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OGDENSBURG, NY [AP] — The state agriculture department has shut down a troubled kosher cheese plant near New York's northern border.

The action Friday was based on inspection of the Ahava plant and samples of its products, which showed excessive levels of bacteria. State inspectors have seized more than 25,000 pounds of cheese found unfit for human consumption.

Ahava Cheese Plant Shut Down Due to Bacteria

OGDENSBURG, NY [AP] — The state agriculture department has shut down a troubled kosher cheese plant near New York’s northern border.

The action Friday was based on inspection of the Ahava plant and samples of its products, which showed excessive levels of bacteria. State inspectors have seized more than 25,000 pounds of cheese found unfit for human consumption.

Ahava only sold its products in bulk. State officials said they were trying to determine if any retail outlets had received unsafe Ahava products.

Earlier this month, the city of Ogdensburg started seeking potential buyers for the kosher cheese operation because the company reportedly owes the city $90,000 in back rent and more than $600,000 in delinquent utility payments. The city had notified the company it would be evicted March 10th if the bills weren’t paid. The company reponded that it wouldn’t contest the lease termination.

Ahava filed for bankruptcy protection last year but its petition was rejected.

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16 Comments

  • Pentax

    “the war on kosher continues”
    Taxes are taxes.

    And I don’t know about you but Jewish company or not I don’t
    want dairy products with a side of bacteria.

  • Nikon, Canon, Olympus, just not Pentax

    BS”D

    Taxes have nothing to do with this.

    It is a sad story of a good man and an honest firm in decline largely because of customers, retail and wholesale, who wanted something for nothing and drove the lowest cost supplier out of business by not paying bills on time and in full as a low cost supplier must insist on to keep prices down.

    Then there was the cholerye brigade who spent their spare time complaining about every little problem with the product and making up rumors about it as if the owner were the head of some shul kiddush committee.

  • Nobodyl is above the law

    “yes!!!!!!” your so right ahava is the only kosher dairy company out there(with sarcasm) Oh no now people will have to chose quality over being lured through brainwashing to pick the dairy product which is “more kosher” (whatever that means) because it has a chk on it. Just pay your taxes and your rent.Clearly there is a case of poor management here. People this is not a war on kosher. It is just people upholding expectations that everybody follow the same health and legal codes. Get over your self pity and start expecting more out of your food production than tax evasion and bacteria infected foods.

  • Is what I have in my fridge safe?

    B“H

    So, what’s the deal? Last week, I bought 15 pounds of Ahava pizza cheese (three bulk bars of the stuff) at the Shuk.

    We’ve already been eating it and, B”H we’re fine and it tastes delicious. Do I need to worry?

    Maybe the issue is with cream cheese, or farmer’s cheese, or American cheese, cottage cheese, ????

    More info., please!

  • Hollier than Though Mentality

    The Rebbe and Rebbetzen used Milk products long before the CHK was born. Obviously the other brands, far older than Ahava were perfectly Kosher.

    The Holier than Though Brainwashing by the current CHK proponents is what leads to apathy of questioning the authenticity of the quality.

    The Government just woke up today about Bacteria but no one needs to teach the Crown Heights community, what we have known for the past decade that Ahava always spoils far earlier than any other Cholov Yisroel Brand.

    The CHK has grown in to a Monster, where we the consumers are being taken advantage of, with the “Holier Than Though” Hechsher, which is all one big Lie just like Madof.

  • Nikon, Canon, Olympus, just not Pentax

    BS”D

    In its better days, Ahava was a fine product and the 2 prior recalls were voluntary. Some of that spoilage is the fault of grocers who skimp on electric bills by not keeping the fridge on the right setting. I am out of CH and don’t want to mention names but twice I returned spoiled Ahava to such a grocer (he was a mensch and took it right back but Ahava may well have eaten the loss which was not their fault as I could tell the fridge was shvach).

    As for the CHK, they will end up making arrangements to supervise another plant if Ahava goes bust. And the same cholerye contingent will be ranting about spoilage, bad taste, corrupt kashrus…and much higher prices.

  • Yossie

    There was a recent article in the NYT that more of the american public is shopping for kosher food because they feel it is safer.

    This story will slow them down.

  • KOSHER FOOD

    War fighting Kosher foods, Soon all Kosher companys will close either because of employment or bacteria, or some other excuse to banish the kosher food market

  • Enjoy your cheese

    If you buy Gefen, Kemach, Golden Flow, etc etc etc you don’t have to worry because they don’t cut corners. Ahava and Rubashkin did. This has nothing to do with wars on kosher.
    Companies go broke after 15, 20 years because they run out of steam. The money supply runs out and the competition is catching up.

  • MEIR KLAPHOLTS

    WHAT IS THE PROBLEM: MAKE FRESH AND CLEAN PRODUCTS AND THE COMPANY WILL BE BACK IN BUSINESS.

  • Nikon, Canon, Olympus, just not Pentax

    BS”D

    Until financial troubles set in, they were making clean products that were known for not having harmful chemicals. Unfortunately they learned the hard way that nice guys finish last in the kosher industry.

  • milk the cow

    AHAVA PRODUCTS WERE ALWAYS THE POOREST IN QUALITY AND TASTE, AND WOULD SPOIL THE QUICKEST. IF THEY WERENT SPOILED ALREADY WHEN YPU TOOK THEM OFF THE GROCERY SHELF. rUBASHKIN QUALITY WAS ALWAYS THE BEST. DONT COMPARE THE TWO COMPANIES. THEY HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON