Although there are similarities, one should not confound organic, natural and healthy food. The food industry tends to minimize the difference between natural and artificial food. Caution !

Healthy food in itself doesn’t mean anything. The term, in fashion nowadays, is often used as a mean to publicize a healthy product. In store, healthy food can be natural or organic (which is desirable) or simply have the look of it but contains artificial elements. Nothing governs the label “healthy food.” Food that contains additives and dies, even in small quantity, is less appealing to “health”. Thus, when comes the time to purchase, it is necessary to be vigilant and read the labels to be sure of the contents of the product.

 

Natural food is characterized by the integrity and the freshness of food; it contains elements the least possible harmful to health, such as fertilizers, pesticides (insecticides, fungicides and weed-killers) and additives. No law governs natural food. A relationship of confidence must thus be established between the consumer, who knows where the product comes from, and the supplier. In theory a food known as natural should respect the laws of the environment.

 

Organic food correspond to the definition of natural food, but claims controlled appellations and requires a label, which informs the consumers about the origins of the food. For example, organic agriculture only uses natural fertilizers: compost, organic fertilizers, and plants oil. By buying a fruit, vegetable or another product certified “organic”, you have the guaranty that the controls and rules of productions and the setting in market of organic agro-alimentary products were complied with throughout the manufacturing of the product. The certification of organic products is thus a marketing tool, which aims at recognizing, in an official way, the efforts carried out by the farmers, transformers and distributors, and to provide the consumers with food of great qualities.

         ECOCERT at the Hameau du Morne des Cadets

Even if BIOKAIL products are not limited to certified “organic” products but also offers a great range of “natural” products, the market-gardening exploitation of the Hamlet, as for it, is certified organic by the French association of control and certification ECOCERT.

“ECOCERT” frequently intervenes at the Hamlet in order to guarantee the respect of the standards specific to organic agriculture, and is initially committed to verify the respect of the schedule of conditions, by an announced annual visit and unexpected visits to control the installations, pieces, buildings, manufacturing methods, ingredients, accountancy, packing, and transport. Then, if these standards are respected, [ECOCERT] delivers a license allotted annually to the operator, which attests of his/her engagement to a control organization. And finally, it issues, after control, a certificate that establishes the conformity of each product with the mode of organic production.

Léon Tisgra