Some, like the certified organic mark, can help the discerning shopper. Many -– including the word \"natural\" itself -– tell us little about what’s in our food and how it was produced.
The best way to check on your food is to talk to the people who made it. That can be difficult, so you might try producers' Web sites or ask the buyers at your local market.
Select a tab above to learn more."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("","Organic certification","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Organic3.gif width=440 height=231 usemap=\"#Organic_Map\" border=0","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "231", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "As the only federally certified standard, organic labels have specific requirements, though some loopholes remain.
Produce must be grown without synthetic fertilizers or chemicals. Genetic engineering and several other techniques are prohibited. Animals eat organic feed and must be treated humanely.
But be careful: Even organic labels must be read closely.
Click the graphic above for details."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Organic producer","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Organic3.gif width=440 height=231 usemap=\"#Organic_Map\" border=0","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "231", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "Organic producer: Some 90 certifiers, approved by the USDA, check every step of the process from farm to finished package.
Farms that grow or raise organic foods must receive their own certification. Ingredients, like organic flour, must be certified.
The final product must be certified too, along with the company that makes it. A certification seal for the producer appears on packages of organic foods."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Organic product","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Organic3.gif width=440 height=231 usemap=\"#Organic_Map\" border=0","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "231", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "Organic product: Only a product with 95 to 100 percent organic ingredients is considered a true organic product. The exact percentage is sometimes listed on the package.
Only these may contain the word organic in the product name: organic milk, organic cereal.
And only these may carry the USDA’s organic seal, though they don't have to. The certifying agency's name must always be listed."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Made with organic ingredients","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Organic3.gif width=440 height=231 usemap=\"#Organic_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "231", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "Made with organic ingredients: Products using the \"made with\" label contain between 70 and 94 percent organic ingredients. They cannot be called organic products and can't use the USDA seal, but must name their certifier.
Labels should be examined closely. The word \"organic\" may appear several places on the label.
Anything with less than 70 percent organic ingredients can't be marketed as organic."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("","Other labels","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "Plenty of other labels show up besides the organic tag. A few have basic government guidelines, but most aren't regulated and are the responsibility of the food producer.
Click the graphic above for details."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Natural","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "NATURAL: Probably the most used, and perhaps the least meaningful.
Basic guidelines exist for \"natural\" meat and poultry products: no artificial ingredients or colors, and minimal processing. But it tells you nothing about animals' food or treatment.
Though companies use it to denote products without artificial ingredients, it has no officially defined meaning for fruits, vegetables or other foods."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Grass-fed","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "GRASS-FED: Usually refers to meat and poultry that eat grass, silage or hay, not grain or other feed. Unregulated.
Only meaningful if it is \"100 percent grass-fed\" or similar. Otherwise, the animals may have been given normal feed.
\"Grass-finished\" or \"pasture-finished\" can be more helpful, as it often indicates animals ate grass or silage until slaughter."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("No GMOs","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "NO GMOs: Refers to products made without the use of genetically-modified organisms. Unregulated.
While it can be hard to guarantee products are completely GMO-free, many ingredients can be verified as genetically unmodified. All organic ingredients must not be GMOs.
However, U.S. foods that do use GMOs are not required to be labeled as such."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Free-range","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "FREE-RANGE: Another popular but largely unregulated term. Basic USDA free-range rules say poultry must have some access to the outside. It does not specify how much and it does not verify claims.
The term has almost no meaning in terms of livestock or eggs.
\"Cage-free\" is a more precise term, indicating animals were allowed to roam openly, though it is not regulated either."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("No hormones","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "NO HORMONES: Another unregulated claim.
Because animals have natural hormones, labels are beginning to indicate more precise terms, like \"no added hormones,\" or \"no hormones administered,\" for which the USDA has basic standards.
With the exception of organic products, standards are not verified."; OrganicFoodLabels_460[i++] = new Array("Vegetarian diet","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/BUSINESS/040305/Labels2.jpg width=440 height=165 usemap=\"#Labels_Map\"","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "165", "440", "", "", "", "", ""); OrganicFoodLabels_460[i-1].body = "VEGETARIAN DIET or GRAIN FED: Like \"grass fed,\" but animals may also have been fed corn or other grain.
Only meaningful if it includes \"100 percent\" or similar. Otherwise, meat or poultry may have been fed animal by-products.
The terms are unregulated and unverified."; // END editorial data