Shailah of the Week by Rabbi Zvi Nussbaum
Rabbinic Coordinator, Kosher Hotline Administrator for the Orthodox Union
Are you one of those that must have nuts on Shabbos and Yom Tov? What about Pesach? The simple rule is that raw nuts in their shell do not require special certification for Pesach…
You guessed it! There are several “howevers” when it comes to nuts. First off, shelled nuts that list BHA or BHT (preservatives) in the ingredients require special certification for Pesach. Why? The preservatives are sprayed on the nuts using corn derivatives (kitniyot). If no additives are included, most nuts may be used without special Passover certification. That includes pasteurized nuts.
Pecans are only acceptable with special Kosher for Passover certification.
Here’s the last however: any nuts that are roasted or toasted cannot be kosher for Passover without certification.
Enjoy nuts this Pesach, but remember to check the howevers.
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