Certified organic
AFFORDABLE AND DELICIOUS ORGANIC FOOD
Put simply, organic food is the product of a farming system that avoids the use of manmade fertilisers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Australian Organic CEO Niki Ford answers some commonly asked questions regarding organic food and farming.
Can any food type be organic?
Most foods can be certified organic, however some farming and production methods are not allowed under organic certification, such as hydroponics or some man-made ingredients like artificial flavours and additives.
How do you shop economically for organics?
The trick to making organics affordable is knowing how to budget. For example bulk buying can often save you money as you buy the product at wholesale cost. But be mindful of where you purchase bulk goods, as noncertified stores may not be able to guarantee their products are 100 per cent organic. Another tip is to simply choose to eat better quality products less frequently. For example, eat better quality organic meat once or twice a week, and try to incorporate more vegetable-based meals into your weekly meal plan.
How is produce labelled properly so the buyer knows it is organic?
Authentic organic products display a certification logo on to make it easy for consumers to identify that they are certified. Currently in Australia, there is no regulation for the term ‘organic’. Just because a product has been labelled ‘organic’ does not mean that it has been through the same strict assessment process as a certified organic equivalent. Due to Australia’s lack of domestic regulation, you might find products with as little as 2 per cent organic ingredients with an organic claim on their labelling.
The only way to guarantee that your product is organic is to look for a certification logo such as the Australian Organic ‘Bud’ logo. These organic certification marks act as a guarantee that what you are buying is authentically organic – certified to meet some of the highest product standards in the world.
Niki Ford is the CEO of Australian Organic and has been appointed to the ACCC's Agriculture Consultative Committee. She has also joined the National Farmers’ Federation Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program.
Introducing the new Coles Health Hub
At Coles, as part of our mission to help Australians live healthier and happier, we’ve created the online Coles Health Hub in partnership with the Heart Foundation. It’s full of advice from experts on health, fitness and wellbeing, as well as tips and tricks to live better. You’ll also find great value and exclusive healthy recipes created with the Heart Foundation. Head to coles.com.au/health or scan here to visit the Coles Health Hub