OK Policy
 

PARVE DESIGNATION

Q. What is the difference between OK and OK Pareve. Some of your products have OK and some OK Parve. If OK (without Pareve) is also pareve, what is the difference?

A. There is no difference between the two designations. Products simply marked OK are pareve. However, some companies prefer to add the word Pareve to the label.


UNDER CLOSE WATCH

Q. When does the OK require a permanent supervisor (mashgiach temidi)?

A. Permanent supervision, or hashgachah temidis, is required for all meat establishments. We do not make any distinction concerning the ownership of the establishment. Even if the owner is an Orthodox Jew conversant in the laws of kashrus, we will not certify his establishment without a mashgiach temidi. The mashgiach is given the keys to all the storage areas where meat is kept (e.g., a freezer). The owner cannot open these storage areas. The mashgiach will be on premises as long as they are open. We do not require hashgachah temidis for a dairy restaurant if an Orthodox Jewish owner or employee is on premises at all times, but a mashgiach visits the location on a frequent basis. All other dairy restaurants must have permanent supervision.

In a plant where both kosher and non-kosher items are made, we require a mashgiach temidi if there is any chance that contamination of the kosher lines will occur. We evaluate each circumstance individually.

Kosher supervision is not always cut-and-dried; during our evaluation of a facility, we may decide it warrants hashgachah temidis even if it does not fall into any of the above categories.


D OR DE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

Q. I've noticed that some OK-certified products are marked DE. How does this differ from your D designation?

A. The OK divides the products it supervises into three categories. Products marked simply OK are pareve. Items marked OK D are dairy, and must not be eaten together with or after meat. If an item is marked OK DE, its ingredients are pareve, but the item was produced on dairy equipment. This equipment was previously used to make dairy products and was not kosherized to eliminate any absorbed dairy taste from the walls. (A fourth category, unrelated to an item's dairy status, is the OK P designation, which indicates that the item is Kosher for Passover.) The OK DE designation is applied only if there is absolutely no residue of actual dairy substance on the equipment; if there remains any such residue, no matter how minute, the OK will label the product dairy.

There are halachic ramifications concerning DE products. Please consult your Orthodox rabbi for specifics.


BUG OFF

Q. When the OK certifies a product or food establishment, does the certification extend to checking the produce for infestation? Also, what is your policy regarding whether seaweed (the type used in sushi) needs to be inspected for sea organisms?
-Baruch Caplan

A. OK certification includes the checking of fruits and vegetables for infestation. In our restaurants, the vegetables are personally checked by the mashgiach or they come from an approved source. Seaweed can be infested by seahorses. These are tiny, and so a careful inspection is required.


PAS YISRAEL

Q. The OK certifies many brands of cereals, cookies, and crackers. Are these pas Yisrael?

A. OK-certified bread products, including cookies and crackers, are not pas Yisrael unless specifically noted on the label. There is an exception to this rule. Wasa Crisp Breads that have an OK symbol are pas Yisrael although not stated on the packaging.


SEEING THE OVERSEER

Q. Are the mashgichim at restaurants you supervise allowed to participate in food preparation? Also, is there a way for the consumer to identify the mashgiach?
-Jaron Matlow

A. The primary responsibility of the mashgiach is kashrus. He may be involved in food preparation as long as this activity does not conflict with his primary task.

You can easily locate the mashgiach. In some OK-certified establishments, the mashgiach wears a lab coat that says "Rabbi." Otherwise, simply ask to speak to the rabbi. He will be pleased to answer questions about the restaurant's operation.