I tell you to ‘read your labels’…
But here’s a question for ya:
What do the labels mean?
Need
Help with reading your labels?
As CEO & Founder of several nationwide brands, I enjoy the benefits of regular newsletters from the National Association of Specialty Foods.
Most years, I walk the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco and attend local events like the Natural Food Show coming up in Anaheim.
Here is a great glossary, my friends! You’ll get it… then you’ll get it!
Happy Eating! And reading! lol
Chef Marian
mm@chefmarian.com
Here, we’ve compiled a resource of the 36 most prevalent food labels, seals, logos and certifications—as well as commonly seen, and sometimes vague, terms found on products—to explain the details of each. Each item is coded to indicate if it is regulated or audited by an independent organization or certifying agency or if the term is unregulated and meant as more of a guideline. Websites to visit for additional information are included where available.
KEY
R Regulated/audited by a certifying agency or independent organization
G Unregulated; term is intended as a guideline
P Partial regulation; some affiliation with a verifying/standards body
100% VEGETARIAN FED P
As long as “100%” precedes the words “vegetarian fed” on meat and egg products, this label indicates the animal was not fed any animal byproducts and was raised on grasses, hay, silage and other feed found on a pasture or in a field. Also, they will not have been given supplements or additives. If verified by an independent organization, this claim will be accompanied by a USDA Verified shield.
ALLERGEN LABELING G
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, Fairfax, Va., states that eight foods account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut (e.g., walnut, cashew), fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act mandates that products containing these ingredients must declare them in plain language on the ingredient list or via the word “contains” followed by the name of the major food allergen, or as a parenthetical statement in the list of ingredients. Increasingly product labels also denote that a potential allergen may have been used in the processing of the food, or may have been processed in the same manufacturing plant as the product.foodallergy.org
AMERICAN HUMANE CERTIFIED R
Formerly known as the Free Farmed program, this label provides third-party, independent verification that certified producers’ care and handling of farm animals meet the science-based animal welfare standards of the American Humane Association. Standards require that animals be raised in ways that minimize stress, and include adequate shelter, comfortable resting areas, sufficient space, proper facilities and ability to express typical behavior. americanhumane.org
BIRD FRIENDLY R
Certified by scientists from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington, D.C., this label is found on coffee that is organic and meets strict requirements for the amount of shade and the type of forest in which it is grown. Often called Shade Grown, this term has little weight unless accompanied by the Bird Friendly label. SMBC supports coffee plantations that provide good bird habitats, such as maintenance of a tree canopy, diversity in tree and plant species, and establishment of plant borders around streams or rivers. nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/coffee
CAGE-FREE G
Denotes that birds are raised without cages. This doesn’t, however, indicate how crowded or small conditions are or how much free-roaming time birds get. There is no third-party auditing of the label.
CERTIFIED HUMANE RAISED & HANDLED R
Administered by independent nonprofit Humane Farm Animal Care, this program ensures that animals raised for dairy, lamb, poultry and beef products are treated humanely and with their welfare in mind. The animals must be allowed to engage in natural behavior and be raised with sufficient space, shelter and gentle handling. Additionally, they are provided fresh water and a diet without added antibiotics or hormones, and producers must comply with a higher standard for slaughtering than required by the Federal Humane Slaughter Act. certifiedhumane.org
CERTIFIED NATURALLY GROWN R
Similar to organic farms, CNG farms use no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, herbicides, fungicides, hormones or GMO seeds. Livestock are raised mostly on pasture, with space for freedom of movement, and their feed is grown without synthetic inputs. Tailored for small-scale, direct-market farmers and beekeepers using natural methods, CNG, a private, nonprofit organization, used the USDA’s organic standards as a starting point in developing its own certification. Its apiary standards are uniquely its own.naturallygrown.org
CERTIFIED VEGAN R
In response to a growing vegan market, this logo appears on products containing no animal ingredients or byproducts, using no animal ingredients or byproducts in the manufacturing process and conducting no testing on animals by any company or independent contractor. Administered by the nonprofit Vegan Awareness Foundation, also known as Vegan Action, the program relies on written statements by companies and suppliers that the product is vegan. Companies renew their certification annually to ensure no ingredients have changed. veganaction.org
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABEL R
