assumed to be under supervision, even if they appear identical in packaging.
As the transition takes place, both certified and uncertified Beech-Nut products may appear on store shelves side by side. It is the responsibility of the consumer to verify the kosher status of each product before purchase.
For ongoing kosher updates and alerts, visit oukosher.org.
It is very disappointing that Beech-Nut Baby Food is not going to be kosher certified anymore. I was told that the reason was that the OU withdrew because it was most difficult to kosherize the equipment so frequently between the kosher beech-nut items production and the non-kosher items as they are manufactured on the same/similar equipment.
Is there a possible solution ? Maybe maybe by having one production plant in the area where there are numerous families seeking kosher baby food (New York) — manufacture only the kosher certified items — or even designate one totally kosher plant to produce all of the kosher certified products.
The kosher costs will be quite less .,,. as kosher inspections may only have to be quarterly and there will be no need to kosherize the equipment since the plant is totally kosher.
Or, another approach — if you cannot do such a total kosher plant production … it may be possible to produce kosher-only products for a designated period of time (several months) and then following with the non-kosher items for several months… I am basing this suggestion upon what a non-OU rabbi told me that it is very very hard to keep going back and forth from strictly kosher to non-kosher SO MUCH and that is the ONLY REASON why the OU withdrew their supervision. Kosher supervision costs can be kept to a minimal if any of the two ideas above are implemented.
As you know many vegetarians and Muslims and others want their children and seniors to consume your kosher certified products.
I am ready to volunteer to assist you in any way so you can serve a greater number of people
Professionally yours,
Rabbi Sheldon Grafstein 646: 238-3369
I have a very small kosher agency
and have served mostly in Canada and Minnesota
C.U.S.A.K.
CANADA USA KOSHER