Do we really know how to differentiate an organic product from a conventional one?

Every time we are more those looking for a quality food we bet strongly for organic products that guarantee a healthy consumption and without risks. However, we can find foods that a priori seem to be organic to advertise as such but that really are not.

The European Regulation (CE) nº 834/2007 of the Council, of June 28, 2007, referring to the production and labeling of organic products specifies in article 23 the words protected by law when it comes to labeling organic products, serving these ( guarantee to buy organic food. For Spain they are the following:

• Ecological
• Biological
• Echo
• Bio

In addition, to be 100% sure that we are dealing with an organic food product we must always look at the logo or logos that we find in its packaging. As a general rule, when we buy in Spain we should always look at a rectangular logo with a white star spike and a green background (known as the “euroleaf”). We can also find this logo on a black or white background.

This logo informs both the public body that certifies this product and its origin and is a guarantee for the consumer that said product has been prepared following common criteria of organic production stipulated for the entire European Union. We guarantee that getting this seal is not easy and maintaining it requires a thorough control by the relevant bodies (in Spain, it is usually done by independent Councils or Committees of Agriculture of the Autonomous Communities).

It is common for organic products to include other logos that complement the packaging and labeling of their products, but they should always have the so-called “euroleaf”.

In conclusion, to make sure that we are dealing with a 100% BIO product, it is not enough to put it on its labeling as such, but it must be accompanied by at least the European logo.