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What is the purpose of celery powder in organic processing?
By Johanna Mirenda
Celery powder is listed in §205.606 of the National List, indicating that nonorganic sources are allowed for use in organic processing only when the material is not commercially available in organic form. The manufacturing process for celery powder is fairly simple. Celery is harvested, cleaned, macerated and blanched. The insoluble solids are separated from the liquid and then concentrated, heated and dried. Celery powder is not typically...
Are there restrictions on the use of natural sources of methionine, or is only synthetic methionine restricted?
By Annie Amos
Methionine is an essential amino acid necessary for poultry growth and feathering. Poultry can not produce it biologically, so it must be obtained through diet. Birds can get methionine from natural sources including whole wheat, oats, alfalfa, fish meal, earthworms and sunflower meal, or from a synthetic additive.
The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations allow three forms of...
I know that Trehalose is used as a food additive for a variety of purposes. Is it allowed for use in organic processing as a natural flavor?
By Lindsay Fernandez-Salvador
Commonly referred to as Trehalose or ‘Treha’, this disaccharide sugar is naturally produced by plants, fungi, yeast and invertebrates. It serves as an anti-desiccant during drought and a nutrient transfer medium in insects. Treha is catabolized by the enzyme trehalase and is effectively digested by humans into glucose. Historically...
What are the allowable sources of glucono delta-lactone and how is it used in organic processing?
By Johanna Mirenda
Glucono delta-lactone is derived from gluconic acid, with numerous uses as a food processing aid. Nonsynthetic forms of glucono delta-lactone are allowed for use in organic processing in accordance with its listing at §205.605(a) of the National List. Glucono delta-lactone is produced when gluconic acid crystallizes in water. It is then isolated by filtering or...
Can paper green waste collection bags printed with colored ink be used as a compost feedstock?
By Daniel Nguyen
Paper green waste collection bags are available for residential use, and many of these paper bags are printed with colored inks. These paper green waste collection bags are often destined for the compost pile and, if not removed, these bags with colored ink become feedstocks in the resulting compost. The bags and the green waste contained therein are evaluated for compliance against the National Organic...
What is the difference between a feed supplement and a feed additive? What needs to be certified organic?
By Jarod Rhoades
When reviewing livestock feed ingredients, it is important to first determine the intended function in livestock feed products. The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) regulations differentiate “feed supplements” from “feed additives” to determine the allowance of...
How are the enzymes for processing organic foods produced and used?
By Nick Stansbury
Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts and can increase the rates of chemical reactions. Enzymes can be sourced from plants, animals and microorganisms. Most commercially important enzymes are derived from microbial sources, with a smaller fraction derived from plant and animal tissues. The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations at §205.605(a) allow the use of animal enzymes (rennet – animal derived; catalase – bovine...
Why are dust suppressants important, and which materials are allowed for this use in organic production?
By Everett Codd
Dust emissions from agricultural operations contribute to air pollution and represent a serious health hazard for farmworkers and farm animals. On-farm dust can come from tillage practices, unpaved roads, the application of dry fertilizers, harvesting of grain, livestock, and...
Is erythorbic acid allowed for use in organic processing?
By Andria Schulze
Erythorbic acid is a stereoisomer of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). While ascorbic acid is allowed as a synthetic ingredient in or on processed organic products at §205.605 in the NOP regulations, the issue of stereoisomers is not addressed in the rule. A stereoisomer is a molecule that has the same formula and sequence of bonded atoms as another, but differs in its three-dimensional orientation. For example, if your hands were molecules and your...
What are alginates? How are they used in organic food processing and handling?
By Taryn Kennedy
Alginates are polysaccharides derived from marine algae and brown seaweeds, such as kelp. Similar to the structure-forming component of cellulose in terrestrial plants, alginates give brown algae both mechanical strength and flexibility. Alginates are among a suite of polysaccharides or “seaweed gums” that are extracted by the hydrocolloid industry for use in food processing and for medical, pharmaceutical, textile and...
