Is it permissible to place dairy and meat dishes together in the dishwasher?

Greetings,

It is not permitted to use a dishwasher for meat and dairy, even one after the other (Shut Baer Moshe, Part 7, Siman 60; Shut Avnei Yeshfeh, Part 3, Siman 71, and the late Rabbi Yitzhak Sheinberg agrees with him; Shut Chayei Levi, Part 5, Siman 42, note 5; Beit Hashulchan on meat and milk, Siman 96, Sif Katan 85).

However, according to the opinion of the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, if one ensures that nothing solid remains in the dishwasher, and there is only dirt and grease on the dishes and utensils, it is possible to use the dishwasher for both dairy and meat, one after the other, even within the same day.

However, if one does not ensure this and places large pieces of food like meat or pizza in the dishwasher, it is difficult to be lenient since those pieces may not be affected by the cleaning agents mixed with the water, and there is no concept of *noten ta’am* (*taste transfer*) in this case.

Fundamentally, there is room to be lenient and wash meat and dairy dishes together, but ideally, it is better to wash meat dishes separately from dairy dishes, one after the other. In hotels and public restaurants where it is difficult to maintain this, there should be a dishwasher designated for meat and another for dairy (Shut Yabia Omer, Part 10, Yoreh Deah, Siman 4; Yalkut Yosef, Isur and Heter, Siman 176, Section 86).

Best regards,

Hillel Meirs