Feel a little confused as you browse food labels on grocery store shelves? You aren’t alone. Why does organic matter? Manufacturers know healthy food is trendier than ever, and many will do whatever they can to showcase their product in the best possible light — sometimes regardless of what it really contains. 

To help you comb through the what’s-what of the grocery aisle, here’s a quick rundown of common labels and designations with clear-cut info and intel to help you make smart purchase decisions.

USDA Certified Organic:

This label always comes with the green USDA logo — and, more importantly, it’s the one standard of organic certification you can trust to mean what it implies. Only products that have been vetted by a third party to ensure compliance with organic standards can carry the seal — and that means all products with this designation must be grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, AND are free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It’s expensive for farms to gain USDA organic certification, so the sign of certification shows the manufacturer made the commitment.   

“Organic” or “Made with Organic Ingredients:”

Without certification from the USDA, the term “organic” has a looser meaning. To be legally branded organic in the U.S., a food product needs to be made with a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. Food products made with at least 70% organic ingredients are instead labeled “made with organic ingredients.” However, there aren’t set standards for beauty and other personal care products, meaning that the organic label is often used as a relatively meaningless marketing strategy for them.

All Natural:

Despite what the term seems to imply, “all natural” only means that a food product (usually meat) wasn’t overly processed and is free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. This term is defined loosely by the USDA, meaning that many customers assume it means more than it does. For example, “all natural” products can legally contain antibiotics and GMO ingredients.

“No Antibiotics Administered” or “Raised without Antibiotics:”

In the meat industry, it’s common to administer antibiotics to animals to keep them healthy while in close quarters. In contrast to this standard, these labels mean that the meat in question was raised without antibiotics — a plus for many consumers.

To ensure you’re getting what you think you are, look for the “USDA Process Verified” shield — this ensures the company’s claims were legally verified.

One side note — some products are marketed as “antibiotic free.” The USDA has never authorized this term and it has no legal meaning when used for food. Don’t assume this statement means the same as “no antibiotics administered” or “raised without antibiotics.” It doesn’t. I have heard one manufacturer tell me that “we don’t add antibiotics to our meat”. As if I would ever think that they would add antibiotics to the end product (which is dead). When I asked if the animals were given antibiotics the answer was, “we don’t add antibiotics to our meat”. I hope you see why the term “antibiotic free” holds little value in my opinion.

Fresh:

Often used on chicken, this term means that meat wasn’t cooled below 26 degrees F before being sold. I would say that this is up for a lot of interpretation and does not sound like I would define fresh. How long has this been in the refrigerator? Your guess is as good as mine.

Certified Humane:

Certified by the nonprofit Humane Farm Animal Care, this strict standard requires animals live in conditions where they have fresh water, high quality feed, lots of roaming space and are never administered antibiotics.

Non-GMO Project Verification Seal:

GMO products are increasingly common in food. Now, the only way to know for certain if your food is free of GMOs is to look for the Non-GMO Project seal. Developed in 2003, this verification process tests foods to ensure they are fully free of genetically modified materials.

I hope you all learned a few things about the labeling system and how you can make the best choices for your health and the health of your family. Contact us today.