This labeling is required for beef, veal, pork, lamb, goat and chicken; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables; peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts; and ginseng. It allows consumers who are concerned about lenient pesticide regulations in other countries or incidences of mad cow disease to make informed decisions about produce and meat purchases. Regulated by the USDA, COOL regulations, which do not apply to ingredients in processed foods, became effective in 2009. A dispute is pending, however, regarding the U.S.’s COOL requirements for beef and pork. In November 2011, a World Trade Organization dispute-settlement panel found that COOL treats imported livestock less favorably than U.S. livestock. The Obama Administration has not yet signaled what steps are being considered to address the “less-favorable treatment” finding. ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/cool
DEMETER CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC R
Developed in the 1920s, biodynamic farming sees the farm holistically as a living organism and emphasizes contributing to natural resources instead of depleting them. Products that wear the Demeter logo must be produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers or genetic engineering, and by all other requirements of a certified organic label. Meats must be raised with no animal byproducts used in the feed. In the U.S., Demeter Association Inc., a nonprofit corporation, authorizes the use of the Demeter logo and maintains authentication of biodynamic foods grown in the States and Mexico. demeter-usa.org
DOLPHIN SAFE R
To be considered Dolphin Safe, tuna must meet a variety of standards, such as no intentional chasing, netting or encirclement of dolphins for the full duration of a tuna-fishing trip, and no mixing of dolphin-safe and dolphin-deadly tuna in individual boat wells. Earth Island Institute, a U.S.-based nonprofit non-governmental conservation organization, created the International Marine Mammal Project to monitor tuna companies worldwide. To date, IMMP has eliminated dolphin-deadly tuna from 90 percent of the world’s canned-tuna markets. Earth Island brings evidence of violations to federal agencies for legal enforcement and organizes consumer boycotts of brands that don’t comply with the standard. earthisland.org
EUROPEAN UNION DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN R
These three tiers of labels ensure that foods from the EU are genuine and traditionally made. Protected Designation of Origin is the strictest, denoting agricultural products that are produced and processed in a designated geographical area according to established methods, such as Prosciutto di Parma from Italy’s Parma region. Protected Geographical Indication is slightly less stringent than the PDO label and promotes and enhances the reputation of a specific product or region by noting that at least one of its production stages occurs in a specific geographic area. Traditional Specialty Guaranteed emphasizes the distinct character of a particular product, which includes the production method or traditional composition. ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality
FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED R
Guarantees that farmers receive a fair price for such crops as coffee, tea, cacao, fruit, sugar, rice and spices. It also means the farms offer safe working conditions, use ecologically sustainable methods and have access to community development projects. Fair Trade is certified in the U.S. through Fair Trade USA (formerly TransFair USA), an independent third-party certifier, which reported that sales of Fair Trade Certified products grew an astounding 75 percent in 2011. fairtradeusa.org
FARM RAISED P
Refers to fish that were nurtured on a farm, or net pen in the ocean, rather than caught in their natural habitat. Farmed fish is believed to be a way to address the growing problem of overfishing. Environmental Defense, a national advocacy organization, is not a certifying agency but helps companies establish standards programs.
FOOD ALLIANCE CERTIFIED R
The seal of Food Alliance, an almost 20-year-old nonprofit organization that operates a comprehensive third-party certification program in North America for sustainably produced food, distinguishes foods produced by farmers, ranchers and food processors that use environmentally and socially responsible practices. Farms and ranches must meet standards for providing safe and fair working conditions; ensuring healthy and humane care for livestock; avoiding hormones and non-therapeutic antibiotics; not genetically modifying crops or livestock; reducing pesticide use and toxicity; conserving soil and water resources; and protecting wildlife habitat. The certification applies to beef, lamb, pork, poultry, dairy, fruit, processed foods, nuts and vegetables, legumes and grains. Food Alliance also forms partnerships with retailers to promote FA products in the marketplace. foodalliance.org
FREE RANGE P
Suggests animals (usually poultry and the eggs that they produce) were raised in the open air or were free to roam. It does not necessarily mean that the products are cruelty- or antibiotic-free or that the animals spent a significant amount of time outdoors. (The USDA considers 5 minutes of outdoor time each day to be sufficient.) The claim is regulated only on poultry products not on eggs or other meat. Similar label claims include “Free Roaming” or “Free Running.”
