The kashruth of candy floss

Is one allowed to buy candy floss (which is called “Yambambam” in Israel) without kashruth supervision?  

Dear …!

This product consists of sugar exclusively. If there is kashruth supervision on the sugar, then the ingredients are not a problem. However, the contraption that produces the candy floss needs to be immersed in a mikve (a ritual bath); one should not buy candy floss that was made in a machine that has not been immersed.

In actuality, it’s technically impossible to immerse this machine. The solution to this problem is that a Jewish technician take this machine apart, and then put it back together again. But it has be done in a way that a regular person, who is not a technician, would not be able to put this machine together by himself.

What happens is that these machines arrive straight from China assembled and ready for use. However, they get a lot of wear and tear, so very quickly they’ll need a new engine or some other mechanical fix. Therefore, if the machine is really new, it’s a problem. But if it already underwent repair in Israel, one is allowed to use it.

If the seller is a G-d-fearing person, and he says that he made his machine kosher according to halacha, you can rely on him.

If the seller looks unreliable, however, you can try asking him as if unintentionally, how often his machine needs to be repaired. If he says that he already had to fix the machine after buying it, you can assume that it was fixed by a Jew. Considering the fact that the food doesn’t actually become forbidden, and by taking into account some other factors, one is allowed to buy candy floss in such a case.

Shulchan Oruch, section Yore Dea, chapter 120