Organic products

Hi BuyOrganic,

This is a very important question. What one person considers safe is not safe to another. For instance, non-organic products can contain pesticides, chemicals, by-products and may be genetically modified. Most organic eaters don't consider these things safe.

Over recent years there has been a tug-of-war between the Department of Agriculture and the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) about the inclusion of 38 non-organic products in Certified Organic labeled foods.

The 38 foods on the list can be found here with the rationale behind their inclusion and what companies requested their use and why. The OCA is protesting the inclusion of some of the products, and beet juice - generally used as a coloring agent or as a sweetener - is on that list.

Essentially all beets grown in the USA are genetically modified as detailed in the Organic and Non-GMO Report, so there is good reason for you to be concerned.

Certified 100% organic products in the USA (that is those products with the green certification label), are 100% organic and must not include GM ingredients. However, if you have a product that states that it is organic or 'made with organic ingredients' it may be a very different story. If 70% of the product is organic, obviously the other 30% may include one or more GM ingredients.

Here is a rundown of how labeling works in the USA:

• 100% Organic - Foods that are completely organic or made with 100% organic ingredients may display the USDA seal.

• Organic - Foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients may display the USDA seal.

• Made with organic ingredients - Foods that contain at least 70% organic ingredients will not display the USDA seal but may list specific organic ingredients on the front of the package.

• Contains organic ingredients - Foods that contain less than 70% organic ingredients will not display the USDA seal but may list specific organic ingredients on the information panel of the package.

For the particular product you are talking about, I would suggest a few options:

1. Check the positioning on the label. If the beet juice is the first ingredient listed, then the product is made up primarily of beet juice. If it is lower on the list, then it may be a miniscule amount and you may not be as concerned about ingesting it.

2. Contact the company. Call or email the company directly and ask them if the beet juice is GM and even ask them to send paperwork verifying what they tell you.

3. Don't eat the product. Unfortunately, we are living in a world where if we cannot be sure about what is going into our mouths, we may not want to take the risk. This is a decision only you can make for your health and wellbeing.

Good luck!

Karyn A Pyle

1,030
03/08/2012 11:23 pm