(Community Member)
There seems to be a wide-spread overly optimistic assumption that Ritz Crackers are pareve and that the OU-D designation simply refers to the fact that it was produced on a dairy production line. I have seen several people take this for granted and consume Ritz crackers within a meat meal.
I personally contacted the O-U and was told that these crackers contain real dairy ingredients! See the ingredient list below. (Ed: you may also wish to check out “No more fudging the facts” about the Oreo dairy controversy too. Also check out a great web article on deciphering ingredient labels to figure out which ingredients are dairy, but please do not use to permit foods for kosher concerns).
Ingredients: UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, LEAVENING (CALCIUM PHOSPHATE AND/OR BAKING SODA), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SOY LECITHIN, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NATURAL FLAVOR.
Neil from Ohio says
It is unfortunate that OU dropped its “dairy equipment” label and now uses the same symbol (OU-D) for both “dairy” and “dairy equipment”, when they are obviously not the same thing.
The chaotic result is also obvious–to everyone except the OK.
Other reliable kashrus orgs such as the Chof-K still use the “DE”. Why can’t the OU do the same??
Neil from Ohio says
OOPS I meant “obvious to everyone except the OU”.
Moderator: Please fix. Thanks.
Neil from Ohio says
Ok, class. It is quiz time.
Question: The ingredient list on Walmart’s “Great Value Lemonade Mix” says “May contain traces of milk”. The qualifier that OU puts next to its symbol is (a) “D” (b) “Dairy” (c) none of the above.
Answer: (c) none of the above. The OU symbol appears with no qualifier, just as it might appear on a product that is unquestionably Pareve.
a says
Nice article. Can you please give me a hint as to which ingredient is dairy?
Please?
zahava says
I would think it’s the calcium phosphate. According to wikedpedia its derived from bovines.
afeinstein says
If you compare the ingredients to the Dairy free resources web site, you will see that none of the ingredients are typical candidates for being dairy – not the calcium phosphate and not the malted barley. So it is just not clear.