CERTIFIED KOSHER TOMATOES

This story comes from the Monday, March 31 edition of Kosher Today. Our comments will appear at the end.

Certified Kosher Tomatoes Now Available from Santa Sweets
Plant City, Florida… by Eda Kram… To meet the growing demand among Jewish consumers and others looking for food they can trust, Santa Sweets announced that its Roma, Cherry, Uglyripe, Round, and Grape Tomatoes are now Certified Kosher. The tomatoes are also Certified Kosher for Passover. Santa Uglyripe kosher tomatoes are also available as USDA Certified Organic. The Company believes theirs are the first kosher tomatoes ever sold in the United States. The kosher certification is issued by Florida Kosher Services, under the auspices of Rabbi Sholom B. Dubov, Maitland, Fla. The produce will carry the label, ‘Certified Kosher, Florida K.’ Meeting the standard required multiple inspections at farms and packing plants across the United States and Mexico. Although fruits and vegetables have historically been considered kosher, advances in technology and its application to foods leaves kosher consumers to wonder if the growing process might in some way make produce un-kosher. Santa Sweets is one of the largest growers, packers and shippers of conventional and USDA-certified organic fresh tomatoes in the United States. Through lessons learned from organic growing, the company has made dramatic changes to eliminate many of the pesticides still used by most in the tomato growing industry. Grocers seeking more information on the new Certified Kosher tomatoes from Santa Sweets should contact Veronica Rivas at 813-752-1023. For further information visit: http://www.santasweets.com/.
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“The company believes theirs are the first kosher tomatoes ever sold in the United States.” Wait, the tomatoes we have been buying are trefe???? Whoda thunk it!! And all this time, we thought fresh veggies are always kosher. Never mind the bit about advances in technology leaving consumers “to wonder if the growing process might in some way make produce unkosher.”

We have one great worry: How long will it take until the “I’m OK, you’re OK” kosher agency tells us that all fresh veggies must have a kosher certification? We already have certified kosher laundry detergent, fresh water, stretch plastic wrap, paper plates and napkins, and even kosher for Passover window cleaner. What’s next?