Is the Halacha for checking vegetables for bugs different if

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Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen

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amother

Honeydew

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:35 pm

The food will be pureed?

momof2+?

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:37 pm

The short answer is yes. Anyone else care to elaborate? I'm worried I don't know the halachos well enough.

amother

Papaya

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:44 pm

Maybe.
Many hold you don't need to check carefully if you will puree. Others say אין מבטלים איסור מלתחילה, So you would need to check the same.
Ask your lor.

Chana Miriam S

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:45 pm

Yes.

FranticFrummie

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:47 pm

I would check like normal. For things like a bundle of parsley, I unwrap the stems and put them in a big bucket of water with a tablespoon of salt and swish them around. Let them soak for about a half an hour. Any bugs will float straight to the top. Carefully drain out the water so the bugs go down the drain first, and then dump out the rest of the water. Wash the parsley well in clean water two more times (this also gets all the dirt and grit out of it.)

Broccoli is done the same way as parsley, just cut the broccoli into small pieces before soaking.

Organic produce has to be checked especially well, if you are doing any leafy greens. I've completely given up on organic lettuce in Israel. You end up getting more bugs than you do usable leaves. Confused

The OU guide to checking is pretty strict, and has very good guidelines.

(ETA: I used the example of parsley, because most people consider it nearly impossible to check. I had a Persian friend of mine show me how to check parsley and cilantro at a cooking class.)

Chana Miriam S

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:50 pm

Many major hashgacha allow thorough washing before purée with no checking. Frozen veg, even with no hechsher do not require washing before purée.

amother

Khaki

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:55 pm

I was told that if I davka want the food to be blended, I should just wash it well but don't need to check for bugs as long as it's being blended well. But that it's not ok to purposely blend something just to avoid checking for bugs if it's something likely to actually have bugs. There are probably different opinions so why not aylor?

dankbar

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 6:56 pm

If bug is not whole many hold is ok. Let's say if you blend your strawberries for a smoothie or your spinach leaves.

cbsp

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 9:44 pm

I think if you know for sure there are bugs then no, you can't puree it.

But if it's only a maybe (even a strong maybe) then some say it's ok to use for puree.

For example, when the half moon K (KOAOA) on Dole was taken over by the OU, the frozen mixed berry blend was deemed fine to use only for pureeing purposes.

33055

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 10:20 pm

dankbar wrote:

If bug is not whole many hold is ok. Let's say if you blend your strawberries for a smoothie or your spinach leaves.

Even if I could eat something kosher-wise that might have bug parts in it, I couldn't. It's disgusting.

dankbar

Sat, Apr 06 2019, 11:39 pm

I wouldn't buy unchecked veg, not check them & puree them. I do rely on blended when it's not greenhouse grown & it's supposed to be insect free by washing, that company claims they do ,which I dont rely on, that its completely bug free etc.
In other words I try to buy only greenhouse grown produce on veg that are known to have bugs. If I do buy another company that doesn't grow greenhouse produce but only wash it, I rely that it's ok to use if blended.

Angel

Sun, Apr 07 2019, 3:57 am

According to Rabbi Falk yes.
Ein Mevatlin Isuur Lechatchila

MitzadSheini

Sun, Apr 07 2019, 4:05 am

Just noting that what needs to be checked and how it needes tonne checked does vary from region to region.depending.on the actual bug situation for that place

amother

Papaya

Sun, Apr 07 2019, 6:57 am

Squishy wrote:

Even if I could eat something kosher-wise that might have bug parts in it, I couldn't. It's disgusting.

Bugs become assur when they are visible to the naked eye. You are eating lots of micro organisms all the time. Put them under a micros ope, a d you'll be really grossed out.

33055

Sun, Apr 07 2019, 7:06 am

amother wrote:

Bugs become assur when they are visible to the naked eye. You are eating lots of micro organisms all the time. Put them under a micros ope, a d you'll be really grossed out.

A microscope is too extreme. But visible bug parts are disgusting to eat. It has nothing to do with religion.

I know there are acceptable levels of cockroaches in ground coffee so much so that scientists who work with ground coffee show signs of being sensitive to cockroaches.

The whole thing is disgusting to me.

ETA https://www.mnn.com/food/healt.....offee

SuperWify

Sun, Apr 07 2019, 9:12 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

So cool! Thanks!! I was so distracted lately cleaning parsley so you bet I’m going to try this. Thanks, FF!

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