This is an effort to get food labels explained. Greg was on a shopping trip to the local grocery store when he found a food pack with a conspicuous print that reads ‘natural.’ Spontaneously, he bought this special food pack that costs a few dollars more than the regular variants of the same item. It was on Greg’s return trip that he started second-guessing the inspiration for that bizarre purchase.
To save you from a similar dilemma to Greg’s, we’ll help you with tips for quickly decoding food labels. For example, you’ll get to know what natural organic non-GMO means. This piece will help you identify label claims to differentiate between those backed by regulation and marketing hogwash. This knowledge will enable grocery shoppers to make more informed choices.
“Natural” — fuzzy but common
So, what does ‘natural’ mean on food labels? There are regulations governing which food products can refer to themselves as “natural”; however, the guidelines are quite flexible. Food manufacturers seldom run afoul of the ‘natural’ regulations. When a food label describes the product as ‘natural,’ there are no strict regulations about what that word means. It is more of an ideological construct than regulatory parlance. Nonetheless, the term sways and influences buyers’ decisions. Per the Food and Drug Administration’s standards, a manufacturer only needs to exclude artificial flavors, added colors and similar artificial additives to be allowed to describe a product as natural.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) takes the same stance as the FDA. However, the USDA also requires that the ‘natural’ food product be minimally processed. Minimal processing, in this context, suggests that processing should not alter the product from its original form.
The “what does natural mean on food” question has been addressed. Next, we proceed to clarify what it is not. First off, the term says nothing about the farming practices that brought the ingredients into existence. It also does not qualify as a health claim for any product that carries the term on its label. A ‘natural’ food product could be organic or grown with fertilizers; it may be lab-grown or conventionally cultivated. There you have ‘natural’ on food labels explained.
ALSO READ: Why Washing Chicken Before Cooking Is Risky (and What to Do Instead)
“Organic” — the regulated gold standard
Unlike the elusiveness of ‘natural’ foods, there are more regulatory restrictions surrounding the use of ‘organic’ on food labels. Regulatory restrictions are the major difference in the natural vs organic discourse. Indeed, the USDA organic meaning is spelt out on the regulator’s website. Before a food manufacturer can label its product as ‘organic,’ it needs to tick all regulatory boxes. After meeting the criteria, the USDA then issues the applicable certification to the manufacturer.
After the USDA has inspected the processes and facilities of a food manufacturer, it categorizes the organic product into one of four tiers:
1. Organic
The USDA will certify a food product as ‘organic’ if it is made up of 95 percent organic ingredients. According to the regulatory body, water and salt cannot be considered as part of a product’s organic ingredients.
2. 100% organic
The ‘100% organic’ claim is only permissible on food labels if there are zero nonorganic or nonagricultural ingredients in the food. This certification is often issued to minimally processed raw food products or items. In this case, too, salt and water do not count as organic ingredients.
3. Made with organic ingredients
This category of products is not allowed to carry the USDA seal on its label. The only way the organic affiliation of such products can be identified is in the ingredients list. The manufacturer can insert a maximum of three organic ingredients after the phrase: “made with organic.” This category should, however, contain a minimum of 70 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water).
4. Specific Organic Ingredients Listings
This category applies when the organic ingredients in the food product are less than 70 percent. On the ingredient list, the focus item is simply preceded by ‘organic’ to identify its peculiar status. For example, if a canned beans manufacturer uses beans that are organically cultivated in production, they don’t need an ‘organic’ seal. The canned product only needs to list that ingredient as ‘organic beans.’
These four tiers provide more details on how to decode food label claims of organic status. As explained earlier, only two of the four tiers can use the USDA’s organic seal on their label. There, you have organic food labels explained.
“Non-GMO” — voluntary claims and third-party seals
Genetically modified organisms or crops (GMOs) are food items that have been genetically engineered to hone in on a desirable characteristic. The desirable attribute may be pest resistance or high yield. The standard procedure for food companies is to declare all the GMO ingredients in their food formulation. The FDA closely monitors the use of GMOs.
There’s no existing regulatory arm-twisting for non-GMO labels. In short, using this label is largely voluntary. So, don’t let a non-GMO seal sway your choice when grocery shopping, as they are unreliable. The Non-GMO Project is the only recognized organization issuing seals for this product category, and it’s a private entity. We need not remind you that private entities are often driven by profits.
Organic food seals are way more reliable as indicators of a product’s non-GMO status than non-GMO seals. Permit us to shed more light on this submission. One of the criteria for earning the USDA’s organic seal is using non-GMO ingredients. So, whenever you come across a food item with the ‘organic’ or ‘100% organic’ seal, you can rest assured that it passes the non-GMO test.
Common consumer traps & greenwashing
Walking through the average shopping aisle, there’s a high propensity that greenwashing will influence what you buy. Many of these consumer traps are not necessarily illegal, but are tactically designed to mislead shoppers. The following are typical examples of such traps to watch out for during your next grocery shopping trip:
a. Generic and unverified claims
Food brands sometimes throw around terms like ‘sustainable’ or ‘natural’ on labels without backing such claims with verifiable evidence. That’s an obvious red flag to conduct a little more research before buying or consuming that item.
b. Eco imagery
Food manufacturers can subtly create a false impression of sustainability by lavishing packaging materials with green imagery. There are also obviously no regulations restricting food manufacturers from using images of nature in adverts and packaging. Since some of these food brands don’t make outlandish claims in typeset, they often get away with this marketing gimmick. Meanwhile, some consumers are not patient or informed enough to realize that the imagery is not a true reflection of the product.
c. Hiding disclaimers in fine print
Some food brands are honest about the pros and cons of their product on the label, but not entirely. Their trick of choice is to emphasize an irrelevant sustainable claim by putting it in conspicuous print. However, you may have to strain your eyes when reading print of trade-offs on the same label.
d. Pseudo-regulatory claims
Some claims are crisp and well-crafted by the best copywriters around. The technical terms and jargon make such claims seem like they came right off a regulator’s bat.
Luckily, many of these gimmicks are not foolproof, and anyone who knows where to look can pick out their flaws.
ALSO READ: Are Plant-Based Meats Really Better for the Environment? Here’s What the Data Shows
Practical shopper checklist
Whether you’re shopping in-store or online, 5 quick actions can help you sidestep the subtlety of greenwashing.
- Look for verifiable seals like USDA Organic or Non-Organic Project.
- Patiently read the ingredient; the shorter it is, the better.
- Check what a brand’s ‘natural’ claim means in the FAQ section of their official website.
- Look beyond the allure of organic claims. Check if the product also meets your nutritional requirements.
- Use reputable guides that provide enough information about the food product you’re looking to buy.
This is our version of food labels explained. Again, some labels are noteworthy (e.g. USDA Organic), some are pure marketing ploys (e.g. ‘natural’), and some are somewhere in between (non-GMO voluntary seals).
If you want fewer pesticides, buy organic; if you want fewer surprises, read the ingredient list — and when in doubt, check the seal.
