The regulation of the organic products

Organic products' labels are strictly regulated.
This regulation divides the products into three categories.

95 percent or more organic

Products processed or not, labeled or represented as "organic" must contain at least 95 % of organically grown ingredients.
On this products' package is mentioned "issue de l'agriculture biologique" (from the organic agriculture) and the AB label can be added if the producer wants to.
Products that are composed of a single ingredient are therefore "100 percent organic".
The margin of 5%, which is allowed but not systematic, is for the ingredients that are determined as not "commercially available" in organic form. This list becomes smaller and smaller.

Labeling
Mandatory mentions Optional mentions
  1. "Agriculture biologique" or "Produit de l'agriculture biologique" or "X % des ingrédients d'origine agricole ont été obtenus selon les règles de la production biologique"
  2. Certifying agent (ex: ecovert)
  1. "Système de contrôle CEE"
  2. AB label

70 to 95 percent organic

This category includes all products that contain between 70 and 95 percent organic agricultural ingredients.
AB label cannot be given to these products.
On the package must be mentioned that "X % d'ingrédients d'origine agricole ont été obtenus selon les règles de la production biologique".

Labeling
  1. "X % des ingredients d'origine agricole ont été obtenus selon les regles de la production biologique"
  2. Certifying agent
  3. List of the ingredients in the decreasing order with a reference of the mode of organic production.

Less than 70 percent organic

A product that contains less than 70 % of organic ingredients is not an organic product and cannot receive any mention.

Organic in conversion "transition" or "conversion" labeling

If the product comes from a land that is in conversion to organic agriculture for at least 12 month before the harvesting, the mention "conversion vers l'agriculture biologique" can be allowed only after a control.
Products from culture in conversion cannot be used in processed foods which contain several ingredients from the organic agriculture.

Realized by Laurence LIVERNAIS-SAETTEL, Dietitian.
© Copyright L. Livernais-Saettel 2000
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