Kosher Guidelines Manual VEGETABLES
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Houston Kashruth Association : Kosher Guidelines Manual This manual serves as an addendum to all client contracts and is a reflection of HKA policies. It must be stated once again that all ingredients and food products must be pre approved by an HKA rabbinic Supervisor and the fact that the guidelines may declare that the item is acceptable does not supersede the need for rabbinic approval. VEGETABLES 1. Artichokes - Fresh, frozen and canned artichokes are not to be used without reliable hashgacha with the exception of artichoke bottoms. All artichoke bottoms are permissible when packed in water, with exception of canned product from China. 2. Asparagus – Green – Fresh must have the tips cut off. Canned & frozen only with a reliable Hashgacha. 3. Asparagus – White- All are permissible without further checking after rinsing with water. Canned & frozen only with a reliable Hashgacha. 4. Barley - (Raw Dry) - Barley may become infested at the food warehouse or retail store or even in ones own home due to prevailing conditions such as humidity, temperature and other insect infestation. As such, one should always make a cursory inspection of the barley before purchasing (if possible) and before use, the barley should be placed in a bowl of cold water for a short time to remove any possible insects. 5. Beans(Canned) - Requires a reliable hashgacha. 6. Beans (Green Beans and String Beans) Fresh - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation.All frozen are acceptable. Canned require a reliable hashgacha. 7. Beans (Raw Dry)- Dried do not require kosher supervision unless flavorings are added. 8. Beans,(Canned) All varieties of canned beans require acceptable kosher supervision. 9. Bean Sprouts - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation. 10. Bok Choy – Must be washed very well with either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka. (see above) 11. Boston, Butter or Bib Lettuce – not pre washed - Must be washed very well with either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka.(see above) Pre washed may be used without hashgacha only after checking each leaf of the product or washing again using the chazaka check (see above). 6. Broccoli – It is very impractical and close to impossible for the average consumer to properly check fresh or frozen broccoli. It is therefore highly recommended that only product with a reliable hashgacha be used. Broccoli stems (no florets) may be used without checking after rinsing with water. 7. Broccoli Slaw - Pre washed without hashgacha may be used. No further washing is required. 8. Broccoli Sprouts - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation. 9. Brussel Sprouts – Fresh may not be used. Frozen may be used only with a reliable hashgacha. Canned needs a reliable hashgacha. 10. Butter- Must have acceptable kosher supervision. 11. Cabbage Green– Remove outer leaves, cut head into quarters, and wash well with water. Only spot checking is necessary. 12. Cabbage - Purple/Red - Not pre washed - The leaves must be removed from the head and each leaf rinsed thoroughly under a stream of water. Pre washed and shredded may be used without hashgacha. No further washing is required. 13. Cabbage Slaw - Pre washed without hashgacha may be used. No further washing is required. 14. Carrots –All raw require a general inspection to rule out obvious infestation. All plain frozen carrots are acceptable. Canned would need a hashgacha. 15. Cauliflower - Frozen cauliflower with a reliable hashgacha may be used without any further checking. Canned or jarred requires a reliable hashgacha. The washing and cleaning procedure for fresh and frozen cauliflower without a reliable hashgacha is as follows: 1. Remove green leaves from head. 2. Cut head into 8 pieces. 3. Prepare bowl of water mixed with vegetable wash. 4. Place (cut) cauliflower into bowl of water, and agitate for 30 seconds. 5. Remove cauliflower from water. If possible, check water to see if it contains any bugs. 6. Pull off three full florets from the cauliflower’s core. 7. Check all surfaces of the thick and thin stalks in those florets, by gently separating the thin stalks from one another (without breaking them off of the floret) and visually inspecting the stalks. 8. If no bugs are found in the above steps, the entire head may be eaten. If bugs are found, repeat the above steps. 9. For cauliflower which is cut and washed at the company (frozen or fresh-packed), begin with Step #6. 16. Celery Stalks – Must be washed and checked well, especially around the bottom of the stalk and around the leaves. 17. Cilantro - Must be washed very well in either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka. (see above) 18. Cocoa- Pure or with alkali do not require kosher supervision 19. Coffee - Pure ground caffeinated or decaf do not require kosher supervision. Flavored coffees require acceptable kosher supervision. 