Kosher News

Duncan Hines to Offer OU Certified Pareve Cakes Again

There is good news for kosher consumers who want their Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Cake Mixes, certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, to have pareve and non-dairy status. The company has reversed a decision made in 2005 to switch the product to dairy, therefore rendering it unusable for cakes that are served with meat meals at the Sabbath table. The product line includes Moist Deluxe Classic Yellow, the best selling cake mix in the country, and other consumer favorites such as Devil's Food, Lemon Supreme and Butter Recipe Golden.

Pareve production began in September and Duncan Hines has begun shipping product to stores. It should be in most locations by November and December, the company says.

In other Kashrut news from the cRc website:

Pocahontas Brand Pork and Beans in Tomato Sauce- Food Service (#10 can) mistakenly bears an unauthorized OU symbol. The product is being withdrawn from the marketplace.

Dominion Farms in Texas has made statements that might be construed as them being under the supervision of the cRc. They have supplied live cattle for kosher shechita, but are not certified by the cRc.

It has come to our attention that packages of barley, such as those used for soup or cholent, may contain larva, insects or even live worms! This problem is not isolated to any specific brand or store. It is strongly suggested that each package of barley, or other similar grains, be inspected prior to use.

Bareman's Gourmet Heavy Cream is dairy, as indicated on the ingredient panel. However, the "D" was inadvertently omitted and the package only bears a plain cRc. The product is indeed dairy. Future packaging is being revised.

KNORR BEEF BOUILLON (the kosher variety) which contains lactose, has been erroneously been marked as Pareve. The product is Dairy.

So, to recap... Duncan Hines cakes are pareve again, pork is still treif(!), Beef Bouillon is Dairy, and beware of live worms in your cholent. Betei'avon and beware!