How to say it organically

“We have gone from 10% percent to 15% percent organic beans in our offering and expect to have 25% percent organic by the end of this year,” says Chris Arnold, Chipotle’s media relations manager.

These are exciting times for organic. Just as organic food costs consumers more, so will organic ingredients cost food processors more. But with a 21 percent annual growth rate for organic food, a lot of consumers and processors apparently think it’s worth it.

NOTE TO PROCUREMENT Conventional food manufacturers, accustomed to tapping into an existing supply chain of their commonly used ingredients, find sourcing organic ingredients challenging. Although most conventional ingredients are available with an organic label, suppliers of organic ingredients generally need more time to react. A majority of the organic ingredient community consists of small to medium-sized entities, and procurement requires a certain amount of coordination. Often, even with available inventory, their supply chains may not be as advanced as large processors from the conventional arena are used to. For best results: Try to establish a working relationship with a reputable vendor. Seek alternate vendors whenever possible for all and especially for key raw materials. Keep your vendor informed of your business growth, so that the supplier can support you by proactively managing the producers. You will get a lot more by partnering with vendors than by pitting them against each other. Encourage your vendors to provide technical support and base formulas to help your product development group gain a faster ramp to launching a new product. Many organic ingredients are handled by brokers; savvy ones have qualified technical service representatives on call as a resource for product development and reformulation. Getting organic ingredients in quantity is one of the major hurdles for food processors. “One has to distinguish between ‘limited availability’ and ‘non-existing’ ingredients,” cautions Gary Bartl, principal at Food and Commerce, a specialty ingredient purveyor in Palm Beach, Fla. Climatic conditions limit the availability of some ingredients while seasonality limits others, such as dairy ingredients. “Some ingredients, such as colors and flavors, are newer to the organic trade and are not as readily available as their conventional counterparts,” he adds. “While the market for organic flavors is growing, and so are its suppliers, one might want to look beyond the geographical borders of the U.S. market and source some of these ingredients overseas. Europe, with an abundance of organic ingredients, has many suppliers that are NOP-certified or diligently working towards it.”

Defining organics Organic food is food that has been cultivated and processed in a more ecologically sustainable way and does not use synthetic chemical pesticides, genetically engineered seed, and artificial additives. "Certified" organic implies that the food met the standards for growing and processing organic as established by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), and that third-party inspectors approved the involved farmers and manufacturers in annual on-site inspections. A food labeled “100 percent organic” implies that 100 percent of the ingredients, additives and processing aids are certified organic. A food labeled “organic” means the food product contains 95-100 percent “certified” organic content. Only foods with the above qualities can use the USDA Organic seal on the packaging. Foods labeled “made with organic ingredients” contain 70–94 percent organic ingredients and cannot use the USDA Organic seal. The organic label refers to an agricultural growing method and is not intended to be a health claim. The organic rules of the USDA specifically state that the agency does not address food safety or nutrition. Some researchers have documented health and quality implications: fewer pesticide residues, less groundwater contamination and apparently higher levels of some nutrients. For consumers, the Organic Foods Protection Act (OFPA) of 1990 meant clear criteria for what was organic, and it specifically ruled out the use of genetically engineered methods, ionizing radiation and sewage sludge fertilizers. The assurance of federal oversight attracted more players from traditional arenas and further propelled organic food products into the mainstream. The term “organic” is distinct from the term “natural”– often and erroneously used as synonyms. The term “natural” is not federally regulated and has a broader meaning. Natural foods may contain genetically modified organisms and may be cultivated using synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer. Natural food products may also contain synthetic or artificial ingredients, which are strictly forbidden under the organic label.

ARE ORGANICS HEALTHIER? A number of consumers think so. A consumer trend that started in Europe and now growing in the U.S., is to want “kitchen cupboard ingredients” on food labels. Public debate continues regarding the health benefits to be gained from eating organic food. While many studies claim that eating organic means that you are likely to be getting more vitamins and minerals per mouthful, especially vitamin C, magnesium and iron, there are others that have shown no significant nutrient difference between organic and conventionally raised foods. The most recent is a meta-analysis of 94,000 food samples ranging across 20 different crops. The sample data was supplied by the USDA's Pesticide Data Program and the California Dept. of Pesticide Regulation. The USDA data showed 73 percent of conventionally grown produce had at least one pesticide residue, while only 23 percent of organically grown samples of similar crops contained residues. The California data showed multiple pesticide residues nine times more often in conventionally grown food. A United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization study concluded, "Organically produced foods have lower levels of pesticide and veterinary drug residues and, in many cases, lower nitrate contents."