When food has been certified organic that means it has met certain standards of purity. The certification process is rigorous and extends from testing the soil to restricting what goes into the growing process. The harvest, transportation and storage of organic products is also monitored.
When it comes to produce, natural fertilizers and pesticides are allowed while chemicals, irradiation and genetic modification processes are prohibited. Additional standards come into play when dealing with organic dairy or meat products to ensure a more humane practice and a smaller environmental impact.
The word organic is defined as “derived from living matter.” Customers who shop for organic foods want to be sure their food is alive with nutrients, not chemicals or growth hormones, and want to support the farmers practicing these methods.
Organic certification in the US is done by more than 50 independent agencies certified by the USDA. The USDA seal goes on anything which meets at least 95% of organic standards.