As Shavuos approaches and kosher consumers stock up on dairy products, a kosher education organization is warning that similar packaging and misunderstood labeling continue to cause confusion over whether certain products meet Cholov Yisroel standards.

“Kashrus: Be In The Know,” led by Rabbi Nissan Zibell, says many shoppers assume that terms such as “Non-Dairy” or familiar kosher certification symbols automatically indicate a product’s halachic status.

Among the questions consumers frequently ask, the organization says, are: “Is it true that products labeled ‘Non-Dairy’ can have actual dairy ingredients in them?”, “Is there a difference between a product labeled ‘Dairy-Free’ vs. ‘Non-Dairy’?”, and “What is the difference between OU-D and OU-DE?”

The group also says consumers regularly ask whether allergy warnings such as “May contain dairy” constitute a kashrus concern.

In educational guides distributed ahead of the yomtov, the organization highlighted several cheese brands that it says are commonly confused because of similar branding and packaging.

“Most of the companies do have different labels and brand names to differentiate between the Cholov Yisroel and non-Cholov Yisroel cheeses,” the group wrote. “However, the colors, fonts, and overall styles of the designs are often similar enough that many people have mistakenly confused the two and assumed that a non-Cholov Yisroel cheese was actually the Cholov Yisroel kind.”

The organization said the confusion has “led to mistakes of consuming non-Cholov Yisroel, and issues involving the need to kasher different equipment and utensils in the kitchen.”

One example involves the brands Migdal, Haolam, and Millers, which are owned by the same company. According to the guide, only the Haolam label is Cholov Yisroel.

“Since the packaging of Miller’s or Migdal may often be similar to the Haolam packages, there can definitely be confusion for someone not paying close attention or for someone who doesn’t know the difference between them,” the group stated. “One needs to be careful to check the wording to make sure the product explicitly says Cholov Yisroel on it.”

A similar issue exists, it says, between the brands Natural & Kosher and Les Petites Fermieres. The former produces Cholov Yisroel cheeses, while the latter does not.

“Although these two also have different packaging and names, they still look similar due to their font, design, and style, and many people have confused the two,” the guide noted.

The organization also emphasized that an OK certification alone does not indicate Cholov Yisroel status. “One should also be aware that the OK certifies cheeses that are non Cholov Yisroel,” it stated.

Other examples cited include Schtark and Oneg, two brands from the same company, where only Schtark products are Cholov Yisroel.

In the case of The Cheese Guy, the organization says the same company markets both Cholov Yisroel and non-Cholov Yisroel products under the same brand name.

“The way to differentiate between the two, is to pay close attention to the wording on each label to see if it says Cholov Yisroel,” the guide explained.

The organization also referenced Spring Valley cheese blintzes, noting that both Cholov Yisroel and non-Cholov Yisroel versions exist.

“A dairy product under national hashgachos, such as the OK, OU, Star K, Chof K, etc. needs to specifically say Cholov Yisroel on it to confirm that it is so,” the organization said.

“Kashrus: Be In The Know” describes itself as an organization focused on educating kosher consumers about practical halachic issues related to food production, processing, and supermarket shopping.

The educational materials include visual guides titled “Dairy or Not” and “Common Cheese Confusions.”