20. Coffee Whitener- Must have acceptable kosher supervision. For a meat meal it must be pareve. 21. Condiments- All require kosher supervision 22. Corn – On the cob - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation. All frozen is acceptable. Canned would need a hashgacha. 23. Cucumbers - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation. Canned requires a reliable hashgacha. 24. Dairy products- All dairy products other than milk require acceptable kosher supervision. 25. Dill – Must be washed very well in either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka. (see above 26. Dough- Frozen all frozen bread dough must be pareve and with acceptable kosher supervision. Sweets may be dairy. This will include (but not be limited to) the following: bread, challah,cookie, fillo, puff pastry and rolls. 27. Eggs - All chicken eggs are kosher. The mashgiach must check for blood spots 28. Endive - Must be washed very well in either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka. (see above) 29. Fish (canned) - Must have acceptable kosher supervision 30. Fish (fresh)- Whole, skin and scales must be left on an area at least 2" x 2", except for salmon and steelhead trout, which may be purchased filleted (with or without skin) 31. Fish(frozen) - Must be purchased with acceptable kosher supervision with skin on, except for salmon and steelhead trout. 32. Flavored flours - Require kosher supervision. 33. Flour - All varieties Flour with vitamins are acceptable without kosher supervision. 34. Flowers – Must be spot checked for bugs. If bugs are found, the batch should not be used. 35. Fruit, canned- In water its own juice or sugar and not produced in China, are acceptable with kosher supervision. Lite fruit as well as fruit cocktail generally have additional ingredients (color, flavorings, grape juice) and require supervision. 36. Fruit, Dried -The following dried fruits require kosher supervision: apples bananas blackberries blueberries cherries cranberries figs mangoes papaya pears rasp berries strawberries 37. Fruit, Frozen- w/o additives, except sugar or Nutrasweet, are acceptable without supervision 38. Fruit Juices - Bottled or canned require kosher supervision. 39. Fruit Juices: Frozen - Orange, lemon, apple and grapefruit juice, without additional ingredients, is acceptable without kosher supervision. 40. Fruit Jams -Spreads require kosher supervision. 41. Garlic Cloves - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation. 42. Grains (Raw Dry) - Grains processed in the United States and most other countries are centrifuged to remove bugs.As long as the grains are stored in cool and dry conditions they will remain bug-free for many months. For this reason, there is no need to check grains for insect infestation in the United States. Grains in another country or if you have reason to believe the beans may not have been stored properly may require further inspection for insects. 43. Green Onions - Cut along length of green onion "leaf" and check for bugs inside and around the area protruding from the bulb. Discard the roots. 44. Herbs - Must be washed very well in either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka. (see above) 45. Honey - Unflavored does not require kosher supervision 46. Iceberg Lettuce: Not pre washed – Outer leaves must be removed and the head should be quartered. Rinse the whole quarter piece with running water and a cursory inspection is needed. If insects are found after rinsing, each leaf must be checked. If the infestation is severe, the lettuce should be discarded. Pre washed without hashgacha may be used. No further washing is required. 47. Leek - Cut along length of leek "leaf" and check for bugs inside and around the area protruding from the bulb. Discard the roots. 48. Lettuce – all other than iceberg: Not pre washed - Must be washed very well with either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka.(see above) Pre washed may be used without hashgacha only after checking each leaf of the product or washing again using the chazaka check (see above). 49. Margarine- Must have acceptable kosher supervision. Only pareve margarine is acceptable in the meat kitchen. 50. Meat- All meats must be glatt, soaked and salted. Raw liver is not acceptable. 51. Meat Substitutes- Must have acceptable kosher supervision. 52. Mint - Must be washed very well in either a vegetable wash or a food grade soap solution, and checked with a chazaka. (see above) 53. Mushrooms – Fresh mushrooms must be rinsed and a cursory inspection is needed. Portabella mushrooms should have the brown under part removed. All frozen mushrooms are acceptable. Canned mushrooms must have a reliable hashgacha. 54. Okra - Fresh - A general inspection is needed to rule out obvious infestation.