New York – A major national brand of string cheese is the first to earn the certification of the Orthodox Union, a move that makes kosher string cheese easily available, even to people who live outside established Jewish communities.
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Kraft Foods announced today that all seven of its Polly-O string cheese products now bear an OU-D designation. Polly-O string cheese is available in the eastern United States and many varieties of its sister brand, Kraft string cheese, are available on the west coast bearing the OU’s stamp of approval.
Polly-O’s Campbell, New York plant was kashered in entirety for the turnover, in a move to accommodate Jewish customers no matter where they may be located.
“Kosher consumers are always looking for quality products that are widely available and Polly-O answers their call,” Jody Moore, associate director of corporate affairs, told VIN News.
Polly-O’s initial launch of kosher string cheese was extremely successful, according to one company spokesperson and Rabbi Moshe Elefant of the OU described Polly-O’s latest announcement as “very exciting.”
“The mandate of the OU is to make kosher products available to anyone who wants kosher all around the country,” said Rabbi Elefant. “Polly-O is in every supermarket and we want people who eat string cheese, a popular product and a quality product, to have a kosher option. We are here to make kosher available to everyone. This is why we get up in the morning and no matter where you go, kosher string cheese will be available.”
Rabbi Elefant praised Polly-O for being extremely cooperative throughout the often complex kashering process.
“I’m not sure the average consumer recognizes how much is involved in certifying this product, which is much more complicated than certifying your average chocolate chip cookie or potato chip,” noted Rabbi Elefant. “The halacha says that when you are making hard cheese, a religious Jew has to pour the rennet into the cheese. We had to identify people to be mashgichim in the plant, which is in the middle of nowhere, and it has been especially difficult with the weather this year just getting from their homes to the plant. We have a team of four rotating mashgichim in the plant and they are there 24/7.”
Polly-O string cheese, which is not a cholov yisroel product, comes in plain, cracked black pepper, tomato basil, jalapeno and mozzarella and cheddar twist flavors, with both the plain and the twist varieties available in lower fat versions.
I wish it could be cholov Yisroel too, but I’m aware that we’re the minority’s keeping that strict rule of Kashrus.
Perhaps the outrageous prices of the traditional kosher cheeses will come back to earth…
By keeping cholov yisroel we must pay the outrageous prices on the hard cheeses. It is unjustified that there is such a huge spread between Haolom and Miller!
We need some rabbonim to threaten that they will be mattir non-cholov yisroel cheese (which may not be required in the first place – like butter and milk powder etc.)
Rav Moshe Feinstein’s teshuva says “Baal nefesh machmir al otzmo”there is no mention of “Dire situations”.
To number 1
Are you aware that the whole heter was only for ppl in the middle of nowhere who have to give there kids milk for health ect. And unfortunately it was blown out of control much to the dismay of reb moshe zt”l (in fact at the end of his life he said his only regret in Halacha was allowing cholov stam) so the fact that any one keeps it should be the minority
To number 1
Are you aware that the whole heter was only for ppl in the middle of nowhere who have to give there kids milk for health ect. And unfortunately it was blown out of control much to the dismay of reb moshe zt”l (in fact at the end of his life he said his only regret in Halacha was allowing cholov stam) so the fact that any one keeps it should be the minority
Th OU website has a wonderful video about Chalav Yisroel and Cholov stam.The discussion participants included Rav Belsky the Nirbater Rav and Rav Genack
Please stop reinventing history.
Rav Moshe held that all milk in America was Cholov Yisrael.
Ask any of the Feinstein family directly. They had non-Cholov Yisrael in the house.
One of my close friends who is part of the mishpacha recalls being served Breyer’s Ice Cream in Rav Moshe’s home.
The people who were actually there know better.
Why is cholov yisroel more expensive ? Does the macgiach earn 50 tjousand a week ?
A friend who spent a lot of time with the rosh yeshiva asked him, if Reb Moshe ztl was alive today (this happened about six years ago), would he pasken different re cholov stamm and the answer was an emphatic NO.
Let’s check out some dairy prices….
GALLON of cholov stamm milk – 3.49
HALF GALLON of CY milk – 2.79
Cholov stamm tastes like REAL milk with a creamy taste.
CY has a watered down taste.
Cholov Stamm tastes good till its expiration date.
CY tastes sour or off within a very short amount of time.
Cholov Stamm cottage cheese is about 2.50 per pound for a good brand.
CY is WELL OVER $4 per pound!!!!!!
Shall I keep going or will yiddin finally wake up to the GOUGING taking place for substandard product. I’m not saying if you’re makpid on CY to CH’V switch, I’m saying the companies like GF, JJ, Mehadrin etc need to have their feet held to the fire. There is no reason for there to be such a major price difference, NONE AT ALL!!!
Let’s check out some dairy prices….
GALLON of cholov stamm milk – 3.49
HALF GALLON of CY milk – 2.79
Cholov stamm tastes like REAL milk with a creamy taste.
CY has a watered down taste.
Cholov Stamm tastes good till its expiration date.
CY tastes sour or off within a very short amount of time.
Cholov Stamm cottage cheese is about 2.50 per pound for a good brand.
CY is WELL OVER $4 per pound!!!!!!
Shall I keep going or will yiddin finally wake up to the GOUGING taking place for substandard product. I’m not saying if you’re makpid on CY to CH’V switch, I’m saying the companies like GF, JJ, Mehadrin etc need to have their feet held to the fire. There is no reason for there to be such a major price difference, NONE AT ALL!!!
would be nice for the OU to kosher certify Polly-O/ Kraft’s regular mozzarella cheese.
I wish R’ Moshe Feinstein wouldn’t b matir non Cholov Yisroel, then the OU would be forced to make these brands Cholov Yisroel, thus, I would b able to eat these string cheeses as well as Hershey’s chocolate etc.
The problem with R’ Moshe’s heter is that if you look in his tshuva you’ll see for yourself that he’s only matir in dire situations. He himself would never ever eat non Cholov Yisroel.
I’m pretty sure that if R’ Moshe would br around today, he would express his dismay to the OU etc for relying on his heter when it’s possible to avoid it.
It may be OU-D certified but goyisher milk is still ossur. Shame on OU for playing this game.
Cholov Yisroel or not, milkfat is the worst thing for the heart. Better off with parva cheeses if you crave cheese