Key takeaways
- “Organic” is legally protected in the UK.
- Products must be certified by an approved control body.
- Organic ingredients don’t automatically make an organic product.
- Look for the control body code and check it’s current.
“Organic” is a legally protected term in the UK. This article explains what it means for mushroom products and how to check a claim.
A protected term
Organic production is governed by law. Products sold as organic must come from operators inspected and certified by an approved organic control body.
What certification covers
Organic standards set rules for how crops are grown and how products are processed and labelled, including restrictions on synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and requirements for record-keeping and inspection.
Ingredients versus products
An important distinction: a product made with organic ingredients isn’t automatically an organic product. Generally, the business that processes and labels the final product must itself be certified to call it organic.
How to check a claim
- Look for an organic control body code on the label.
- Check the certification is current.
- Be cautious of vague terms such as “natural” or “wild-crafted”, which are not the same as organic.
Wild-harvested mushrooms
Wild material, such as chaga, can be certified organic under specific rules for wild collection, but only if the harvesting area and operator are certified.
Organic isn’t everything
Organic status tells you about farming and processing standards. It doesn’t tell you about the part used, extraction or quality. See How to Judge Quality.
