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Q

I frequently see the words "Manufactured by" and "Distributed by" on products that carry O.K. certification. What is the difference between these two terms? Is the kashrus of a product affected in any way?
A
"Manufactured by" and "Distributed by" are legal terms, reflecting the origin of a product. When you buy an item that states it is "manufactured by" a certain company, this means that the company produced the item being sold. (This refers to the end product, not to its components, which often come from one or more sources outside the end-product manufacturer.)

The words "distributed by" indicate that the company did not manufacture the product. Rather, the company is distributing an item made by a different firm.

Private labeling — where one company manufactures a product for distribution under another company's name — is very common in the food industry. A primary example is the supermarket brand. Supermarkets generally do not make the products that carry their brand name; instead, they contract with manufacturers to produce for them.

The presence on a product of the O.K. seal reflects the application of our exacting standards. It makes no difference whether a product is manufactured or distributed by the company whose name is on the packaging; the identical standards of kosher supervision apply.

It is vital to note that the O.K. maintains in strict confidence the origin of products sold on a "distributed by" basis. Distributors know they can count on the O.K. Labs to guard all proprietary information.

Q
The cakes in the bakery at my neighborhood Costco are certified Kosher-Dairy by the O.K.. A sign indicates that the bread is not under supervision. I have read the labels and all the ingredients appear to be kosher. Why doesn't the O.K. certify the bread?
A
The Costco bakeries that are under O.K. supervision are considered entirely dairy facilities. Therefore, all cakes and other baked goods are certified O.K. Dairy even if no dairy ingredients are listed on the label.

Jewish law forbids the baking and consumption of dairy bread. (There are limited exceptions to this rule; consult your Orthodox rabbi for specific advice.) Whereas the Costco bakeries are dairy, we do not certify the bread or the rolls.

The policy at the O.K. is not to certify any bread that is dairy or that is baked on dairy equipment.

Q
I recently bought a product bearing the O.K. Pareve designation, then noticed the words "natural cheese flavor" on the ingredients label. If a "natural" ingredient contains "cheese," why isn't the product dairy?
A
Food technology has evolved to the point that flavor companies can simulate the taste of an item without any trace of that item actually present in the product. In the flavor industry, both natural and artificial sources are used to simulate flavors. Dolf DeRovira, the President of Flavor Dynamics, an O.K.-certified flavor company, explains that pareve natural cheese flavor is "derived naturally from a vegetable source." It is therefore "natural" yet also "pareve," containing no cheese. The same holds for "natural chicken flavor" that is certified O.K. Pareve.

The Food and Drug Administration lays the guidelines for the terminology used by the food industry; this particular ruling is found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 101.22

Kashrus Q&A welcomes your questions.
Address your questions to The Jewish Homemaker, 391 Troy Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213. You can fax us at 718-771-0991, or contact us by e-mail at questions@ok.org. Please include your name and a daytime phone number. We reserve the right to edit questions for content and clarity. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.