Two weeks ago on the show, Food Travel USA Network talked to the folks at Cornucopia.org regarding issues they have with the USDA Organic label. Last week, we talked to the Program Director of the USDA Organic Program to find out what consumers are getting when they buy USDA Organic-labeled products.
Shockingly enough, synthetic oils, algae consumed by fish without studies on human consumption and other items have been cleared to carry the USDA Organic label. While this label is still considered the “gold standard” by many, consumers, smaller farms and watchdog organizations are beginning to question the overall efficacy of the USDA Organic designation.
Carrageenan is used as a stabilizer in many foods, including organic products. There have been conflicting studies classifying it as a carcinogen, disruptive to digestion, colitis-causing, and immune-system suppressing, yet it is still allowed in food products labeled USDA Organic. Listen and take notes on what types of products contain this stabilizer:
