Importance of Testing the
Authenticity of Organic Foods
The growing popularity of organic foods
has created greater demand for organic produce and meats - people are slowly
yet surely recognising the long-term benefits of consuming food that is
produced or grown without the use of any artificial additions. While various
companies and local producers alike are racing to meet the growing appetite for
organic foods, there is a pertinent question that looms over our heads - Is the
food we are purchasing really organic?
It is not uncommon for
manufacturers to use unfair practices and get away with loopholes in food
labelling norms. There could also be chances that as consumers, we may mistake
natural or free-range foods to be organic. There is a worldwide movement to
persuade lawmakers to force GMO foods to put GMO labels on their food and
openly declare how it was grown, so that all other foods without such labels is
naturally assumed to be organic. In order to safeguard ourselves from
scrupulous practices and purchase only authentic organic foods, here are a few
steps and precautions to be taken.
1. Understanding
organic foods:
To truly understand
what you are consuming is organic, one needs to completely understand what
organic foods really are. Organic food can be defined as produce derived from
organic farming practices, without the use of any chemical or synthetic
additives, keeping in mind the goal of sustainability, health and safety of the
environment, the food and the consumers of such food. The common misconception
in case of organic foods is the free usage of the term organic to refer to
natural or free-range foods. Natural foods and free-range foods are not the
same as organic foods. Natural foods or ingredients refer to those foods that
have undergone minimal processing, with no guarantee to its cultivation procedures
and synthetic additives. Free-range refers primarily to animal husbandry where
the animals are allowed to roam freely outdoors, as opposed to being enclosed
within constricted spaces for twenty-four hours each day.
2. Read the labels
through and through!:
While labels offer
vital information when it comes to ingredients, food processing and the like,
it is important to make it a practice to go through not just the bold headings
printed on the label, but also on the fine print. It is required by law for
manufacturers to clearly label foods for what they are, organic or not. When
you come across a product that says 'Organic' or 'Certified Organic', this
could mean various things - the product is 100% organic, the processed food is
made with organic ingredients, or the processed food consists of less than 95%
of organic ingredients. The key is to peruse the labels and make sure that what
you are buying is 100% organic or is made using 100% organic ingredients.
3. Look for
certification/authenticity marks:
Indian-made organic
foods or organic produce carries an authentication mark or certification mark
called India Organic - this mark is an indicator of the produce or the food
product conforming to the National Standards for Organic Products implemented
by the Government of India through the National Program for Organic Production
(NPOP). This certification mark is recognized by several countries across the
globe.
4. Keep an eye out for
PLUs:
Typically, Price
Look-Up codes or PLUs carry indicators of whether the food product is organic
or not. In several countries, an organic food item is identified using the PLU
code - if the code begins with the digit 9, it is said to be organic, based on
the code classification. While this is not a common practice in India, it is
best to research on price codes at your regular grocery store to understand how
they identify organic produce.
Organic foods carry
with them various health benefits and environmental benefits - the key is to
identify those that are authentic. While it is easy to get misled by relying on
labels alone, it is not too hard to keep oneself equipped of the different ways
to identify genuine organic foods from the spurious or wrongly labelled ones.
Independent Blogger,
Environmentalist, Organic Food Enthusiast, Organic
Products Researcher. I am looking forward to share my
knowledge, gain new knowledge and share a positive vibe to this world.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Karthik_Guduru/2129455
No comments:
Post a Comment