GLUTEN-FREE R
Products sporting this seal have met stringent standards to ensure gluten-free safety and are certified to contain less than 10 parts per million of gluten. This new certification program is available from organic certifier Quality Assurance International and the healthcare nonprofit National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Unlike unsubstantiated gluten-free claims on the market, this certification is science-based and triple-verified through inspections and product testing. The stringent certification relies on annual inspection, ingredient verification, random product testing and unannounced audits.celiaccentral.org/gluten-free-certification
GRASS FED P
Indicates animals have been fed grasses from birth to slaughter. Antibiotics may have been given to treat disease, but not to promote growth or prevent disease. Their feed did not include grain, animal byproducts or synthetic hormones. The animals must also have continuous access to pasture during the growing season, with no confinement. Also called “pastured” or “pasture-raised,” the grass-fed claim is reliable only if the product has a USDA Process Verified shield; otherwise, the verification is only voluntary.
GREEN-E R
Use of the logo on company marketing materials shows the company purchases renewable energy and offsets. When the label appears directly on a food product, it guarantees the above and that the product was manufactured using 100 percent clean energy. Green-e, administered by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions, is the nation’s leading certification program for renewable energy and carbon offsets, ensuring that the clean energy households and organizations use to reduce their environmental footprint meets the highest quality standards and is “as advertised.” green-e.org
HALAL R
Denotes that the food conforms to Muslim dietary laws. A halal certification is provided by a certified third-party agency such as The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, one of the largest halal agencies in the U.S., whose logo is the Crescent M. Another organization is the Muslim Consumer Group, whose symbol is a triangle with the words “Muslim Consumer Group” and an “H” in the middle. Halal certification involves the inspection of food preparation practices, processing facilities and food ingredients to ensure that halal standards were met. ifanca.org; muslimconsumergroup.com
HEART HEALTHY R
American Heart Association’s seal of approval means that the food is deemed safe for heart health when eaten as part of a balanced diet. Foods must comply with existing FDA or USDA requirements for making a heart-related claim, which means it contains less than 6.5 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol and 480 milligrams of sodium per serving, and at least 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance of nutrients. AHA’s program, which began in 1995, recently added fish and nuts to its products and has a new look for its Heart-Check Mark.heart.org
HORMONE-FREE MEAT or rBGH-FREE DAIRY P
Implies that hormones were not used during the life of the animal. The USDA disapproves use of the phrase “hormone-free” on any meat products but does allow “no hormones administered.” There is currently no organization that can verify the claim; the USDA, however, can hold manufacturers accountable for its use.
The FDA has stated that milk bearing a “no hormones” or “hormone-free” label is guaranteed false because milk contains naturally occurring hormones, but it does make a distinction for rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) or rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin), a synthetic growth hormone given to cows to increase milk production. Certified organic milk and dairy products are rBGH-free, but there is no standalone rBGH-free certification.
KOSHER R
This mark attests that foods meet the standards of Jewish dietary laws. For more than 80 years, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations (OU) has been the leading certifier of kosher foods, supervising hundreds of thousands of products in more than 90 countries throughout the world. Other certifiers’ labels include cRc, Star-K, Triangle-K and Kof-k. Next to the agency’s symbol may be a letter identifying the product’s kosher status: “D” indicates dairy; “M,” meat; “P,” kosher for Passover. Parve or Pareve foods will include that word next to the symbol, guaranteeing that the product does not contain or has not come into contact with meat or dairy products. oukosher.org
MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL R
Guarantees that the seafood comes from a certified sustainable fishery. MSC is an independent nonprofit organization that guarantees the authenticity of sustainable seafood and promotes sustainable fisheries—those that “ensure that the catch of marine resources are at the level compatible with long-term sustainable yield, while maintaining the marine environment’s biodiversity, productivity and ecological process.” MSC uses independent third-party verifiers to ensure chain-of-custody certification. Fisheries already certified or in full assessment represent more than 11 percent of the annual global harvest of wild-capture fisheries. Worldwide, more than 15,000 seafood products wear the blue MSC eco-label. msc.org
NATURAL P
According to the FDA, this is a broad term that applies to foods that are minimally processed and free of synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other artificial additives, growth hormones, antibiotics, hydrogenated oils, stabilizers and emulsifiers. Products using the label should explain the use of the term (for example, “no artificial ingredients”). Most foods labeled “natural,” “all natural” or “100% natural” are not subject to specific government controls, with the exception of meat and poultry. For these, the USDA defines natural as: no artificial flavoring, color, ingredients, chemical preservatives or artificial or synthetic ingredients, not taking into account animal welfare. Products carrying this claim may be only minimally processed, which means the raw product was not fundamentally altered.
