SubscribeClearing the Air about “Organic” Labels
Author: dealhippie
Website: http://dealhippie.wordpress.com/2008/12/30/clearing-the-air-…
What the heck is Organic ??
The national organic standards were fully implemented in October 2002. After more than a dozen years in the making, these standards give consumers clear and consistent product labeling, as well as the added assurance of a uniform set of standards backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Generally speaking, organic food and fiber products must be made without the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Specifically prohibited from organic products are genetically modified organisms, irradiation and the use of sewage sludge; all three practices are permissible in conventional agriculture. Under USDA regulations, certified organic products will be labeled in one of several ways:
100 percent organic: These products have been made using ingredients, processing and handling methods and materials that are in full compliance with the USDA standards for organic agriculture. They will have a label reading “100 percent organic,” and the USDA…
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Who knew this under-appreciated renewable resource was good for so many things? Most are familiar with cork as a bottle stopper. A 1600s French monk named Dom Perignon was the first to have fitted his sparkling wine with this unique bottle sealer, and it has, until recently, been the standard in the wine industry. With times and technology changing, many bottlers have begun to move towards a petroleum derived thermoplastic elastomer as a stopper. The reasons for this are primarily due to the natural properties of cork such as drying over time (allowing some leakage into the bottle) and cork taint, or trichloroanisole (TCA). TCA is caused when microorganisms in the natural cork combine with chemical contaminants used in the production process to kill bacteria. Some places, such as Penfolds, of Australia, have addressed the cork aging issue by holding workshops where consumers can bring in old bottles of wine, have the corks replaced, and even get a small sip to see how the wine is…