Are ‘organic’ foods really all natural?

When consumers buy organic products, they expect items that have followed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines for all natural. How Los Angeles County is monitoring those organic claims is the question Supervisor Mike Antonovich wants answered.

On July 21, the county Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Antonovich that directs county officials to conduct a study to determine the accuracy of organic claims made by supermarkets.

“Consumers have the right to know the foods advertised organic are organic,” said Tony Bell, spokesman for Antonovich.

Throughout the supervisor’s tenure he has met with various organizations, including youth and family groups that promote healthy living. The Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures, the lead agency on the study, regulates the county’s agricultural industry and has an environmental laboratory that is used in testing everything from food to cosmetics.

“The supervisor asked us to be one of the agencies because we have knowledge in these matters and understand the situation,” said Ken Pellman, commission spokesman.

The goal of the commission is to present the board with a workable monitoring system that can oversee the organic products being sold within the county.

“It is much easier to monitor local growers than those from out of the state or out of the country. Even if a grower in another country follows all the [organic] guidelines, the person doing the shipping may be using some pesticides,” Pellman said.

Once thought of as items found in specialty stores, organic products proliferated supermarket chains like Ralphs and Vons. “I can say we have seen an increased interest in organic items,” said Kendra Doyel, spokeswoman for Ralphs.

Both Vons and Ralphs have their own brands of organic products, in addition to selling other national and local brands. Whole Foods Markets has been at the forefront of organic marketing and in 2003 were named the first Nationally Certified Organic Market.

“We have a strong demographic who shop organic,” said Libba Letton, spokeswoman for Whole Foods.

Organic items are normally higher priced than non-organic. This week at Whole Foods, a container of organic blueberries were $1 more than non-organic. At Ralphs, organic tomatoes were $1.50 more than non-organic.