Question about organic certified?

Question

Even if one ingredient is in a product and is labeled organic certified I have noticed that other things can be in products that are NOT organic certified like for instance paraben or propelyne glycol...s o how do you REALLLY know you are getting something completely organic certified( food, skin products etc) How do you know the source of the ingredient???

Answer 1

There is no organic standard for cosmetics. The USDA organic standards are only for produce and meat/dairy excluding fish (so there is no organic fish). If the product has no standard than they can call it organic even though it is anything but.

With food you can source 100% of the ingredients used as the grower has to keep complete records as to what was used and where (which field) on all certified organic farms.

Answer 2

The problem with USDA Organic Certified is that the definition has been modified to accommodate Big Ag which wants the profits from that market.

The link below explains it all.

Answer 3

According to the USDA a product made from...

     100% organic ingredients can claim to be just that...100% organic and use the USDA Organic Seal.

     100%-95% organic ingredients can claim to be organic and use the USDA Organic Seal.  (These are probably the ones you are seeing.)

     95%-70% organic ingredients can claim to be made from organic ingredients, but can not use the seal.

     70%-0% organic ingredients can make no organic claims.

See http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Consumers/br... for more details.  



I know of a number of small vegetable producers who could be certified, but don't bother because they feel the paperwork, record keeping, and filing fees are outrageous.  They rely on communication and honesty with their customers.  According to the USDA, they can neither use the word "organic" or the USDA Organic seal because they are not certified.

Answer 4

In my opinion having worked in agriculture all my life organic and organic certified are misnomers.  Several inorganic materials are certified for use in "organic farming", limestone, ammonium sulfate and sulfate of potash for example.  Yet products like DDT, 2-4D, and Ethylene Di bromide (all clearly organic chemicals)  are not allowed, and I am sure that no one wants organic compounds such as aflatoxins, strychnine, etc. added to their diet.  You specifically mention skin products which are clearly organic.