100% Organic vs Organic vs Made With Organic: USDA Labels Explained

"100 percent organic" means every ingredient is organic, "Organic" means at least 95%, and "Made with organic ___" means at least 70%. Only the first two may carry the USDA organic seal. "Organic" on a US food package is not a general marketing word. It is defined by the USDA's National Organic Program, and the exact wording on the front of the package tells you how much of the product is organic. The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the federal regulation 7 CFR 205.301 set four levels. Here is how to tell them apart.

1. The four labeling categories

In every category, the percentage is measured by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt, according to the regulation. AMS notes that water and salt are excluded because they are considered natural.

2. "100 percent organic"

AMS says this label is for products containing 100 percent organic ingredients, excluding salt and water, and that most raw, unprocessed, or minimally processed farm crops can qualify. The front of the package may show the USDA organic seal, the "100 percent organic" claim, or both. The regulation adds that if such a product is processed, it must use organically produced processing aids.

3. "Organic"

This is the most common claim. AMS says it requires at least 95 percent organic ingredients, excluding salt and water. The remaining up to 5 percent may be nonorganic agricultural products or nonagricultural substances on the program's National List of allowed substances. AMS and the regulation both note an extra condition: nonorganic agricultural ingredients may only be used if they are not commercially available in organic form. Products in this category may also display the seal.

4. "Made with organic ___"

AMS says this category requires at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients, excluding salt and water, with detailed limits on the nonorganic portion. The rules for the front of the package are strict:

• It may say "made with organic" followed by up to three ingredients or ingredient categories.
• It must not show the USDA organic seal anywhere.
• It must not represent the finished product as organic.
• It must not say "made with organic ingredients."

So "made with organic oats and honey" is allowed; "made with organic ingredients" is not.

5. Less than 70 percent organic

Products under 70 percent organic can still mention organic ingredients, but only in the ingredient list. AMS gives an example: "Ingredients: water, barley, beans, organic tomatoes, salt." These products must not use the seal or the word "organic" on the front panel. They may list the percentage of organic ingredients on the information panel.

6. A worked example

Imagine a 500-gram jar of soup, of which 100 grams is water and 10 grams is salt. Excluding those, the remaining ingredients weigh 390 grams.

Because water and salt are left out of the calculation, a watery product is not penalized for its water content.

7. What organic rules prohibit

The regulation lists methods that products labeled "100 percent organic" or "organic," and any ingredient identified as organic, must not use. They must not be:

• produced using excluded methods, which AMS describes as including genetic engineering
• processed using ionizing radiation
• produced using sewage sludge
• made with added sulfites, nitrates, or nitrites, with an exception allowing wine with added sulfites to be labeled "made with organic grapes"
• made with both organic and nonorganic forms of the same ingredient

AMS adds that organic products must be overseen by a USDA-authorized certifying agent, and that labels must be reviewed and approved by a USDA-accredited certifier before use.

8. Small producers

AMS notes an exemption: producers who market less than $5,000 of organic products a year do not have to be certified, but they must still follow the production and handling rules, keep records for at least three years, and may not display the USDA organic seal. Their products also cannot be used as organic ingredients in another operation's processed products.

9. Key takeaways

• "100 percent organic" means all organic ingredients; "organic" means at least 95 percent.
• "Made with organic ___" means at least 70 percent and cannot carry the USDA seal.
• Below 70 percent, organic ingredients can only be identified in the ingredient list.
• Percentages exclude water and salt.
• Organic products cannot use genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge, and labels must be approved by an accredited certifier.

This article explains how to read labels and is not medical or dietary advice. Organic status describes how a food is produced, not its nutrient content, so check the Nutrition Facts panel as well.