Processing Standards

The Soil Association can advise fully on all current standards applicable to the growing, processing, packing and labelling of organic produce.

Companies that specialise in using raw materials to in effect add value and produce secondary food products are a good  outlet for organic produce. Processed food products allow access by the organic producer to a much wider customer-base, because not all consumers like preparing food  from raw products. The processor needs constant supplies and are therefore often very positive about establishing long term trading relationships with small producers who can guarantee quality. Not all raw materials require the same amount of processing to create the finished product; salads, for example, are prepared from ingredients requiring very little additional labour and costs. On the other hand, ingredients due for substantial added labour and conversion into a ready-meal or other substantially altered product, can often be made from less than perfect raw ingredients, and yet enable a very high add value element.

European Union regulations state that certain operations must be legally certified.

These include:

Labelling and packing of unprocessed agricultural products which are to be marketed as organic.

Production and growing of primary agricultural products to be marketed as organic.

Importation of organic products from outside the European Union, which are intended for human consumption.

Processing, packing and labelling of organic products intended for human consumption and composed essentially of one or more ingredients of agricultural origin.

The Soil Association provides full specifications of the Standards.

Activities covered include:

Producers involved in small-scale on-farm packing, or the processing of organic products on their farm

Traders, wholesalers, distributors, packers and retailers

Multi-collection milk hauliers

Grain traders, merchants and wholesalers of bulk organic products which are removed from their containers and stored on the premises of the title holder

Packers and pre-packers of organic vegetables, fruit  and other foods

The Soil Association standards for processing mean that:

To describe a product as organic, at least 95% of its ingredients must be certified organic, and the remaining 5% must be from a permitted list.

Organic and non organic products or ingredients must be kept separate at all stages.

It must be possible to trace back to source all organic products and ingredients used.

Cleaning materials and pest control methods are restricted.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are prohibited.

Flavourings must be either naturally or organically produced.

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