Organic Food Certification Compliance

What is Organic Food?

The term “organic” refers to the process of how certain foods are produced.
Organic foods have been grown or farmed without the use of artificial chemicals, hormones, antibiotics or genetically modified organisms.
In order to be labelled organic, a food product must be free of artificial food additives.
This includes artificial sweeteners, preservatives, coloring, flavoring and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Organically grown crops tend to use natural fertilizers like manure to improve plant growth. Animals raised organically are also not given antibiotics or hormones.

Organic farming tends to improve soil quality and the conservation of groundwater. It also reduces pollution and may be better for the environment.

The most commonly purchased organic foods are fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Nowadays there are also many processed organic products available, such as sodas, cookies and breakfast cereals.

Benefit of consumption organic food:

Organic foods may have higher nutritional value than conventional food, according to some research. The reason: In the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, plants boost their production of the phytochemicals (vitamins and antioxidants) that strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds.

Process of Organic Certification

Organic certification process is carried out by accredited bodies under NPOP. Here is the process of Organic certification in a nut shell.

1. Receipt of application by any accredited organic certification body from farmer(s).
2. The certification body provides standards and operational documents to farmer(s).
3. There is an agreement of roles and commitments between the farmer(s) and the body.
4. Demand of fees by accredited body.
5. Document audit.
6. Regular Field inspection by internal quality system manager and external inspector and documentation of the same.
7. Compliance verification through inspection and audits.
8. Preparation of reports by the field inspector.
9. Review of report by a reviewing body.
10. Decisions on certification.

The field inspection is one of the most important process step in Organic certification in India. Here is a summary of the inspection methods.

1. Visit of external inspector to fields and facilities.
2. Review of records and accounts.
3. Calculation of input and output norms and preparation of production estimate from a farm.
4. Assessment of production system
5. Interview with responsible person(s).
6. Risk assessment from neighboring farms.
7. Inspection of use of any GM products.
8. Inspection of use of off-farm inputs.
9. Analysis of residue tests by certified laboratories for pesticides, heavy metals if required.
10. Inspection of sustainable practices.
11. Inspection and study of entire production unit.