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organic foods
It's always better to buy organic produce, but some are a little dirtier than others. So which ones should you really buy organic?
Enter the DIRTY DOZEN and CLEAN FIFTEEN report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The lists draw from 32,000 samples of 48 popular produce items tested by the USDA and FDA. Some items on the dirty list can contain up fifteen different pesticides!
Do you want to know which produce items benefit from organic farming? Read more here!
Have you read the news?
Walmart recently announced their Organic Food private brand partnership with Wild Oats, a brand that has been pioneering healthy eating since the 80s. Walmart aims to drive down organic food pricing as much as 25 percent lower than that of competitor's brands. They will be introducing over 100 products, including daily staples like canned beans and olive oil.
The sheer volume and scale of big boxed retailers like Walmart will drive overall demand - this means that more and more people will be switching to organic!
We are looking forward to more and more manufacturers switching to organic ingredients - we'll be here, ready to supply your needs.
Anti-caking agents are a type of food additive. Most famously depicted through Morton Salt’s “When It Rains It Pours” Campaigns that began as early as 1914, anti-caking agents were developed to keep ingredients from clumping together after being packaged.
Since most product caking comes from moisture, anti-caking agents either act to absorb moisture or act as a sealant and repel water and oil. Like most other food additives and preservatives, the majority come from sources that are hard for human bodies to break down over time. There are some natural ways to keep moisture out of your products as well, like introducing grains such as rice that will absorb moisture.
Here are a list of common anti-caking agents:
● Sodium aluminosilicate - a man-made product
● Sodium ferrocyanide
● Potassium ferrocyanide
● Calcium carbonate
● Magnesium carbonate
● Calcium silicate
● Silicon dioxide - the principle constituent of sandstone
● Hydrophobic silica
● Calcium phosphate/tri-calcium phosphate - bone ash
These are all industry standard ingredients and by law, companies are not required to include them in their labeling.
There are several reasons why OSI refuses to add food additives like anti-caking agents, the main concern being integrity of product. Adding any ingredients to our spices would compromise the flavor, quality and our commitment to product sourcing. The addition of anti-caking agents to powdered organic herbs and spices means you’re not getting a 100% pure product.
OSI is 100% Certified Organic. That means no fillers, no additives, no dyes, no fragrance enhancers, and no anti-caking agents. OSI follows strict organic principles and routinely exceed the most demanding legal and ethical expectations.
Promotion of natural and organic products by retailers has put greater awareness in front of consumers. Many large conventional retailers have already developed organic programs and have added organic lines into their inventory, and restaurants, cafeterias, and food service providers are all incorporating organic foods into their menus, including Yale and UC Berkeley.
According to the Food Marketing Institute, growing concerns by consumers about conglomerate agribusiness, chemical warfare against pests, and the balance of delicate ecosystems have been the main drivers behind the demand for organics, and has caused this once small market to increase substantially since 1999.
Today, sixty percent of people believe organic foods are better for health, and their appeal extends to environmentalists, conservationists, and those opposed to bioengineered foods. On a subjective level, many people, including chefs, believe that organic food tastes better.
In 2003, organic foods and beverages held 46 percent of all U.S. retail food and beverage sales, increasing to 50 percent in 2007, with conventional food, drug, and mass merchandisers accounting for more than 75 percent of sales.
As demand rises, organics will continue to take a growing share of the sector. The United States Organic Food Market Forecast and Opportunities for 2018 predicts that the organic food market in the United States will grow at the CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of another 14% during 2014-18 as consumers who purchase organics, 59 percent of whom are loyal, continue to follow emerging trends.
For retailers, sales strategies include in-store advertising, cooking demonstrations, and educating on-site store employees, carrying targeted categories such as salads rather than a few scattered products, pre-packed vegetables, and promotional pricing.
Consumers who purchase organic foods are concerned with freshness over appearance. Retailers are willing to be flexible regarding the whims of Mother Nature, seasonal supplies, and the size of supply chain operations.
Here are some notable changes occurring in the U.S. organic food sector.
According to a new market report by Transparency Market Research, the demand for organic food and beverages was valued at USD 70.70 billion in 2012 is expected to reach USD 187.85 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 15.5% from 2013 to 2019.
Globally, organic farming is practiced in 162 countries, and organic foods account for 80.6% share of the overall demand. France, Europe’s largest agricultural producer, is boosting research and training in organic growing techniques, and has seen an increase of 6.6 percent in sales of organic food since 2012. (May 31, Reuters)
Organic coffee, tea, and other non-dairy beverages were the market leaders in organic beverages. Organic coffee and tea accounted for 39.8% of the total beverage revenue share in 2012.
Rising awareness among consumers regarding the health benefits of nutraceuticals are driving the global market. Nutriceuticals in teas and spices in particular are among the leaders in medicinal food products because they are known to support immune function and improve health. These are outpacing traditional markets, with the U.S. being the largest market, expected to have a 21 percent growth by 2015.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA), the membership-based business association for the organic industry in North America, found these statistics.
Anyone who’s on the fence about organics should know that the current national and worldwide indicators point to spiraling growth over the next five years as consumers continue to look for better solutions to disease prevention and ways to improve their overall health and well being.
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