Organic foods have grown in popularity, being touted as better for our health and safer on the environment. Most people would assume all organic products are the same and contain no pesticides, but this isn't necessarily the case.
The Technical Part
According to USDA standards, in order for vegetables, poultry and meat to be certified organic, they cannot be grown using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. The growing process does not use antibiotics, irradiation or bioengineering. Poultry and meat must be given an organic feed and the animals must be given time outdoors. However, poultry is classified differently and are not required to have time outdoors. Because pesticides can persist in soil or drift in the air, organic produce may contain traces of them.
The USDA has three categories for labeling organic products, so we put together a guide to understanding what they mean.
100% Certified Organic
These are products made with 100 percent organic ingredients and stamped with the USDA organic label. They may also be certified by a company such as California Certified Organic Farmers.
Organic
These products are made with at least 95 percent organic products with the other five percent coming from a list pre-approved by the USDA. Organic products may also be stamped with the USDA Organic label.
Made with organic ingredients
Containing about 70 percent organic ingredients with the other 30 percent coming from the pre-approved list. These products are not allowed to be labeled as USDA Organic.
Contains Organic ingredients
This means the product contains less that 70 percent organic ingredients, and the word organic cannot appear on the front of the package.
Even though not all organics are the same, organic foods are still a good and earth-friendly choice to make. Read the labels and make a healthy choice for yourself and your family.
