Do kosher raspberries exist

amother

Tiffanyblue ↓

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:14 am

I really hesitated posting this because of all the nasty backlash I received here for saying this once , but I figured if it helps anyone its worth it.

My Rav (a quite well known yeshivish posek) actually holds that all frozen fruits and vegetables may be used without being checked for bugs, because the process of freezing renders the bugs fragmented and not a shalem insect (same idea as those who hold its ok if the fruit/veg has been blended).
Someone told me he holds this way, I was shocked and couldnt believe it, confirmed with him and since then my life has gotten a lot cheaper and simpler (bag of broccoli at $1.25!). And im so grateful for the woman who shared it with me.
Im sharing this only because it would never occur to most people to ask their Rav about this, just like it didnt occur to me.

Last time I mentioned this I got really blasted amd put in my place; that its an aveirah, no way its ok, my Rav must not know what he is doing (chalila), and that if I dont post his name it means im lying.

Well I wont be posting his name, and I am not lying. Its just a PSA in case this is able to help anyone.

PS one of my friends asked her Rav, and was told the same. Its not entirely unheard of apparently

amother

Buttercup

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:20 am

amother Tiffanyblue wrote:

Frozen or freeze dried???
2 very different things. I could understand why freeze dried could be paskened like that.

I was told by a very big rav in kashrus that if you are blending, no hechsher is needed if it isn't something that definitely has bugs. Strawberries, broccoli, mint etc falls under this. Raspberries he specifically said doesn't.

amother

↑ Tiffanyblue ↓

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:24 am

amother Buttercup wrote:

FROZEN. not freeze dried. Regular, frozen starwberries, frozen cauliflower, frozen broccolit etc. I clarified with him more than once to make sure I was understanding. His Rebbetzin acknowledged the same etc.
I did not misunderstand, neither did the lady who alerted me in the beginning, or my friend who asked her Rav

amother

↑ Whitewash

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:26 am

amother Tiffanyblue wrote:

Wish you would post the name of the rav so I can call him myself and do the same

amother

Cherry ↓

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:34 am

amother Tiffanyblue wrote:

I've heard this argument, but star k says that freezing does nothing to the bugs and they are actually well preserved. The aoUnalso says the the freezing process has little to jo effect on bugs. I'm guessing they actually looked into this and are mot just guessing. I'm sure this Rav has a valid source for his statement, but I'm just curious how people are finding two very different things to be true. Either the bugs are destroyed or they aren't.

amother

↑ Tiffanyblue ↓

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:37 am

amother Cherry wrote:

I've heard this argument, but star k says that freezing does nothing to the bugs and they are actually well preserved. I'm guessing they actually looked into this and are mot just guessing. I'm sure this Rav has a valid source for his statement, but I'm just curious how people are finding two very different things to be true. Either the bugs are destroyed or they aren't.

This Rav is not the type to rely on heresay or whatever. He is a big posek, digs into things etc. If I post his name, many people here will recognize it.
Maybe his definition of shalem is different from someone elses? Maybe he relies on it happening a certain amount of times in order to rely on it? Who knows? Im not the expert, he is.
I rely on his psak, I dont need to question how he came by it.

amother

Oxfordblue

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:44 am

amother Tiffanyblue wrote:

Thanks for letting us know . I once saw a frum looking man buy frozen broccoli in Aldi and I was shocked . I’m sad to say I wasn’t Dan lcaf zechus. Thanks for explaining

amother

↑ Tiffanyblue ↓

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:50 am

amother Cornsilk wrote:

How many years ago.
I was told the same 30 years ago. But recently asked again the same rav and was told the process changes and cannot rely on it.

Initially told 2 years ago, and brought it up with him again a few weeks ago to clarify that it applies to all fruits and vegg

amother

↑ Cherry

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:51 am

amother Oxfordblue wrote:

Thanks for letting us know . I once saw a frum looking man buy frozen broccoli in Aldi and I was shocked . I’m sad to say I wasn’t Dan lcaf zechus. Thanks for explaining

I think the frozen broccoli at one point had a hechsher BUT the hechsher did not check for bugs or claim the broccoli was bug free. They were only certifying that there were no unkosher ingredients added. To top it off, the hechsher was not widely teusted but looked similar to a more trusted hechsher. I think sadly a lot of people bought it thinking that the certification meant it was checked for bugs.

Brit in Israel

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:53 am

amother Oxfordblue wrote:

Thanks for letting us know . I once saw a frum looking man buy frozen broccoli in Aldi and I was shocked . I’m sad to say I wasn’t Dan lcaf zechus. Thanks for explaining

If he was buying it to blend like for a soup many Rabonim hold it's ok.
The not blending, eating it as is, is what many Rabonim say needs a hechser

amother

NeonPink

Thu, Oct 10 2024, 11:58 am

amother Tiffanyblue wrote:

We hold this as well. Yeshivish.