A great outcry emerged late last week upon the news that Bimbo Bakeries USA would be removing kosher certification from many of its breads and rolls.
Confusion reigned as kosher consumers also feared from Bimbo-owned brands Entenmann’s and Thomas. And while it seems our raspberry danish twists and nooks and crannies are safe for now, many breads are scheduled to lose their kosher certification, making it more difficult for consumers to find kosher-certified bread.
Says a report on JTA:
“We’ve been hearing from a lot of consumers that they’re concerned about this,” said Rabbi Menachem Genack, the rabbinic administrator of the O.U.’s kosher division, the largest in the country. “If you live throughout the United States, it’s not always so easy to get kosher bread. In terms of kosher bread, Bimbo plays a critical role.”
Genack explained that the decision stems from a mix of corporate efficiency and obscure kosher laws: Bimbo wants the flexibility to produce its breads on the same factory lines as breads that contain dairy products.
For the most up-to-date status of all OU-certified products, use the product search on oukosher.org.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.