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Inside Organics

You can find organic almost anywhere you shop these days. But not all organics are created equal. Here's how to decipher the labels and lingo to be sure you are getting what you are seeking.

Wander through the aisles of any supermarket and you may be pleasantly surprised by the large number and variety of organic products. But how can you know whether the organic strawberries from California or the locally grown organic McIntosh apples are really what they claim to be? Thanks to labeling changes made within the last five years, consumers can buy organic with more confidence.

Behind the Labels Organic foods are grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, or genetically modified organisms, and do not use irradiation during processing. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that do not receive antibiotics or growth hormones. In 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established national standards for foods labeled organic. These standards apply to foods grown in the United States and imported from other countries. The USDA guidelines break down organic foods into four categories, based on organic content.

100% Organic. The product must contain only organically produced ingredients, excluding salt and water.

Organic. The product must consist of at least 95% organically produced ingredients, excluding salt and water. Both 100% organic and organic products may carry the USDA organic seal, along with the name of the government-accredited certifier.

Made with Organic. Processed products that contain at least 70% organic ingredients can use the phrase "made with organic ingredients" and list up to three organic ingredients or food categories. These products cannot display the USDA seal. They must include the name of the government-accredited certifier.

Less than 70% Organic. Products that do not contain more than 70% organic ingredients are not permitted to display any organic claims on the front of the package, nor can they display the USDA seal. However, they may list specific organically produced ingredients on the side panel.

Making Organic Choices If you're trying to decide where to spend your organic dollars, start with the foods and products that you use the most, suggests Holly Givens, public affairs adviser for the Organic Trade Association, which publishes The O'Mama Report (www.theorganicreport.com), an online consumer guide to organic products. If the food contains a skin or peel you would normally eat such as apples or pears, you may want to opt for organic. If you typically remove and toss the peel (as in avocadoes and bananas) it may be more practical to buy conventional versions. Either way, the USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is any safer or more nutritious than foods grown with conventional methods.

When buying organic isn't feasible, you may be able to reduce some exposure to synthetic fertilizers or pesticides by following some of these easy steps:

Wash fruits and veggies with water and use a scrubbing brush for melons, citrus, and other produce that doesn't have smooth surfaces. Don't use soap, which may be difficult to remove.

Peel the skin, though you may lose some fiber and nutrients.

Vary the types of fruits and vegetables you and your family eat.