ORGANIC — THE NEW FACE OF SUPPLEMENTS

ORGANIC — THE NEW FACE OF SUPPLEMENTS



People are caught between what is perceived and what actually is. In the case of organicsupplements, the word “organic” is highly misleading.So while people are harped at to eat better diets, lose weight, increase health or sufferfrom a myriad of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, increased risk of stroke,osteoarthritis, coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart disease their attemptto comply is undone by the very labels they read. The common person has been duped bylabeling laws that allow for the purposeful misleading of key terms and a lack ofunderstanding of what organic means.The problem is that people continue to think that organic means 100 percent organicwhen it can mean only a percentage of the ingredients are organic. The solution is brandsthat educate the consumer about what organic means while taking advantage of thepurity of true organic supplements.Organic Labeling LawsUnder the current organic labeling laws which are in the realm of the USDA, [1] a productmust meet three criteria.

1. The product’s production must be one that does not include excluded methods. Thosewould be things like GMO ingredients. There is a whole list of excluded methods includingthe use of sewage sludge or products or ingredients that undergo ionizing radiation. [2]In terms of organic food or products such as organic beauty products, GMO is bad enoughbut to actually consider that people must be told not to use sewage sludge is a bitundoing.2. Products that are organic must be made using approved ingredients which are listed ingreat detail on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances list. The list is brokedown into sections including on that is a synthetic substances list of allowed use such assodium carbonate peroxy-hydrate as an herbicide or and plastic mulch covers excludingthose made using PVC.Already you begin to see the complexity by which “organic” is really twisted away frommeaning purely natural to a definition that fits the idea of organic into the Americanmanufacturing and commercial agriculture industries. Is this organic? It is not the picturethat many Americans have when they buy a product that says organic. In fact, labelinglaws allow for phrases such as “made with organic ingredients” which implies the productis organic. However, what it really means is that some of the ingredients in the productare organic. So does that make the product organic? Not so much, no.

3. All organic products including foods, supplements, and beauty aids must be overseen bythe UDSANational Organic Program and obtain a certification from that agency. What thistells us is that even with the use of plastic mulch covers, and synthetic “natural” chemicals,that the USDA approves of the current state of organic labeling.The real question is where does this leave the American consumer. The answer is that asconsumers we are not in a good place when it comes to purchasing or understandingorganic products and their labeling. An organic apple juice only made from five variety ofapples only needs one certified organic apple to have the phrase “made with organic applejuice.” That labeling laws are highly misleading as the consumer easily makes the jump thatall five apples are organic when in fact they are not all organic. That is the very crux of whyorganic is a problem for consumers.The Implication is KeyIt is fairly safe to way that many American’s are beginning to question the loyalty ofgovernment organizations such as the USDA and the FDA. In fact, consumers arequestioning the consciousness of US food manufacturers. We see this in the massive rise inorganic food sales. We see this by measuring consumer response and in statistics that paintthe picture of what consumers buy. The USDA says that organic product sales now accountfor four percent of the food sales within the US. You can buy organic foods in grocery stores,natural food stores, and at farmer’s markets. Organic brands are increases as the demandfor organic products remains high as seen through the higher prices paid by consumers fororganic foods. However, the numbers really show why this is important.

In 2012, organic food sales topped $28 billion dollars in the US. In 2014, the market sharegrew to an estimated $35 billion and it is expected that the growth of organic food productswill continue to rise in 2017. In fact, the American consumer is ready for organic foods. Wesee this in the growth of farmer’s markets. In 1994, there were only 1,755 farmer’s marketsin the US. In 2013, the number of farmer’s markets swelled to a whopping 8,144.Communities are coming onboard with organic foods. [3]That type of growth is amazing and it points to a real opportunity. Not only is the market fororganics taking off, but the niche for real organics is wide open. the USDA states that thereare four categories of organic products and labels. [4] Those include: •100 percent organic — All products must be certified organic as well as the processing aids. [5] •Organic — Must be at least 95 percent organic or from the list of products that allows for organic. •Made with Organic — Must contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients.Made with Organic (Specific) IngredientsThe only category here that is all organic is the one that is called 100 percent organic. That isthe niche. By educating consumers, and focusing on 100 percent organic ingredients youopen a door that separates supplements, diet aids, and other products from products thatare not 100 percent organic, merely organic, made with organic ingredients, or contains anorganic ingredient. Once you divide 100 percent you can never go back. It is that purity thatconsumers expect and by showing them that is what you produce, your market opens.

The opportunity to take advantage of current USDA labeling separates the organic wheatfrom the non-organic sheaf. Is this an opportunity to elevate your product? Yes. It is anopportunity to manufacture supplements that exceed current market standards? Yes. Thereal question is how can 100 percent organic change your current products and marketshare? If the current craze with organic food consumption is any indication, then 100percent organic in supplements is a new multi-billion dollar industry.Author Bio:ABH Natures Products Inc. is a privately held company in Edgewood, NY. ABH Nature wasestablished in 1997 and incorporated in NY. ABH Natures is GMP Certified private labelsupplement and vitamin Manufacturers Company.