LABELS FOR ORGANIC FOOD

ORGANIC food is produced without using harmful or toxic pesticides, sewage sludge or petroleum-based synthetic fertilisers, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), bioengineering, or ionising radiation.

Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from non-cloned animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

When buying organic food, keep in mind that the labels can mean different things:

“100% organic”

• 100 per cent organic ingredients.

• Only organic processing aids used.

• Absolutely no non-organic agricultural ingredients used (excluding water/salt).

• Must be certified and the certifying agency must be named on the label.

“Organic”

• 95-100 per cent organic ingredients

• Up to five per cent may be from a limited, approved list of allowed nonorganic agricultural ingredients and other additives.

• Must be certified and the certifying agency must be named on the label.

“Made with organic ingredients”

• At least 70 per cent organic ingredients.

• Up to 30 per cent could be allowed, non-organic agricultural ingredients.

• May list up to three organic foods or food groups on the label.

• Must be certified and the certifying agency must be named on the label.

“Lessthan70%organicingredients”

• Product is not required to be certified.

• All products with less than 70 per cent organic ingredients are in this category.

• No restrictions on non-organic ingredients.

• The word “organic” can only be listed in the ingredients panel.