 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
||||||||||
|
Français | Main Menu |
Contact Us |
Help | Search | Office of Consumer Affairs |
About Us |
Important Notices |
What's New |
Related Sites |
Canada Site |
|
||
 |
|
 |
||||||||||||
Institutional links |
|
|
Organic Food Labelling |
| Youre at the grocery store and pick up box of cereal labelled organic. What does that mean? One product says 100% organic and the other says, made with organic ingredients. What is the difference? Should you be looking for a particular mark or certification to ensure that the product you are buying is in fact made with organic ingredients? |
|
|
|
New "Canada Organic" Label
Phased in over the next two years, a new Canada Organic logo will be permitted for use only on those food products certified as meeting the revised Canadian standard for organic production and that contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Following this phase-in period, it will be mandatory that all organic products be certified for interprovincial and international trade. For more information, please visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Web page on the new Organic Products Regulations and Canada Organic logo. Voluntary Standards It is impossible to guarantee that a product labelled organic is truly organic because organic standards in Canada are voluntary. The province of Quebec is the only Canadian province having a mandatory system of accreditation. Throughout the rest of Canada, several Canadian certifying bodies operate that are accredited by the Standards Council of Canada or by provincial authorities where provincial legislation exists. This is the case of the Certified Organic Association of BC and the Conseil des appellations agroalimentaires du Quebec. In all provinces, consumers may look for a certified organic indication on the package and the name or number of the certifying body, which has certified that the production, processing, packaging and distribution of the product meet the criteria for organic labelling. A product that is certified by a recognized accredited certifying body and labelled as certified organic will have met a consistent product standard based on the National Organic Standard of the Canadian General Standards Board. You may find more information and a link to the standard on Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's webpage on Organic Agriculture Standards Development in Canada. Understanding the terms used on the Label The term organic does not mean the same as pesticide free or no pesticides. In fact, a number of natural pesticides are permitted for use in organic production. According to the Standard, a product may be labelled organic if it consists of at least 95 percent organic ingredients. For food products containing at least 70% organic ingredients, a claim may be made about the amount of organic ingredients in the product. For example, contains x% organic ingredients or contains x% of organic (name of the ingredient(s)). When a food product contains less than 70% organic ingredients, claims of organic content may only be made within the list of ingredients. Food Labelling Requirements Just as is the case for all foods sold in Canada, organic products are subject to relevant provisions under the Food and Drugs Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and specific regulations described under the Canadian Agricultural Products Act. These provisions are aimed at prohibiting deceptive labelling of foods by creating requirements for areas such as the method of production, food safety, characteristics and value of products. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible to respond to and investigate complaints and other information regarding alleged fraudulent and deceptive organic labelling claims in Canada. With the new regulations and Canada Organic labelling being phased in, Canadian consumers will be protected against deceptive and misleading claims on organic products. For more information on this subject, you may also access on our website other documents in relation to organic food. |
