Fish and Meat Part II

In general if an ounce of non kosher food becomes absorbed in sixty ounces of kosher food we assume that the entire mixture is kosher. We require sixty times the forbidden food to nullify it because the taste of the forbidden food is not discernible when mixed with sixty times its volume. Although forbidden foods may become nullified in sixty times their volume, one may not initially nullify a forbidden food by adding more permitted food. This principle is known as "ein mivatlin issur lechatchila".
 
Can we apply this rule to foods which are prohibited for sakana, danger, also?
 
a. The Taz writes that dangerous foods cannot become nullified in sixty times their volume. The logic for this view is that nullification only works to neutralize taste but does nothing to mitigate potential danger in food. Furthermore, Chazal teach us that chamira sakanta m'issura (we must treat dangerous foods with more caution than we treat halachically prohibited foods).
 
b. The Shach disagrees with the Taz. The Shach argues that chamira sakanta m'issura is a principle that is limited to a case of doubt, but would not extend to the laws of bittul. Pitchei Teshuvah points out that according to the Chatam Sofer fish and meat may have lost its status as a dangerous food (because modern medicine does not recognize any problem with it) and may now have the status of forbidden food (because the rabbis decreed not to mix the two). As such the rules governing fish and meat should certainly be the same as the rules governing other prohibited foods, and should therefore become nullified in sixty times their volume. 
 
One very common practical application of the above dispute is the issue of Worcestershire Sauce, which is a steak sauce with fish ingredients. Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce, which is certified by the OU, has the following ingredient list:
INGREDIENTS:  Prepared From All Natural Ingredients: Water, Vinegar, Molasses, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Anchovies, Hydrogarlic, Clove, Chili Peppers, Natural Flavorings And Shallots.
 
Rav Eitan Schnall (born and raised in West Hempstead) in a shiur on this issue qouted Rav Schechter, who guides the policies of the OU, ruled that the OU should label any sauce that contains more than 1.67% (1/60th) fish with an OU Fish to indicate that it should not be eaten with meat. If, however, the sauce is composed of less than 1.67% fish no labeling is required. Rav Schechter ruled leniently in this issue due to a safek sefika. First, perhaps the Magen Avraham (who we mentioned last week) who says the whole issue of fish and meat doesn't apply anymore is correct, and even if the prohibition still applies perhaps the Shach is right that foods prohibited on account of danger may be nullified.In regards to Lea& Perrin's sauce, there is more than 1/67% anchovie and thus bears an OU- F.

Editors' note: Star-K agrees with the OU ruling on this issue. However, the OK has a policy of putting OK-F even if less than 1/60th, for those that want to be machmir, and this can be seen on Tropicana with Omega-3.