Do other reputable kosher agencies allow such leniencies?
A. To the best of our knowledge, no reputable agency (including Kosher Australia) will certify oils produced in machinery shared with tallow due to the difficulty of ensuring a high and fully acceptable standard of kosherisation of the equipment. Some agencies, particularly those serving the smaller communities where properly certified oil is in short supply, have historically allowed the approval of oils produced on shared equipment if the particular cleaning protocol was deemed sufficient for an approval rating. The latest London Beth Din Kosher Food Guide (page 66) lists ALL vegetable oils as being acceptable without exception, without distinguishing between those produced in dedicated or shared plants. Rabbi Yoseph Glicksberg of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate department while on a recent visit to Australia confirmed advice already received some time ago by us that the Israeli Chief Rabbinate allows the use, in their certified products, of oils imported from Europe that are produced in
