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Relying on Pessah Lists for Sepharadim
By Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar
Q: Can Sepharadim safely assume that food products that contain Kitniyot (legumes) derivatives such as corn syrup, corn alcohol, etc. and no Hametz are Kosher for Passover without any certification?
A: Generally, Sepharadim do not follow the Ashkenazic practice of avoiding Kitniyot (legumes) on Pessah (although, some communities refrain from eating rice and/or chickpeas). This presents a unique dilemma for Sepharadim who live in North America. As the Kashrut agencies are for the most part run by Ashkenazim, many products that contain Kitniyot derivatives, such as corn syrup, corn based vinegar, and corn based sugar are not certified as kosher for Passover. This should present no issue for Sepharadim, if so, one could suggest that as long as the item does not contain any trace of wheat (or the other four grains) in its production, it would be safe to assume that it is Kasher L’Pessah. Accordingly, if one would read the label of certain products, such as mayonnaise, and sees that it does not contain any Hametz in its ingredients he should assume it’s fine.
After further research and discussion with Kashrut experts who are intimately involved with the different ingredients that go into each product, we have learned that many products that one would assume have no trace of Hametz, could very well have traces of Hametz and in some instances a substantial amount that would not be nullified before Pessah.
The following are based on the findings of Rabbi Avraham Juravel, a world-renowned Kashrut expert and Rabbinic Coordinator for the OU. Due to his vast experience on the field, he was able to give us an insider’s view on the potential challenges of relying on ingredients only.
Here are a few examples:
Corn Alcohol, Corn Vinegar and Corn Sugar
Mayonnaise contains vinegar derived from corn. One would think this does not pose a Kashrut concern for Sepharadim as it is merely a derivative of Kitniyot. However, corn alcohol, corn vinegar and corn sugar all begin life as corn starch, which is obtained by washing the starch from ground corn. The water in the starch solution is then boiled off until only the powdery starch remains. ADM, America’s largest corn processor, makes cornstarch and wheat starch using the same recirculated water. The corn alcohol that emerges may appear innocent enough on a label, but it is a problematic Hametz-mixture.
Similarly, Cargill’s huge dextrose plants in France and Germany, have different buildings house the production of corn dextrose and wheat dextrose, but the same water circulates through both. The poses an issue of Hametz mixtures.
Furthermore, bacteria and beta-amylase, an enzyme, are added to a cornstarch solution to convert the starch to alcohol. But beta-amylase is usually made by soaking barley in water for an extended period. In response to customer inquiries, the company has asserted in writing that the product contains only corn. It is nevertheless is a problematic mixture of Hametz. It is not certain that the amount of wheat absorbed would be Batel B’Shishim (nullified in sixty-times the volume, which would usually suffice according to Sepharadim if the Hametz was nullified before Pessah).
Vinegar
White vinegar is made from either wheat or corn alcohol, to which is usually added a starter, typically vinegar from an earlier production.
A large U.S. vinegar producer requested Pessah certification for its apple cider vinegar. Hametz vinegars are produced in the same plant, but the company insisted that the apple cider vinegar used a dedicated line and thus was never contaminated by Hametz.
One prominent Kashrut expert once examined the plant and found that it produces two kinds of apple cider vinegar: regular, which utilizes a starter, and natural, which doesn’t. A single tank in the facility is used to hold starter. At different times this tank contains barley malt vinegar, white vinegar, and “regular” apple cider vinegar. The barley and wheat starters make the starter tank Hametz, because Kibush B’Davar Harif (soaking in a sharp substance) doesn’t require 24 hours to render the soaked item a Kavush KiM’vushal (soaking is like cooking and transfers taste). The starter tank, in turn, renders the regular apple cider vinegar a Hametz-mixture. As a result, even though the cider vinegars have a dedicated line, that line is mixed with the Hametz from the regular cider vinegar that contains starter from the Hametz starter tank.
Denatured Alcohol
Denatured alcohol is one to which a denaturant—a foul-tasting chemical—has been added to make it inedible, thereby exempting it from the higher U.S. taxes on potable alcohol. One eligible denaturant is ethyl acetate. Is vinegar manufactured from corn alcohol denatured with ethyl acetate Kasher L’Pessah?
Rav Yaakov Blau zt”l ruled that it is not. Most ethyl acetate is made from either Hametz alcohol or Hametz acetic acid. Although the ratio of alcohol-to-ethyl acetate is greater than 60:1, because it is specifically made to give taste (‘Avida L’Ta’ama) it’s not Battel (nullified).
Citric acid
Citric acid, which is also referred to as “lemon acid” (Humtzat Limon) in Israel, is no longer produced from fruit industrially anywhere in the world. It’s made from a sugar like dextrose, which can be derived from corn, wheat, or tapioca. As noted above, corn dextrose is often made with water that was used to boil wheat.
Carrageenan
Carrageenan, used on Pessah even by Ashkenazim, is made from seaweed cooked in alcohol. Sometimes the alcohol source is barley, as in one major South Korean factory. Therefore, carrageenan needs Hashgaha for Pessah, even though there is no alcohol in the final product.
Conclusion
These are but a few examples of the complexities in food production nowadays. It is very difficult to assume anything in the Kashrut world based on ingredients without proper supervision.
Pessah is a time where our ancestors always strove to never to have any doubt of Hametz in our vicinity. To be very careful not to purchase food that one is unsure whether it contains Hametz or not is definitely something we should strive for!
There are Pessah lists available that one can find for products for Sepharadim as well, such as the OU Kitniyiot division, the Star-S and jsor.org.
Hag Kasher V’Sameah!