Consumers are being advised to inspect all brown rice for possible infestation before use, regardless of any kosher certification or hashgacha on the packaging, due to concerns over potential storage issues.
The KCL says that significant infestation has been discovered in Carolina brand 3-pound bags of brown rice with an expiration date of 7/28. This issue has been specifically traced to a distributor supplying stores in the Lakewood area.
Shoppers in and around Lakewood are strongly urged to avoid using this particular brand and lot of brown rice, as contamination has only been reported with this product.
This is highly irresponsible of the KCL. If there’s a problem with a distributor in Lakewood, then this is a Lakewood issue and a liquid issue only! KCL should have given the lot numbers so that people could be aware of it and then check it themselves.
It should be pointed out that many of these ingredients that come from the ground, require constant turnover. If you’re not going to have constant turnover AND THE ITEMS ARE NOT STORED PROPERLY UNDER COOL TEMPERATURES, you are asking for serious problems.