Organic or Certified Organic: What’s the Difference?

Do you know that just because something has “organic” written on its label, it doesn’t guarantee that it's 100% organic? It’s an important knowledge to have, so why not learn about the distinctions between organic and certified organic products before picking up your groceries next time?

Let us dive in and discuss - to be called organic and obtain the USDA seal, the product must be all organic or contain 95-99% organic ingredients that are approved by the USDA. Whereas, in the “made with organic ingredients” category, it is not affiliated with the USDA, and up to 30% of the content can be non-organic.

By equipping yourself with this information, you can be sure to make the best-informed decisions in the store.

Foods with the official organic designation have been certified by the USDA, giving you confidence that they have been grown and processed in ways that meet strict standards. This means they're free of synthetic pesticides, hormones, and other potentially harmful chemicals. Plus, organic producers use natural materials and farming methods like mechanical and biological control whenever possible.

If you see food that is labeled as organic, it has been checked out by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and meets their strict standards. This means the food was grown and processed the natural way, without any zany additives. It also means the soil, animals, and pest control were taken care of with organic substances and safe farming practices. So you can feel good knowing that delicious, organic meal was made with care!

The USDA has two organic certifications to give products – the 100% organic certification and the organic certification. Let us break it down for you:

The 100% organic certification is granted to products containing solely organic ingredients, except for naturally-occurring salt and water. On the other hand, the organic certification is applicable to products comprising at least 95% organic ingredients, excluding salt and water. The other 5% of ingredients must come from the list of ingredients allowed by the USDA. When you see a product with the USDA seal on it, you can be sure it has gone through the agency's organic certification process. Otherwise, the seal won’t be present. Confusing? We know!

If a product doesn’t have the USDA seal, it’s important to be aware that it might not be organic. The seal is proof that a product has been certified as organic by the USDA. Products made from 70% organic ingredients can be labeled as “made with organic ingredients” without the seal, however anything with less than 70% organic ingredients is not allowed to make any organic claims. Unfortunately, some companies try to get away with using the term “organic” for marketing purposes even when the products aren’t certified – this is illegal and can result in hefty fines and penalties.

To make sure you’re getting a true organic product, look out for the USDA seal. This will ensure the product has gone through the necessary steps to be deemed organic by a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Then you can rest easy that what you’re getting is truly organic!