11 Tishrei 5773
September 27, 2012
TENTATIVE REVISED CEREAL CHODOSH GUIDELINES
1) OATS: Until now, the Guide recommended the default cutoff packing dates for items containing oats, of Jul 26. This was a chumra based on the fear that the new Chodosh oats may be packed very shortly after the harvest of the new crop has started. Now the O-U has informed us that their official professional opinion is that no Chodosh harvested oats will go into any product before the packing date of Sept. 30. The exception is Quaker, where this earliest packing date is Sept 17. The Guide will henceforth recommend Sept 30 as the effective Chodosh packing date for all companies, except when told otherwise. The O-U has also verified that for oats in General Mills cereals, including all types of Cheerios, has the Chodosh packing date of Oct. 31.
2) WHEAT PRODUCTS: For items where “wheat” or “ wheat flour” is listed as a main ingredient, we recommend the chumra Chodosh packing date of Aug 9, unless told otherwise. This also holds for wheat germ and vital wheat gluten. In case of General Mills cereals, when such wheat is listed as a main ingredient, the O-U has determined that such wheat is always winter wheat and is Yoshon.
HOWEVER when it comes to some secondary wheat-derived ingredients, specifically “wheat starch”, the situation is more complex. Experts in the field have told the O-U that there is no application advantage in making wheat starch from spring wheat. Therefore, they felt that since winter wheat is cheaper, it is unlikely that manufacturers would make such starch from the more expensive spring wheat. Consult your own Rav or Posek. When consulting, also mention that wheat starch is used in small amounts and may be stored for long periods of time. He may rule that we can assume that wheat starch is Yoshon. For those who wish to be machmir, the chumra packing date for wheat starch would be Aug 9. The O-U has determined that Kretchmer wheat germ has the Chodosh packing date of Sept 30.
3) SPECIFIC PACKAGE CODES
The following are the first dating codes that may be Chodosh, as supplied by the O-U
QUAKER: Old Fashioned and Quick oats, Oat Bran–March 11, ’14. Cinnamon Oats Squares, Oats Squares, Kapt Krunch Peanut Butter, regular Kapt Krunch, OH’s Honey Graham—June 30 ’13. Life—Oct 31 ’13. Following instant oats: Instant Maple Brown Sugar, Raisin & Spice, Fruit & Cream Variety, Apple & Cinnamon—Apr 30 ’14.
KRETCHMER WHEAT GERM—March 24 ‘14
NATURE VALLEY GRANOLA BARS—Sept 22 ‘13
CHEERIOS code for oats—Nov 7 ’13 (372 days after Oct 31)