aThere are five labels you may see on your supermarket shelf. They include 100% organic, Organic, Made with Organic Ingredients, Free-range/Cage-free, and Natural. Pretty self-explanatory right? Maybe not as much as you would think….

100% Organic
This label on produce means the fruit or vegetable was grown completely WITHOUT synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Meat or dairy products wearing this label ensures that all the USDA stipulations concerning hormones, feed, and time spent outdoors were met.

Organic
This type of produce or meat doesn’t meet the standards of products labeled “100% Organic”, however the majority of its ingredients have been approved for organic use by a nationwide certification organization called the National Organics Standards Board

Made With Organic Ingredients
Foods with this label let consumers be assured that the item is made with no less than 70% organic ingredients and rules.

Free-range/Cage-free
This is a term that can be used for poultry but not for eggs and is very unclear on the rules of time spent outdoors as well as the quality of feed. Poultry can be considered at different levels of organic quality and still be in this category.

Natural
This label can only be used for meat and poultry and states it was raised and sold using no artificial coloring, chemical preservatives, or ingredients. There’s no certification process that meat or poultry producers must comply with in order to place the term on their labels.

As the organic market grows you will begin to see more products on your supermarket shelf. Many experts hope that with the increase in products that the UDSA will become stricter on their qualifications and clearer so that the consumer can easily understand what they are buying and consuming.

Organic food means different things depending on the product. Organic produce (fruits and vegetables) are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge, and without ionizing radiation, bioengineering or food additives. The same concept as planting an apple tree in your backyard, and doing nothing but watering it and then picking the apple off and eating it. Organic fruits and vegetables also lack genetically modified organisms or altered DNA.

For meat, dairy, eggs and poultry it means animals reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. Thes products have no additives to make them richer or fattier, they are naturally farmed and raised. Like organic produce, organic meat, dairy and poultry lack the genetically modified organisms that non-organic foods contains.

Fresh or Processed
Organic food can come both fresh and processed. with most fresh foods being seasonal and higher priced than non-organic foods. Often they are easier found at a farmer’s market or specialty grocery stores. Consumers worried about effects on their pocket book can price shop to find the best prices in their area. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are likely much easier to find than fresh meat and dairy products.

Processed organic food is more commonly found at the neighborhood supermarket Processed organics often come from large conglomerates that produce food in larger quantities. Processed organic foods usually contain organic ingredients without artificial food additives, and are processed through fewer artificial methods.

When shopping for organic foods, keep in mind you will find most of it near the produce. Organic fruits and vegetables largely out number the meat and dairy organic choices in neighborhood grocery stores. Trouble identifying organics? Try the one under the higher price tag!

Baby Food
One popular organic item hitting the shelves is organic baby food. Baby food sections now include almost as many organic selections as non-organics. It is becomming more common for new parents to be concerned about added preservatives and artificial flavors when they start feeding baby. These concerned new moms and dads are choosing organic baby food for their little one. For more on organic baby food see our article by clicking here.