
Organic is Tasty By Nature
Does organic food taste better? To start with, taste is subjective! One person loves strawberries, another prefers blueberries. And post-harvest factors like freshness or ripeness affect the taste of food too. What we can tell you about organic food is that the taste is all natural. No artificial flavours, colours or sweetners are allowed.
Processed organic foods contain only natural flavours, colours, and sweeteners as specified in the Canadian Organic Standards. For example, colouring agents must be from biological sources such as spices, annatto, or juices made from plants. Artificial dyes and sweeteners are prohibited.
As consumers, we value the convenience of processed foods and expect good taste and long shelf life. Some additives are required to help with processing and to ensure long-term food safety. For a processed food to be labelled as organic, it must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. The remaining 5% can be made up of non-organic additives, as specified in the Canadian Organic Standards, if organic alternatives are not commercially available. Examples of additives include plant-derived tocopherols (preservative), cultured powder of celery (meat curing agent), and guar gum (thickener).
A processed food containing 70-95% organic ingredients may not be labelled as organic but may declare the percentage of organic ingredients, for example, “made with 90% organic ingredients”. Products with less than 70% organic content may identify which ingredients are organic in their ingredient list.
For many people, fresh organic food is the ultimate in good taste. And when reaching for the convenience of processed food, at least organic is full of natural flavours with limited additives.
By choosing to eat organic, you're supporting farmers and processors who work to produce high quality food and at the same time, you're supporting the well-being of the environment, animals and people. Food that’s produced responsibly, naturally leaves a good taste in your mouth!
If you are concerned about food that’s tasty by nature, you can feel good about choosing Organic: Food with Principles. Guaranteed.
Did You Know?
The most widely used natural food colouring is Annatto.
Annatto is derived from the seed of the achiote tree, which grows in Central and South America. It gives food a yellow to deep orange colour.
Did You Know?
Natural food additives are derived from a raw material of plant or animal origin.
Natural food additives are derived from a raw material of plant or animal origin. Example: ascorbic acid
Artificial food additives are produced chemically and do not occur in nature. Example: Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)