May You Sell Vinegar for Pesach?

Q. I don’t sell chometz gamor. May I include white (or distilled, or grain) vinegar in the sale, as well as condiments that contain vinegar, such as ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise?

A. White vinegar is made from ethanol, and in the United States the vast majority of ethanol is made from corn. To convert corn starch to vinegar a number of process stages are required, and in each stage multiple ingredients are used. These ingredients and processes have been carefully reviewed as to whether they will render vinegar taaruvos chometz. They do not. Therefore, vinegar, and certainly products that contain vinegar, can be included in a sale, even for those people who are careful not to sell chometz gamur.

This column comes from OU Kosher’s Halacha Yomis dedicated in memory of Rav Chaim Yisroel ben Reb Dov HaLevy Belsky, zt’l, Senior OU Kosher Halachic Consultant (1987-2016). Subscribers can also ask their own questions on Kashrus issues and send them to [email protected]. These questions and their answers may be selected to become one of the Q and A’s on OU Kosher Halacha Yomis.

{Matzav.com}