Religion Magazine

Double the Mashgichim and the Price of Matza Goes up by How Much?

By Gldmeier @gldmeier

It looks like the price of matza is going to go up again this year. I don't see how it cannot.
According to Bechadrei, there is a new process that has been added by the factories to the matza baking process. The purpose of this is to improve the quality of the matza - as any producer of any product, matza factories constantly look for new ways to improve their product, as they should. The result of this is that the Badatz Eida HaHareidis has responded by requiring the placement of an additional mashgiach to inspect every single matza as it comes out of the oven, in addition to the general mashgiach supervising the process.
Double the mashgichim and the price of matza goes up by how much? The new process is one by which as soon as the matza is removed from the oven it gets dried by a special blower. This makes the matza more crispy and supposedly improves the taste dramatically.
According to the Badatz, the new stage in the process is potentially problematic. The warm air generated by the blower is clearly at a much lower temperature than the heat of the oven. If the matza comes out not completely baked and then blown on with this blower, it will be the blower doing the baking and in the process it can become chametz due to the lesser heat being used.
So, the Badatz has decided that they will need to place an additional mashgiach in the factory standing at the oven. He will inspect each and every matza as it is removed to ensure that it has been completely baked. If he sees one that is still a bit too soft and underbaked, he will instruct the guy manning the oven to put it back in for a few more seconds.
So, we can all expect the price of matza to rise. How can it not, if the number of mashgichim is going to be doubled? The question is by how much will it go up?


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