Producing food items in 2022 is more complex than it has ever been. Kashrus experts attest to this fact, explaining that manufacturing and producing food is incredibly multifaceted and complicated, and the application of halacha in this day and age is therefore also more difficult than it’s ever been.
At the same time, whether due to Covid or other circumstances, there has been a proliferation of home-based businesses serving the frum community. This recent phenomenon has led people to approach leading rabbonim with concerns and troubling first-hand accounts relating to the kashrus of these home-based businesses, most of which are not supervised by any kashrus agency.
After studying this matter extensively and discussing the details with other poskim and leaders in the kashrus industry, these gedolei rabbonim felt that it is imperative that we implement a system that is consistent with prior practice of requiring all food businesses to have a reliable hashgacha. The gedolei rabbonim have thus released this kol koreh, making their feelings known that food produced for profit should not be bought unless it bears a reputable hashgacha or a respected rov gives his personal hashgacha on the operation.
The rabbonim were and are very sensitive to the plights of the owners of these home-based businesses, aware of the fact that they rely on their businesses to earn a parnassah. The rabbonim considered this carefully before releasing this statement.
The fact, however, is that most people don’t realize how many items they are consuming on a regular basis that do not have a hechsher altogether. When something is served to them, people should be trained to ask: Does this come from a store or business that has a hechsher?
When food is produced to be sold, oversight is needed. Allowing the current situation to continue unaddressed will unfortunately jeopardize the kashrus standards in our communities, as the rabbonim write in the kol koreh.
Questions or concerns related to this kol koreh may be addressed to kashrusconcerns@gmail.com.