Badges 101: Breaking Down Common Nutritional Labels (And Why They Matter)
Lydia NoyesEating responsibly. Simple in concept, but the execution can feel overwhelming.
Facing a myriad of food labels on store shelves can make it all but impossible to know precisely what systems your purchases support. Worse, many labels aim to mislead with vague claims that don’t stand up to scrutiny. You want only the very best for your family, but there is so much to consider: USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Clean Label—which labels are worth their ink?
The Meaning Behind Common Nutritional Labels
We’re breaking down a few of the most prevalent food badges to help you make the most informed purchase decisions possible. Find common food labels decoded, below:
Understanding USDA Organic:
At a glance: Certified Organic products are free of synthetic chemical additives found in pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Since 2001, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has enforced an extensive certification process for products bearing an organic label. The philosophy of organic farming centers around practices that preserve, protect, and sustain the natural environment. At its best, certified organic farms improve soil health with every growing season.
Caveat: Organic certification allows for the use of chemical pesticides like Bt and other measures that may compromise long-term land health. Critics feel that the term isn’t regulated enough to be meaningful.
Understanding Certified Non-GMO:
At a glance: a genetically modified organism (GMO) is a plant or animal that has been altered through genetic engineering. Through DNA technology, scientists can transfer traits from one species—like pesticide resistance—to a crop to increase its productivity in farm fields.
Genetic engineering results in crops that can withstand droughts, pests, and other challenges. GMOs are controversial due to a lack of consensus about the validity of research on their long-term impacts. Many people believe they contribute to health problems like allergies.
Caveat: the term “Non-GMO” is unregulated because the FDA doesn’t have set standards for compliance. In other words, some foods labeled “non-GMO” may in fact contain GMO ingredients. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit that offers independent verification of GMOs in products throughout the U.S. and Canada. Products containing its seal meet rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance, including testing of risk ingredients.
Understanding Certified Biodynamic:
You want only the very best for your family—but not all certifications are created equal, and some go meaningfully further than others. Enter Biodynamic: what we consider Organics, Elevated.
At a glance: This holistic, ecological method of regenerative agriculture treats farms as living organisms, growing food and raising livestock in a conscious, respectful manner—working with nature rather than against it.
Biodynamic farming and its internationally recognized certifier, Demeter, have become Europe’s organic certification of choice. Around since 1928, Demeter certification is the oldest “green” farming movement and certification in the world.
Here’s what to look for instead of organic alone: Biodynamic farming aims to improve soil health with every season. These farmers use as few inputs as possible, creating a holistic, self-sustaining system that accounts for the ecological, social, and economic sustainability of farming practices.
Demeter International certification includes stringent requirements. Farms must be completely organic and non-GMO, set ten percent aside as a biodiversity preserve, offer diversity in their crop rotations, and maintain a two-year limit on annual plantings in the same field.
Understanding Clean-Label Certified
A step beyond traditional food safety standards, Clean Label Certification focuses on what’s not disclosed,ensuring products are free from hidden contaminants.
At a glance: The Clean Label Project is an independent non-profit aiming to improve transparency in the food industry. It tests consumer products—baby formula, food, supplements, and more—for contaminants, plasticizers, heavy metals, and other toxic substances not disclosed on product labels.
These samples are submitted to an ISO-accredited analytical chemistry partner laboratory, where they are tested for heavy metals, 300 types of pesticides, and other chemicals of concern.
Clean Label Certification goes beyond US federal guidelines by using Proposition 65 and European standards as a baseline. Certification is awarded only to consumer products that demonstrate lower or non-detectable levels of contaminants than those legally permitted.
Traditional food safety standards can be limited to microbial and pathogen contaminants. Clean Label Certification, in contrast, assesses the risks posed by hidden contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and plasticizers.
A Closer Look at Food Labels
Similar to certifications, food labels offer a convenient shorthand for understanding products at a glance. Unfortunately, some labels imply more than they deliver. Here’s a breakdown of common labels on supermarket shelves and what they really signify under the surface.
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Where Food Comes From Organic (WFCF): This program provides organic certification services to help all scales of sellers to achieve SDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Gluten-Free, Upcycled Certified, and various food safety programs. WFCF meets the requirements of USDA Organic certification, additional international requirements for IFOAM accreditation, and import requirements into the European Union.
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Quality Assurance International (QAI): Partnered with the National Science Foundation (NSF), this certification company verifies organic growers, processors, traders, and distributors worldwide according to USDA Organic standards. It aims to promote a healthier planet by advocating certified organic production.
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Certified Naturally Grown: Considered a grassroots alternative to USDA’s National Organic Program, Certified Naturally Grown appeals to direct-market farmers who sell through farmers’ markets, roadside stands, local restaurants, grocery share programs like CSAs, and small local groceries. Standards mirror organic principles for working in harmony with nature without synthetic chemicals or GMOs.
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California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF): This nonprofit organic certification agency supports and promotes organic food and agriculture through education and advocacy. The CCOF works to grow the organic market and its members’ businesses by educating consumers about their food.
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Oregon Tilth: As a certifier, educator, and advocate of organic agriculture, Oregon Tilth products must comply with USDA Organic standards. But this standard goes deeper by ensuring that the agreed conventions of organic agricultural systems are observed by everyone who handles organic food, feed, and fiber along its journey to the consumer.
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Fairtrade International: This robust certification organization aims to put people first. It offers farmers and workers in developing countries better financial deals to invest in their futures and climb out of poverty. The FAIRTRADE Certification label ensures that producers and traders have met social, environmental, and economic criteria, as well as the terms of international trade. Similarly, Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products made in North America.
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The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC): Known by its eye-catching Leaping Bunny Cruelty Free symbol, the CCIC label assures that certified products are free of animal testing.
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Animal Welfare Approved (AWA): This label is designed for meat, eggs, and dairy products of farms that practice high-welfare animal husbandry that meet USDA standards.
