Understanding your food: Food Labels and Produce

Why is it important to understand labels on food products?

The labels on food are important and have many meanings and purposes to further understand what you are eating and for the farmers to sell their products. To producers, it's a way to show how their product was created and the work that was put into it. For consumers, it allows you to see a story, be able to see where your food comes from, and be able to make decisions that fit your lifestyle. In this age, there are many labels we can find on food, from those regulated by government agencies such as the USDA to those regulated by private organizations that set a standard to be followed.

Understanding what these labels mean allows us to determine whether a product fits with the lifestyle we wish to follow, including cultural, religious, and dietary purposes. However, in this age, we must be able to understand these labels and take a further look into them to see who regulates them and what regulations and standards are set for them.

An issue that is commonly seen is the misuse of labels and a lack of understanding. Some labels are unregulated and don't have an official description behind them, while in other cases, without further research on the specific standards, certain labeling can cause misinformation or confusion for the consumer.

Types of labels commonly seen

Government Regulated:

• Organic- Under the USDA, to be labeled organic, the farm must use 95% organic ingredients that contain no synthetic materials, antibiotics, or bioengineering.

• Fair Trade - Has a set of standards that help to protect both employees as well as economic and societal development, while also keeping the environment in mind.

• Non-GMO project verified- Non-profit organization that recognizes products grown without any genetic engineering

Other Regulated labels:

• Demeter Certification- A set of standards that protects the crop, animals and the soil of the farm.

• Certified Regenerative by AGW- A set of standards that helps to certify farms that practice regenerative agriculture.

• Regenerative Organic Certified- A set of standards that works to certify those that respect and help to restore the land through organic and regenerative practices.

Unregulated:

• GE Free/NON-GMO- There is no Federal regulations about GE (Genetically Engineered) and NON-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism), however, this label is sometimes used for consumers to tell what products are without GMOS and GE.

• All Natural- Many products are labeled with this; however, it has no clear definition that is set for it.

• Sustainable- Although many regulated labels with sustainable exist, sustainable by itself can be placed on products without a proper definition. The key aspect here is to look at the label and see whether it comes from a regulated body or not.

• Regenerative- Just like sustainable, there are many regulated labels that encompass this label. Checking the labels is important to make sure the standards under it are those that fit what you are looking for.

• Locally Grown- This label has no clear definition on what can be considered local and what area it encompasses.

Conclusion

Understanding your food is important in ensuring that you are eating what you want and are supporting systems that fit within your lifestyle. It is important to always understand what you are purchasing and what it supports and what it means, so that you are able to, with confidence, make choices that best fit you and your family.

Sources:

Certification. Demeter International. (2022, May 18). https://demeter.net/certification/

Certified regenerative - A Greener World. (n.d.). https://agreenerworld.org/certifications/certified-regenerative/

Food label guide: Produce. FoodPrint. (2023, March 29). https://foodprint.org/eating-sustainably/food-label-guide/food-label-guide-produce/

Food Labels explained. Farm Aid. (2018, August 30). https://www.farmaid.org/food-labels-explained/

Program, H. F. (n.d.). Nutrition, food labeling, and Critical Foods. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods