In the most recent newsletter from the Food Allergy Network, there was a
disturbing article on Kosher/pareve. The upshot is that a pareve label is
not an absolute guarantee that a food is absolutely free of dairy
contaminants. The religious laws of kashrut dictate a separation of milk
and meat, and define regulations for cleaning equipment that is to be used
for both dairy and pareve foods. But these regulations are not necessarily
foolproof or complete. The Food Allergy Network has lifted its blanket
recomendation of pareve foods for dairy-allergic individuals.

For many of us, trace amounts of dairy that might be in pareve foods are
tolerable. For us, a certification of pareve is a good indication that any
potential comtamination is most likely to be quite insignificant. But for
those who need an absolute guarantee, you may need to go the next step and
check to see if there is *any* chance of contamination -  even in pareve
foods - by checking with the manufacturer. (I wonder if the recently
reported experience with pareve Stella D'oro is a case in point).

I must say, I found the article disturbing. None of us likes to have a
certainty shaken, and we have all pretty much accepted pareve foods as
being safe.

This is just further evidence to me that we need something more than a
reliance on the laws of kashrut to protect us. My utopian fantasy would
have us seeing a reliable certification of completely dairy-free foods -
one that was back up by strict regulations regarding potential
contamination.

But since that is not likely to happen soon, I guess we'll have to settle
for less - the word of the manufacturers and the inspection by rabbis -
when looking for dairy-free foods.

Sigh...

Mark

____________________________________________________________
Mark Feblowitz                  GTE Laboratories Incorporated
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