Organic food – a big lie?
Can every organic product be trusted?
It depends on what you want:
Those keen on premium organic food should better go for the products of organic food pioneers. This involves the private cultivation associations of Bioland, Biopark, Biokreis, Demeter, Ecoland, Ecovin, Gäa and Naturland. Behind these names are people who deal with organic food out of conviction and commit themselves to holistic, sustainable agriculture. Their guidelines (e.g. for farming, animal husbandry, nature conservation) are the strictest within the ecologic scene. Accordingly, businesses are obliged to be completely converted – not only partially; there are purity regulations for food, and ecological seed is increasingly being used (»www.oekoseeds.de).
 Those who do not require 100 percent organic food should look out for the hexagonal official eco label (on more than 37,000 products). The seal stands for a certain minimum standard of the EU Eco-regulation, a sort of "organics light": It allows businesses to keep more animals that are allowed stay indoors all year and be fed with silage. Using liquid manure and natural flavourings is also less restrictive. Nonetheless: 95 percent of the ingredients for food with an organic seal have to originate from organic farming.
.gif) Those who set great store by food coming from local providers should look for a regional hint right next to the hexagonal eco label. It could feature "aus Hessen" ("from Hesse"), for example. It indicates that fruit, vegetables and grain come only from this federal state, and the cattle was kept, fed and slaughtered in this region. Such regional eco labels currently exist in Baden-Württemberg (»www.schmeck-den-sueden.de), Hesse (»www.gutes-aus-hessen.de) and in the Rhoen (»www.rhoen.de). Bavaria has had its own eco label since 2003: "Ökoqualität garantiert – Bayern" ("Guaranteed ecologic quality – Bavaria" (»www.stmlf.bayern.de). Family tip: eco event day (dates at »www.oekolandbau.de). For those who do not get on with labels: All packaged organic foods require an eco inspection number on the label, such as "DE-001 Öko Kontrollstelle". DE stands for Deutschland (Germany), IT for Italy and AT for Austria.
There is often a round blue-green label on foreign organic products...
 The label featuring a bright green ear of corn and a circle of stars is practically the European variation of the national official eco labels. They certify the same minimum standard (infos at »www.bmvel.de, »www.bioboard.eu). But not for long: as of January 2009, there will be a new ecological regulation and a new EC label for all organic products , which will be valid in addition to the official national labels (the hexagonal label in Germany) and the private labels of associations (Demeter & co).
» More and more organic supermarkets are springing up like mushrooms. Why buy there if the discounter offers organic food as well?
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