US food officials are cracking down on manufacturers who claim their products are organic.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tightened the definition of organic, meaning that manufacturers must now meet much stricter production and animal welfare criteria to include the health claim on their label.
Officials said the earlier definition, originally in effect in 2002, was misused by companies trying to get consumers to eat more healthily and environmentally conscious.
It comes after the Biden administration proposed that all foods and beverages sold in stores have a color-coded or star rating system that displays their nutritional information.
The updated guidelines will come into effect in March and food businesses have one year to ensure compliance
The USDA has strict criteria that manufacturers must meet if they want to take advantage of a certified organic seal on their products.
Meat that has not been pastured or fed organic feed and roughage, organically processed foods containing artificial preservatives, colors or flavors, and foods grown or treated with genetically modified organisms are prohibited.
The simple rule that makes dieting easy
Trying to figure out which foods are healthy is so complicated these days, especially with the advent of buzzwords like organic, all-natural, and sugar-free.
The USDA’s new guidelines hope to close loopholes that have allowed ingredients that did not meet organic criteria to slip into the supply chain.
Federal standards require that produce labeled organic be made without toxic and long-lasting pesticides, synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, antibiotics and artificial hormones.
Procedures such as genetic engineering, sewage sludge and irradiation of products are also prohibited.
As the organic food industry has grown, food manufacturers have circumvented organic requirements by sourcing ingredients from foreign countries, where it is more difficult to determine whether they meet US standards.
Now food companies must ensure that more of their supply chain meets the criteria, including their brokers and distributors.
The rules come into effect in March and companies have one year to ensure compliance.
All organic imports must now come with a NOP import certificate, which guarantees that the produce meets USDA standards and was previously only required for imports from the EU and Japan.
Biological identification is also required for products sold business-to-business before they reach the consumer.
The certificates for organic farming are also being standardized and companies have to provide more and more information about how their organic food was produced.
Companies can charge more for organic products. The higher price people are willing to pay for organic food has been so lucrative that some manufacturers have deliberately tried to mislead customers.
Just this week, two Minnesota farmers were indicted over their alleged intent to pass off more than $46 million worth of chemically treated crops as organic between 2014 and 2021.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
