Organic options abound

The next time you’re in a large supermarket, take a few minutes in just one of the aisles to look for food items labeled organic. What you’ll likely discover is that organic options are popping up in many food categories, from milk and yogurt to meat, condiments, spices, tea, chips, pasta, baby food, cereal and fresh produce. Even dog food has gone organic.

If your grocery store isn’t stocking organic items yet, just wait; they are coming. Or visit a health food store, where organic options are exploding in numbers.

The Organic Trade Association predicts sales of organic foods in the United States will reach $16 billion by the end of 2006, up $2 billion from 2005 sales. Last year, organic food sales accounted for 2.5 percent of all retail food sales; that number jumped from 1.9 percent in 2003. Meat, condiments and dairy items are experiencing the biggest growth in organic options, according to the trade association.

It’s not only supermarkets and health food stores where organic foods are increasing by leaps and bounds. Oklahoma’s farmers markets are filled with organically grown or produced foods too, from locally grown tomatoes and peppers to eggs, chickens, breads, convenience foods and other fresh offerings.

With so much attention on growing and eating healthier food and producing more healthful products, the organic terminology can be confusing. Some foods are labeled “organic” and others “certified organic.” And what do vague terms like “natural” and “free range” have to do with organics?

The National Organic Program’s definition of organics is listed on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Web site. “Organic crops are raised without using most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers or sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Animals raised on an organic operation must be fed organic feed and given access to the outdoors. They are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.”

Packaged products on supermarket shelves have a variety of organic terms. If “100 percent organic” is on the package, the product can have only organically produced ingredients. If the label reads “organic” the contents must include at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients.

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