NSF International has revised its draft certification standard to recognize only personal-care products that are "made with organic" ingredients, leaving products with higher organic content to be addressed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program.

Products with organic content of 70 percent to 95 percent may apply for NSF's "Made with Organic" seal under the certifier's modified criteria, released for public comment Oct. 16.

Comments will be accepted on NSF's Web site until Nov. 10.

The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based organization's draft standard posted in January was modeled after USDA's three-tiered scheme for organic food products, which can be certified "100% Organic," "Organic" or "Made with Organic Ingredients" (¹ Also see "NSF Organic Standards Extend Certification Opportunity To Personal Care" - HBW Insight, 4 February, 2008., p. 3).

In the document's revised form, all references to 100% organic products have been struck.

Additional language has been introduced "to clarify that products with an organic content greater than 95% will be addressed by the USDA NOP," the certifier says. NSF notes that its program "is to be used voluntarily by companies that may not be able to meet the current USDA organic food regulations."

The NSF standard is being championed by the Organic Consumers Association as one that rightly defers to USDA's organic program, which it considers the gold standard for organic purity. The watchdog group maintains that organic products - whether food or personal care - should not include synthetic preservatives or hydrogenated or sulfated ingredients.

A lawsuit brought by OCA and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps against a slew of companies as well as certifiers OASIS and Ecocert faults the defendants for permitting synthetic materials in items marketed as "organic" (² Also see "OASIS’ Anti-SLAPP Fails; Dr. Bronner’s “Organic Cheaters” Case Goes Forward" - HBW Insight, 20 October, 2008., p. 3).

In Dr. Bronner's recent ranking of organic personal-care certification programs, NSF received high marks; only USDA ranked above it.

- Molly Laas (m.laas@elsevier.com)

NSF Organic Certification Now Restricted To “Made With” Products

More from Archive

More from HBW Insight