Chodosh Preliminary Bulletin

By Rabbi Yoseph Herman

The printing of the first issue of the Guide to Chodosh for the new season is scheduled בס”ד for approximately the third week of September. This delay is intended to allow the mashgichim to complete their arrangements for Yoshon hashgochos for the new season, thereby making the information in the Guide more complete and relevant. Meanwhile this preliminary bulletin is being issued to help consumers until the full Guide is issued. It contains general Chodosh starting dates. It also gives information and Chodosh codes for some of the most popular products.

HARVEST OF ALL CHODOSH CROPS HAS BEGUN

According to the reports from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the harvest of the Chodosh wheat, oats and barley has begun. We expect the Chodosh grain to start appearing in products as follows:

Oats products packed or produced as of Jul 26 may contain Chodosh. If purchased after Aug 9 (which has passed) package codes should be checked (see some sample codes listed below). However a later date is applicable for the oats in cereals made by General Mills, as noted below.

SPRING WHEAT: Packaged foods that contain spring wheat may contain Chodosh if packed or produced as of Aug 15. If purchased after Sept 1 package codes should be checked. Items containing wheat, wheat germ or wheat starch may be Chodosh after this date unless it is known that the wheat is Yoshon. Examples of foods that are from winter wheat and are Yoshon are matzos and gefilte fish.

FRESHLY BAKED bakery or store-produced items including breads, chalahs, rolls, bagels, many cakes and cookies,  and pizza may be Chodosh as of the baking date of Aug 15 in the mid-West USA and as of Sept 1 if made elsewhere in the USA.

NOODLES AND PASTA may be Chodosh as of the packing date of Aug 22. If purchased after Sept 7, package codes should be checked.

BARLEY: pearled barley or barley in cereals may be Chodosh as of the packing date of Aug 15. If purchased after Sept 1, package codes should be checked. Thusfar, Eden, Gefen, and Mishpacha  barley has been confirmed as being Yoshon the whole season.

BARLEY MALT (also listed in the ingredients as “malt”) may be Chodosh as of the packing date of Dec 15. Package codes should be checked after the purchase date of Jan 15 for beer and March 15 for malt in other products.

HASHGOCHOS ALWAYS YOSHON-Partial list

Packaged foods produced in Eretz Yisrael under any reliable kashrus hashgocho are Yoshon. If produced outside of Eretz Yisrael, when the packages list a Yoshon label and also have the name/symbol of a major kashrus supervision, they are Yoshon. Also, all items under the following European hashgochos are always Yoshon: Kedassia-London, Rabbi Westheim and Rabbi Schneeblag.

SELECTED PACKING CODES

The following are the Chodosh packing codes for a few popular items. For other items, you may check last year’s Guide for the code system (don’t forget to use the revised wheat, oats and barley dates and to update the year) or call the Hot Line at 718-305-5133.

Quaker and Mothers oats old fashioned and 1 Minute oats Jan 16 ’13 (540 days after packing). The code for the hot, cooked instant oats depends. For the flavored type the code is Jul 20 ’12 (360 days). The original unflavored instant oats type may be either 360 days or 540 days. You have to call the company with the package in your posession and ask. Quaker Life cereals is Jul 20 12 (360 days). If produced in Canada the dates will be later, to be announced when known.

General Mills Cheerios products, Kretchmer wheat germ and Nature Valley granola bars that contain wheat, wheat germ or wheat starch Aug 21 12 (372 days). If they contain oats but not any of the wheat products Sept 21 12.

Kellogs and Post cereals with oats Jul 26 ’12 (1 year), with wheat but no oats, Aug 15 ’12 (1 year).

Shoprite oats cereal Jan 26 13 (18 months). Sturm oats Jul 26 ’13 (2 years). Oats cereals from Kemach, Taanug, Unger and Walmart-Great Value Jul 26 ’12 (1 year).

OATS CHODOSH DATES FOR GENERAL MILLS CEREALS

In the list above you will note that the start of the Chodosh packing dates for oats products is given the “chumra” date of of Jul 26. However, the O-U assures us that the oats used in General Mills cereals and Nature Valley Granola bars should be Yoshon at least up to the packing date of Sept 15, maybe even later. This date should be used with caution. For most companies, the oats become Chodosh earlier than the wheat. For General Mills it is the opposite. Check the list of ingredients of the General Mills cereal of interest to you. If it contains wheat, wheat starch or wheat germ, then the earlier Chodosh starting date of wheat (this date is given above) should be used even if oats are the main ingredient. For example, the regular Cheerios contains wheat starch. On the other hand, some of the special Cheerios such as the Honey Nut Cheerios do not list any wheat ingredient and the later oats date may be used.

TIME TO RENEW SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE GUIDE TO CHODOSH

It is time to renew your subscription for the 3 issues of the Guider to Chodosh that we will בס”ד publish this upcoming season. The cost of the three issues this year (note price increase, needed to cover increased expenses) is $20 (overseas $27, Canada $22). Please mail your check with your full mailing address and phone number to

Project Chodosh Subscriptions

PO Box 150088

Kew Gardens, NY 11415

The Chodosh telephone Hot Line is 718-305-5133.

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