NO ANTIBIOTICS ADMINISTERED/RAISED WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS P
The USDA accepts these claims to mean that the animal was neither fed nor treated with antibiotics. The USDA deems the term “antibiotic-free” as unapprovable. The USDA is accountable for the accuracy of these claims, but there is no verification process. Certified organic meats are by definition raised without antibiotics and do undergo a stringent verification process.
NON-GMO PROJECT R
As North America’s only independent verifier of products made according to best practices for avoiding genetically modified organisms in the U.S. and Canada, the Non-GMO Project seal indicates that the product has gone through a strict verification process. It uses an Action Threshold of 0.9 percent, in alignment with laws in the European Union, where any product containing more than 0.9 percent GMO must be labeled. Absence of all GMOs is the target for all compliant products. After verification, rigorous traceability and segregation practices are followed to ensure ingredient integrity. Verification is maintained through an annual audit, along with on-site inspections for high-risk products.nongmoproject.org
ORGANIC R
Such a labeled food cannot be grown using synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, sewage sludge, bioengineering methods or ionizing radiation and cannot contain genetically modified organisms or be irradiated. For meat, the animals must have been fed only organically grown feed without animal byproducts and should be free of hormones and antibiotics. A government-approved certifier inspects the farm to ensure it meets USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food can be certified as well. Several types of verbiage and seals are used under the USDA standards: “100% Organic” indicates that all ingredients are wholly organic; “Organic” means at least 95 percent of a product’s ingredients are organic; “Made with organic ingredients” applies to products whose ingredients are at least 70 percent organic and list up to three organic ingredients or food groups on the principal display panel.
Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients may list specific organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic claims on the front label. Independent organic certifiers include Quality Assurance International and region-specific programs such as California Certified Organic Farmers and Northeast Organic Farming Association. ams.usda.gov/nop
PASTURED (OR PASTURE-RAISED) G
Not an independently certified label; implies animals were allowed to roam freely and graze in their natural environment.
PROTECTED HARVEST R
Certifies farmers using environmental growing standards known as Biointensive Integrated Pest Management, a method of pest control less toxic than pesticides. Today, almost 30,000 acres of farmland are certified by Protected Harvest, encompassing wine grapes, potatoes, mushrooms, stone fruits and citrus. Protected Harvest, a nonprofit organization, is in the process of developing a certification program for dairy, almonds, tomatoes and a variety of fresh produce. protectedharvest.org
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE R
This environmental certification for coffee, tea, cacao and fruits denotes the item has been grown or made sustainably and that workers were treated fairly. Each purchase of a labeled product helps the Rainforest Alliance preserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Farms are audited annually and surprise audits are carried out for certified farms at least once a year. rainforest-alliance.org
SALMON SAFE R
Farms producing foods that carry the Salmon Safe label have been evaluated by independent experts who certify the use of agricultural practices that promote healthy streams and wetlands. These practices include water use, erosion control, chemical management and proper animal farming, all contributing to restoring stream eco-system health in native salmon fisheries of the Pacific Northwest. The independent eco-label is gaining national recognition and appears on a variety of products including wine, dairy and produce. salmonsafe.org
UTZ CERTIFIED R
Almost half of all certified sustainable coffee is now Utz certified. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this label stands for sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers, their families and the environment. It assures responsible production and sourcing practices by one of the largest coffee-certification programs in the world and enables farmers to learn better
farming methods, improve working conditions and take better care of their children and the environment. The strict requirements for Utz-certified farms and businesses are closely monitored by independent third parties and audited annually. utzcertified.org
VEGETARIAN G
This term is not regulated and can usually imply only that the product doesn’t contain animal-derived ingredients. The products also may or may not have been tested on animals. Foods with “100% vegetarian ingredients” on the label contain no meat but may contain eggs or dairy. These marks are not regulated by any labeling law; instead, consumers can find the most reliable match between labels and their claims on foods that display logos from organizations such as the Vegetarian Society.
WHOLE GRAIN STAMP R
The official packaging symbol of the Whole Grains Council, which aims to help consumers identify authentic whole-grain foods. There are two versions of this
label: The 100% Whole Grain stamp denotes that the food contains a full serving (16 grams) or more of whole grains per labeled serving. The so-called basic Whole Grain stamp appears on products containing at least half a serving (8 grams) of whole grain per labeled serving. Each stamp also shows exactly how many grams of whole grains are in one serving of a product.
wholegrainscouncil.org
WILD CAUGHT P
Refers to fish caught in their natural habitat. Starting in 2005, Country of Origin Labeling rules required unprocessed seafood sold at supermarkets to be labeled as “wild caught” or “farm raised.”