Organic...Natural...Not a "Same Difference"

   A recent article from The Boulder Journal reported that consumers spent $94.7 billion on natural, organic, and functional foods, accounting for 13.5% of money spent on food in 2012 (“Top five”, 2013).  Apparently, labeling claims are greatly influencing consumers’ decisions at grocery stores.  After all, a label touting words like “organic,” “all natural ingredients,” or “naturally raised” can carry positive connotations of wellness and health.  But labeling terms may actually mislead or confuse consumers when they are thought to be interchangeable.  However, labeling guidelines do not encourage the use of synonyms to make food packaging more interesting, and each word has its own special meaning.  Here’s a brief explanation of some of the hot-topic descriptors appearing more frequently in grocery stores.

• Organic

   A hefty workload goes into earning the term “organic.”  The Code of Federal Regulations “Part 205: National Organic Program (NOP)” (under Title 7, subtitle 3, chapter 1, and subchapter M) spells out the many regulations, rules, and restrictions that must be followed for a plant- or animal-sourced product to be called “organic” (NOP, 2013).  Here is just a sampling of rules regarding animal products. 

• § 205.236 (a): “Livestock products that are to be sold, labeled, or represented as organic must be from livestock under continuous organic management from the last third of gestation or hatching: Except, That: (1) Poultry. Poultry or edible poultry products must be from poultry that has been under continuous organic management beginning no later than the second day of life…” (NOP, 2013).
• § 205.236 (c): “The producer of an organic livestock operation must maintain records sufficient to preserve the identity of all organically managed animals and edible and nonedible animal products produced on the operation” (NOP, 2013).
• § 205.237 (a): “The producer of an organic livestock operation must provide livestock with a total feed ration composed of agricultural products, including pasture and forage, that are organically produced and handled by operations certified to the NOP…” (NOP, 2013).
• § 205.238 (c): “The producer of an organic livestock operation must not: (7) Withhold medical treatment from a sick animal in an effort to preserve its organic status. All appropriate medications must be used to restore an animal to health when methods acceptable to organic production fail. Livestock treated with a prohibited substance must be clearly identified and shall not be sold, labeled, or represented as organically produced” (NOP, 2013).

If producers can follow all the mandates set by the NOP, they can display the organic seal, shown below, on their food products.

                                                            

• Natural

 
   This may be one of the most misleading terms found on food packaging.  According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the term “natural” can be used on any meat or poultry product that does not contain artificial ingredients or added colors and was minimally processed (2011).  This means that the term “natural” does not refer to…

• What an animal was fed.
• How an animal was raised.
• Whether an animal was administered hormones, growth promotants, or antibiotics.
• How the added ingredients were raised or processed.

   In fact, in an article concerning various food labels ConsumerReports.org describes “natural” as “One we wish would go away” due to its ambiguity and ubiquity (2013).

• Naturally raised

                                                     

 
   For animal products, this claim reveals more information than “natural” regarding how animals were managed during production.  According to the Agricultural Marketing Service, “naturally raising” includes the following practices.

• No growth promotants are given to animals.
• No animal by-products are used for feed.
• No antibiotics (except for ionophores to prevent parasitism) are administered (2009).

   So based on these definitions, does one label imply more wholesomeness than another?  Not necessarily.  The NOP’s plethora of regulations includes some caveats that may allow producers to skirt some requirements.  For example, the NOP states, “The producer of an organic livestock operation may provide temporary confinement or shelter for an animal because of…Conditions under which the health, safety, or well-being of the animal could be jeopardized” (NOP, 2013).  Perhaps one could argue that due to persistent threats to herd/flock health, some of the regulations set forth by the NOP should be disregarded, and those animals may not be raised as closely to NOP standards as other animals.  Also, the rule addressing the use of treatments not allowed in organic production (in bold) implies that animals receiving such treatments can provide wholesome products safe for human consumption; their products just cannot be sold as "organic."

Also, whether organic, natural, or conventional foods are superior in terms of healthfulness continues to be debated.  According to an article by Zak Solomon in Food Safety News, most of the current studies on this subject cite limited data, but the following conclusions should be considered.

• Pesticides have been found on both organic and non-organic produce, and the levels of this contamination generally are too low to harm humans.
• Microbes can easily contaminate organic and non-organic plants and animals due to their omnipresence in the environment.
• Contamination can occur at all steps of production, and recalls of organic products can be just as likely as those for non-organic products.
• Refrigerating perishable foods, cooking raw meat and eggs thoroughly, and washing hands before and after handling food are the best ways to prevent food-borne illness regardless of the food's label (2013).

   In summary, "organic" meat products must come from animals raised according to strict guidelines, and any non-meat ingredients within them must also be "organic."  The term "natural" does not reveal how animals were raised and refers only to ingredients. Only naturally occurring ingredients and minimal processing are allowed, but the label does not mean much if the only ingredients are chicken breast, water, and salt. The "naturally raised" label refers to how animals were managed but does not reveal anything about non-meat ingredients.  Of course, all meat products that have passed USDA inspection, are properly packaged, and are stored at correct temperatures are completely safe for human consumption and should reflect a company's dedication to insuring animal welfare and promoting human health.

References

Agricultural Marketing Service.  (2009, January 21).  Naturally Raised Marketing Claim Standards.  Retrieved from http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateN&navID=NaturallyRaisedMarketingClaimStandards&rightNav1=NaturallyRaisedMarketingClaimStandards&topNav=&leftNav=GradingCertificationandVerfication&page=NaturallyRaisedMarketingClaims.

ConsumerReports.org.  (2013, September). Making sense of food labels: Some to look for and others to ignore.  Retrieved from http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/08/making-sense-of-food-labels/index.htm.

Food Safety and Inspection Service.  (2011, April).  Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms.  Retrieved from http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/e2853601-3edb-45d3-90dc-1bef17b7f277/Meat_and_Poultry_Labeling_Terms.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.

“National Organic Program,” Title 7 Code of Federal Regulations Pt. 205. 2013 ed.

Solomon, Z.  (2013, August 30).  Organic foods: The safety question.  Food Safety News.  Retrieved from http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/08/organic-foods-the-safety-question/#.Uiy5FTZOMaA.

Top five natural food trends: who is buying what, and why.  (2013, September 6).  The Boulder Journal.  Retrieved from http://www.boulderijournal.com/article.php?id=9538.

Images of "organic" and "natural" meat products can be found at www.applegate.com.
Image of USDA Organic seal can be found at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=7f3635a4fd38fe67ff9f9a7b49adb514&rgn=div8&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.4.354.12&idno=7.

Image of "naturally raised" can be found at http://www.wral.com/5onyourside/story/9634659/.