Certified organic … chemical free … dolphin-safe … the stamps and slogans on food labels make a lot of promises, but can they back it up? Audobon magazine breaks down which labels are meaningful and which are USDA-certified bull crap.
These labels can't be used without independent verification:
- USDA Organic
- Fair Trade
- Rainforest Alliance
- Food Alliance
- Demeter Biodynamic
- Salmon-Safe
- Bird Friendly
- Certified Humane Raised and Handled
- FishWise
- Non-GMO Project Verified
- Healthy Grown Potatoes
These should be taken with a grain of salt — they may mean something, but they don't have to:
- Raised Without Antibiotics
- Natural
- Free Range
- Grass Fed
- Nutri Clean Residue Free Certification
- Marine Stewardship Council
These can be used by anybody at any time and are therefore basically meaningless:
- Cruelty free
- Cage free
- Environmentally friendly
- Nature’s friend
- No chemicals
- Vegetarian fed
