Q

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

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. (Chalav Yisrael items are marked accordingly.) 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.

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

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; however, a mashgiach visits the location on a frequent basis. All other dairy restaurants 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.

How can I tell whether a store is certified by the OK? Often I see a sign in a store with a large OK; is that proof that you are providing supervision?

Unfortunately, it is all too easy to copy and put up a sign that says OK on it. This is not sufficient evidence of OK supervision. You must look for a letter of certification under our letterhead, with a current expiration date.

We have come across cases where proprietors forged a new expiration date onto an existing letter. While this is rare, if you see a certification letter that appears to have been altered or if you do not see the OK letter of certification, please contact us.