COR is pleased to answer questions from kosher consumers throughout the year. This service is especially popular during the weeks leading up to Passover, as evidenced by the nearly two thousand questions answered by our office last year during Passover.
You can call the COR Kosher Hotline at (416)635-9550 ext. 100 or email us at questions@cor.ca.
Here is a list of the more frequently asked Passover questions leading up to Passover 2014:
Question: Does toothpaste need to be chametz free?
Answer: Since toothpaste is used orally, it should be chametz free. COR has verified that all Colgate, Crest Cavity Protection Gel and Paste, Crest for Kids and Crest Tartar Protection tooth pastes are chametz free.
Question: Does milk require Passover certification?
Answer: Vitamins are added to milk that are considered kitniyot. COR certifies kosher for Passover milk in which these vitamins are removed. If one lives in a community where this Passover certified milk is unavailable, one should purchase regular milk but before Passover.
Question: Which olive oils do and don’t require Passover certification?
Answer: ONLY extra virgin olive oil is acceptable without Passover certification; extra light and pure olive oils require Passover certification.
Question: Can detergents and soaps be used without certification?
Answer: Detergents and soaps may be used on Passover without certification, and throughout the year as well.
Question: Can sugar be purchased without Passover certification?
Answer: White granulated sugar does not require Passover certification. In general, brown sugar requires Passover certification. COR certified Redpath brown sugar does not require Passover certification. Powdered sugar contains kitniyot as it is used with corn starch.
Question: Can Seltzer be used without Passover certification?
Answer: “Seltzer” which we define as having only water and CO2 does not require Passover certification. Club Soda or anything with additional ingredients such as sodium bicarbonate sodium citrate, potassium sulfate, disodium phosphate etc. requires Passover certification.
Question: Can I use probiotics without certification?
Answer: Probiotics may have been produced using chametz so they cannot be endorsed unless they happen to have Passover certification.
Question: Are chia and or flax seeds kitniyot?
Answer: No. Whole chia and flax seeds may be purchased without certification. Ground seeds however require Passover certification.
Question: Does frozen fruit need Passover certification?
Answer: Any frozen fruit, whole or sliced, that is unsweetened and without additives (i.e. syrup, citric acid, ascorbic acid, vitamin C) is acceptable without Passover certification.
Question: Which coffees do and don’t require Passover certification?
Answer:
a. All regular ground coffees are acceptable for Passover use.
b. Decaffeinated coffee: Coffee is often decaffeinated by means of ethyl acetate, which is derived from either kitniyot or chametz. Therefore, decaffeinated coffees are not acceptable without Passover certification.
c. Instant coffees often contain maltodextrin, which is derived from either kitniyot or chametz. Therefore, all instant coffees require Passover certification. Two exceptions are Folgers Instant and Taster’s Choice Instant which do not use maltodextrin.
d. All flavoured coffee requires Passover certification.
Question: Are the following kitniyot:
a. caraway:
b. coriander:
c. cumin:
d. fennel:
Answer: These items are not kitniyot. However, you have to make sure no foreign grain is mixed in. Therefore, while you may use the whole grains, we don’t recommend using the ground varieties of these products without Passover certification.
Question: Is Iogo yogurt really kosher?
Answer: Yes! Iogo yogurt has gone COR. We have koshered the facility and the product now found in supermarkets is kosher certified. Iogo is currently running out old packaging that does not carry the COR symbol but the product is kosher (not for Passover). If consumers feel more comfortable purchasing the product with the COR symbol, the packaging will be updated shortly. But the product is kosher.
Does frozen salmon require Passover certification?
Answer: Frozen salmon requires Passover certification because of glazes that are used in frozen fish which may contain ingredients problematic for Passover use. The OU certifies some popular frozen salmon products sold at Costco. OU certified Kirkland Frozen Atlantic Salmon may be used on Pesach without a “P”; Kirkland Frozen Wild Salmon may be used on Passover without a “P” following rinsing with water.
Contact the COR Passover Hotline at (416) 635-9550 x100 or questions@cor.ca