time. Mashgichim are also responsible for ensuring that there is no opportunity for the milk to become non–chalav Yisrael at any point before it leaves the facility. Chalav Yisrael comes into question regarding kosher cheese production, for, according to Chazal, non-kosher animals' milk cannot be used to make cheese scientifically. Therefore, as noted by the Star-K kosher certification, there are those who eat non–chalav Yisrael cheese while still only drinking chalav Yisrael milk. This position is also noted in the Mishneh Torah, but the Rambam does not necessarily allow for it due to the sages' further prohibition of cheese of a non-Jew (gevinat akum). Chalav stam The term chalav stam, literally translated as "plain milk," refers to milk that can be trusted to be kosher even if a Jew did not personally witness its milking with their own eyes. Its most famous allowance came in Rav Moshe Feinstein's Igros Moshe, where he permitted the leniency in areas where one can rely on the local laws, which prohibit the mixing of milks that the law chalav Yisrael intends to avoid. In this case, the idea is that knowing that there is no mixing is the same thing, halachically, as seeing that there was no cross-contamination of milks. Rav Moshe's ruling, specifically referring to the United States, is also accepted in European Union countries, among others, by the Orthodox Union hashgacha, but it is not to be accepted in countries where such laws are laxly enforced. Many Jews, however, including Rav Moshe himself, prefer to only use chalav Yisrael milk in the stricter sense—when a Jew actually saw it. Included in this is the hasidic Chabad movement, which argues that, particularly when chalav Yisrael is readily available, there are negative spiritual ramifications of consuming non–chalav Yisrael food. In more recent years, it has become more and more common for Orthodox Jews to request chalav Yisrael. For those who require chalav Yisrael, there is a disagreement over whether or not food cooked on equipment that is clean but previously used non–chalav Yisrael product can be eaten. References Kosher dairy Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law Milk