13 replies to this topic

[MrHillman]

Can anybody tell me what the Rabbi's are looking for when they do an inspection? I have one in a few hours and there isn't much information on what makes a facility kosher or not.

[Scampi]

what kind of product(s) meat......diary........etc please

[MrHillman]

VCO, and various dry powders. Maca, Spirulina. Today Cacao nibs. The reason for this inspection is for new item, dried fruit. Nothing meat or dairy, the products are kosher, just need this certificate.

[Scampi]

no meat no diary---that simplifies things

 

I found this link that will explain it better than me!

 

https://earthkosher....cation-process/

 

 

How do you know you're products are kosher if you haven't been certified?

[Plastic Ducky]

Hello My friend Scampi,

 

A lot of it will be separation. Identification upon receipt. Separation in storage (nothing non-Koshered stored above Kosher, nothing non-Kosher stored in a manner that could contaminate Kosher). If Kosher Products are not in production during his visit, he will observe storage practices and documents (item and vendor specific) that identifies the Cacao Nibs as Kosher and that the NIbs are on the Kosher Platform of that Vendor.

 

Oh yeah, he might need to slap some magic down on your blender, give the 'ole hocus-pocus and what-not.

[MrHillman]

We have been certified previously, but new customer, new product.

At that time the rabbi told us that ALL VCO is kosher.

And here's the thing... If we carry a kosher certificate, why then would the customer who never sees or touches the raw products also need to be certified? We were trying to save them the inspection fees. Earth Kosher happens to be our CB. The best part of their process is step #2 and step #6, the monies collecting part!

[Scampi]

the customer part has me floored................earth kosher wants your customer to be kosher???? starting to sound like my time spent halal..............all CB's are NOT created =

[MrHillman]

Rabbi came, walked thru the facility, looked at some documents and left. Couldn't have been more than 1 hour.

A heads up if anyone else has Kosher inspections, last year they said they came in but nobody was was here. We were all here but they charged us for the visit anyway. A short time ago my phone rang from the front entrance, by the time I walked to the door (2mins) he was already walking away....

[SQFconsultant]

Much is involved in a Kosher certification.

 

From ensuring separation and identity preservation to documentation and process review, ingredients etc.

 

As a family for instance we don't eat unclean food and that means NO pork or bottom feeders such as shrimp, etc.

 

The Rabbi's normally check for ingredients to ensure things such as not having certain types of gelatin that may contain pork (it's amazing how many products do) or derivatives, etc.

 

As to declaring no one at the facility when they come - that would be built-into their visit protocol, they may have a time limit from the enter the facility the time the key contact gets to them.

 

As a former inspector for a big box wholesale club that had a supermarket attached to it our time limit from walking in the door to the management coming forward to greet us was 60 seconds, they didn't all come, we walked out.

[Setanta]

A little disgusted at the barely disguised Anti-Semitism from some folks.

[MrHillman]

Much is involved in a Kosher certification.

 

From ensuring separation and identity preservation to documentation and process review, ingredients etc.

 

As a family for instance we don't eat unclean food and that means NO pork or bottom feeders such as shrimp, etc.

 

The Rabbi's normally check for ingredients to ensure things such as not having certain types of gelatin that may contain pork (it's amazing how many products do) or derivatives, etc.

 

As to declaring no one at the facility when they come - that would be built-into their visit protocol, they may have a time limit from the enter the facility the time the key contact gets to them.

 

As a former inspector for a big box wholesale club that had a supermarket attached to it our time limit from walking in the door to the management coming forward to greet us was 60 seconds, they didn't all come, we walked out.

Maybe for a huge corporation, we're a small co-packer with 10 employees thus we all have several tasks, sitting by the front door isn't one of them.The inspection was set for 10am, when he arrived at 1pm what should we think about that?

[Plastic Ducky]

ON a related note:

 

 

I am working on launching an international FSM certification that will address similar protocols and documentation. And fees.

[kamau]

MrHillman,

 

I equally had RABBI visit our plant this week.In this case he had to supervise all the processes as we packed several full container loads of pineapple juice concentrate.

Before processing, we had to thoroughly clean the equipment of residue from previous production(cip and cop).

The boiler water had to be drained and refilled.

Sanitizing of equipment was done using hot water.

Filling,tagging and sealing of the required product done under RABBI,s supervision.

[Gerard H.]

Dear Mr. Hillman,

 

Separation has been mentioned above. So, please don't forget enclosed systems. Pipelines and valves connecting vessels may cause cross-contact between different product streams. 

 

Double walled vessels or pipes, used for heating or chilling are equally a point of attention. 

 

You can use the tips above for future developments and modifications of your manufacturing process.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gerard Heerkens