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<font size=3>At 04:00 PM 12/9/2009, R. Micha wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">I think what you're asking boils
down to:<br>
Can you be sure that if a company has two options, claims to be
using<br>
the cheaper one, they wouldn't have any of the more expensive one<br>
around?<br><br>
Corn is cheap in the US in particular. The whole reason why the
recipes<br>
differ in the two countries.<br><br>
Tir'u baTov!<br>
-Micha</blockquote><br>
Some time ago I had a long back and forth via email with <br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<dl>
<dd>Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits<br>
<dd>Author of Halachically Speaking<br>
<dd>Rabbinical Administrator - KOF-K Kosher Supervision<br>
<dd>Recorder of KOF- K policy</blockquote><br>
</dl>It was about the kashrus of mouthwash, particularly Scope and
Listerine. In one of the issues of Halachically Speaking he had written
essentially one should use only use mouthwash that has supervision,
because of the glycerin in the "regular" mouthwashes.
This he based on the psak of Rav Belsky.<br><br>
I wrote to him that Listerine has no glycerin in it. I also told him that
I had contacted Scope, and they told me that the glycerin they use is of
animal origin. Eventually he wrote back the following.<br><br>
<font size=3>"After giving some thought to our conversation
today I want to add the following:<br>
Although the non-Jew said they use vegetable ingredients there is no one
making sure this is always done and non-vegetable glycerin is cheaper
than vegetable. therefore, if they are not a kosher company there is no
reason why they should use vegetable glycerin. Why are we believing a
non-Jew to tell us about kosher. The one answering the phone has limited
knowledge regarding the items in a product. Even if it is made on the
same equipment as animal glycerin we do not rely on bitul. My opinion
still stands that I have no way to guarantee that only vegetable
glycerin is ALWAYS used."<br><br>
This response not only relates to the use of sugar or corn syrup in coke,
but also has wide implications for the discussion about following lists
in other countries that has taking place on Avodah. If one cannot rely on
what a non-Jew (I assume this applies to a non-religious Jew also) tells
you, then how can one follow lists?<br><br>
I have posted this to both Avodah and Areivim, because it is related to
discussions on both lists.<br><br>
<br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Yitzchok Levine</body>
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