USDA Renews Approval of Non-Organic Ingredients Contained in “Organic” Foods
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has renewed its approval for 46 non-organically produced substances that are used in foods and beverages labeled “organic.” The USDA’s National Organic Standards Board is required to renew approval every five years for any non-organic ingredients that are allowed in organic foods.
The products renewed include five agricultural non-organic products and 41 non-agricultural, non-organic products.
The agricultural produced products are cornstarch, kelp, pectin, unbleached lecithin and water extracted gums. Some of these are not individual products, but are categories.
The 41 allowed non-agricultural products include common ingredients such as citric and lactic acid; calcium carbonate; calcium chloride; carnauba wax; bakers, brewers or nutritional yeast; dairy cultures; flavors; sodium carbonate; glycerin; mono- and diglycerides; and xanthan gum.
The USDA withdrew its approval, however, for colors derived from non-synthetic sources and for potassium tartrate derived from tartaric acid.
The organic industry is the fastest-growing agriculture sector in the United States. Retail revenues have risen 20 to 24 percent each year since 1990. They are expected to reach nearly $24 billion by 2010.
