There are different minhagim. Some even sell actual chometz [חמץ גמור ], treating the sale as a valid transaction (below 19); some only sell schnapps, e.g., whiskey and the like (see Issue 88, paragraph 30 for the reason); and some only include products with a potential concern for chometz (28), as opposed to actual chometz, out of concern that the sale is not effective and as a chumra for the issurim of bal yeira’eh and bal yimatzei (see ibid., 25). Some get rid of all their chometz, including products with a mere concern for chometz or small amount of chometz mixed in, and still arrange a chometz sale with a rav to be extra cautious and to distance themselves from the issur – and even the chance of the issur – of chometz. Each person should follow the minhag of his family or the guidance of his rebbeim.
In the harsha’ah signed before a rav, as well as in the document of sale to the non-Jew, it says that the sale includes all types of chometz, potential chometz, chometz mixtures, and any chometz in any place. Thus, lechatchila one should list and describe the chometz (below, 20), but even if he forgot to detail which chometz is in the sale or where the chometz is, it is still included in the sale. Also, if one has a food that he doesn’t know contains chometz, e.g., pareve hot dogs, which usually contain chometz flour, it is included in the sale and can be eaten after Pesach (מו''ר בשו''ת שבט הקהתי ח''ב סי' קס''ח ).
