The meaning of food label terms

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

In an effort to buy the most nutritious and safe foods for your family, many consumers read the labels on the items they purchase.

There may be some terms, however, that can be confusing to consumers, said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension food specialist.

“There are several terms you see on labels and they aren’t meant to be confusing, but instead to help consumers make the most informed choice possible when grocery shopping,” Brown said. “This is helpful because consumers often have concerns about food origin, safety and quality.”

If the label indicates a product is organic, this means the food is produced using methods that preserve the environment and avoid most synthetic materials such as antibiotics and certain pesticides. In addition to keeping organic food separate from nonorganic food, producers also must use production techniques that support animal health and welfare, provide outdoor access to animals, use approved methods, do not use genetically modified ingredients and receive on-site inspections.

“Only products that meet the organic production and processing requirements are allowed to be labeled as organic in a grocery store,” she said.

Another term appealing to consumers is natural. The USDA requires products with the natural label to be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients. Be careful not to confuse natural with organic. The natural label does not include any standards about farm practices and only applies to the processing of meat and egg products.

The grass-fed designation simply means the animal was fed primarily grass throughout its life. Brown said the USDA does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones or pesticides for grass-fed label products.

“Pasture-raised is another term you may see popping up on food labels, but currently there isn’t a federal definition from the USDA due to the number of variables involved in pasture production systems,” she said.

Consumers also may be seeing cage-free and free-range labeling on poultry products. Free-range means the birds were provided shelter in a building, room or area with unlimited access to food and fresh water. In addition, they had continuous outdoor access during their production cycle.

Brown said cage-free indicates the poultry were able to roam freely in a building or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water.

“Consumers need to keep in mind the USDA doesn’t make claims about one type of food being more nutritious or safer than another,” she said. “The terms are put on the labels simply as information for the consumer.”

For more information about food and nutrition, contact your local OSU Cooperative Extension county office.