Are Crisped Rice Cereals Subject to Bishul Akum?

Crisped rice cereal is not considered a fancy food that would be served at a banquet. Therefore, it should not be subject to the prohibition of bishul akum. However, before the cereal enters its finished form, it goes through a stage as plain cooked rice which would be subject to the prohibition of bishul akum. Nonetheless, Rav Belsky zt”l ruled that since crisped rice is produced in one continuous process—moving from cooked rice into pellets and then being shot through a puffing gun to become an item that is not fit to be served at a banquet—it is viewed throughout the process as a non-fancy food which is not subject to the prohibition. It should be noted, that since the rice is cooked and formed into pellets, the bracha on crisped rice cereals is mezonos.

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.