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The
Kosher Issues of Generic Packaging Continued
from the last issue of The Daf Hakashrus By
Rabbi Avrohom Y. Stone DAF NOTES: The Daf takes this
opportunity to thank Rabbi Stone for this excellent article, which is
his first contribution to The Daf Hakashrus.
We hope other RFR’s, as well, will begin to use The Daf as a
medium for sharing with their fellow RFR’s the problems and solutions
related to the dynamic field of contemporary Kashruth. Until recently, when packaging was
distinct for each item, the RFR had only to check the label room or the
film storage area to determine that everything was being marked
correctly. However, with the advent of generic packaging materials, it
becomes virtually impossible to discover incorrectly labeled items
before they are packaged. For
example: Coffee Company X
produces numerous varieties of OU pareve coffee.
They also manufacture flavored coffees which are dairy.
In order to save money, the company orders rolls of film
preprinted with their logo, design, brand name, an
Even if a plant is all kosher and
pareve or all kosher and dairy, the possibility of misuse of generic
labels still exists. At a
future date, the company may introduce a non-approved item and use the
generic packaging material. The
policy issue of whether or not to allow generic labels must be decided
by the OU’s Senior Management. In
the meantime, the OU requests that if we, as RFR’s, spot generic
materials, we must notify the appropriate RC.
If the company is a mixed account (e.g. dairy/pareve, or
kosher/non-kosher), the potential pitfalls for generic labels are
immediately present and the RC should deal with this issue, in
consultation with the RFR, as an emergency. The RFR needs to analyze the
implications of packaging policies with the same critical eye he uses to
foresee issues involving the use of new ingredients and implementation
of new manufacturing processes.
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