For many consumers, paying a pretty penny more for products labeled “100% Organic” with USDA certification, is worth it for the peace of mind and certainty that they and their families will not be eating genetically modified organisms.
However, most people don’t know that the standard for certification is lax, allowing foods labeled “100% Organic” to contain GMO ingredients, which aren’t disclosed if the foods are sold in the United States.
Here’s how it works: USDA regulations allow 5 percent or less of the ingredients in food labeled “100% Organic” to not be organic—if for some reason these ingredients are “not ‘commercially available’ in organic form.”
Moreover, a product can still be labeled organic if it has been contaminated unintentionally. This is because the basis for organic certification is the manufacturing process and method. The certification does not address what is actually in the food or its nutritional quality.
