Organic Foods: Definition of Organic & Explanation of Organic Labeling

When I lived in southern New York between the spring of 1998 and the summer of 2003, my diet consisted almost entirely of organic food. Even through organic products can now be purchased at most grocery stores across the United States, I have personally experienced how terribly misinformed the average person cab be when it comes to organic food. I have had the opportunity to discuss this topic with various people from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania since 1998, and I have sometimes been totally shocked by the outlandish misconceptions held by some of these individuals about organic food. One of the most common misconceptions that I have encountered is that only "hippies," "tree huggers," or "health nuts" buy organically grown foods. (I assure you that I am not any of these!) Also, I have found that people often assume that "organic" and "natural" mean the exact same thing. And I even had a few people ask me if I were some sort of vegetarian because I ate foods that were organic.

Growing Popularity of Organic Food

These misconceptions are rather perplexing since it is estimated that "sales of organic foods in the United States have been growing at a rate of 20 percent since 1990" (Tarter). Certainly, "organic" seems to be creeping more and more into mainstream American life each day. Even McDonald's is trying its hand in the organic market with such products as organic coffee and Paul Newman salad dressing. So, why do so many people still remain this ignorant about organic foods? Perhaps, it is because endless information bombards the average American daily or because the majority of people in the U.S. live such hectic lives. Whatever the reason, I have gathered some basic information about organic food so you personally will have a better idea about what makes organic food "organic" and some of the ways it might appear at your local grocery store.

What Is Organic Food?

Most people realize that there is something different about organic products. However, few individuals can actually name any correct differences between organic foods and conventional products. For years, there was even a great deal of confusion over the true nature of organic products within the organic community itself. As a result, it eventually became apparent that some sort of guideline must be established to concretely define exactly what an organic product is and to regulate the growing and processing of these foods to ensure their quality and safety. Initially, individual states strove to establish adequate guidelines concerning organic food (Henner 56), of which California still remains the leader (Nelson 170). It is still common to find the following words on the labels of organic products: 'Certified organically grown and processed in accordance with the California Organic Foods Act of 1990' (Nelson 170).

Creation of the National Organic Program

Despite the development of these state guidelines, as the organic market spread, so did concerns over the proper certification of organic food. As a result, Congress, with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990, ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create unified national guidelines to clearly regulate and define organic products. To address these growing concerns and fulfill the new requirements of OFPA, the USDA expanded to include a National Organic Program (NOP). Today, the NOP continues to regulate every aspect of organic production, from the growth and raising of organic products to how organic foods should be handled and labeled (National Organic Program [1]).

The National Organic Program's Definition of Organic Food

Broadly, the NOP defines organic food as any food which "is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations" (Alternative Farming Systems Information Center). More specifically, organic foods must be grown or processed by producers who abide by all NOP regulations and who are, in most cases, certified by an accredited certifying agent (National Organic Program [2]).

Organic Produce

For produce to be considered organic, the soil in which it is grown must not have contained any prohibited pesticides and/or chemicals for at least three years prior to its cultivation. Any fertilizers used with these crops cannot contain any prohibited ingredients. And the farmer is forbidden to use any type of bioengineering or ionizing radiation when growing organic crops (National Organic Program [1]; Goldberg).

Organic Animal Products

All organic animal products must come from free-range animals which have never received any antibiotics or growth hormones. In addition, the animals must have been fed organic feed completely void of all animal products or proteins (National Organic Program [3]; Goldberg).

The Various Labels of Organic Foods

The NOP also regulates what may appear on the label of organic products. Essentially, there are four specific indicators approved by the NOP which companies may use to describe their products: "100% organic," "Organic," "Made with organic . . .," and "Organic . . ." (National Organic Program [4]).

"100% Organic"

In order for a food to be labeled "100% organic," it must contain only ingredients which abide by NOP regulations.

"Organic"

The use of "organic" on a food label, however, indicates that the product may contain up to 5 percent conventional, nonagricultural ingredients, though these other ingredients must be listed on the nationally approved list.

"Made with Organic . . ."

Likewise, products with "made with organic . . ." on their labels do not need to contain all organic ingredients. These foods are allowed to contain as much as 50 percent conventional ingredients and may only have up to three organic ingredients listed on their labels. However, all such foods cannot be produced using techniques that violate the NOP regulations (i.e., using ionizing radiation).

"Organic . . ."

The fourth option, though, cannot appear on the main portion of the label as the previous three indicators. Rather, it is listed within the product's ingredient list as "organic" followed by a specific ingredient (i.e., organic wheat) (National Organic Program [4]; Nelson 170).

References:

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. "What is organic production?" June 2007. 8 Nov. 2008: http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/ofp.shtml

Goldberg, Todd. "What's Behind Your Organic Food." Better Nutrition 67.10 (Oct. 2005): 54. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Library, Johnstown, PA. 29 September 2005: http://www.ebsco.com

Henner, Marilu. Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover: 10 Steps to Your B.E.S.T.* Body (Balance, Energy, Stamina, Toxin-Free). New York: Regan Books, 1998.

National Organic Program (1). "Background Information." Oct. 2002. 8 Nov. 2008: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004443&acct=nopgeninfo

National Organic Program (2). "Certification." Oct. 2002. 8 Nov. 2008: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004346&acct=noppub

National Organic Program (3). "Organic Production and Handling Standards." Oct. 2002. 8 Nov. 2008: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?

dDocName=STELDEV3004445&acct=nopgeninfo

National Organic Program (4). "Organic Labeling and Marketing Information." Oct. 2002. 8 Nov. 2008: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004446&acct=nopgeninfo

Nelson, Mariam E. Strong Women Eat Well: Nutritional Strategies for a Healthy Body and Mind. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2001.

Tarter, Steve. "Organic Meat Market Growing." Journal Star (Peoria, IL) 20 Sept. 2005. Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Library, Johnstown, PA. 29 Sept. 2005: www.ebsco.com