In the food industry, there is a wide variety of certificates that guarantee that foods meet a series of requirements based on a certification system. A certificate is a document that indicates, with a sufficient level of confidence, that a product complies with a standard or other specified regulatory document. There is often some confusion surrounding some of these certificates, and terms often overlap.
You may be interested in: The main certificates in the food industry
Below is a comparison of GMO, ecological, biological, and organic certificates.
NO GMO certificate
The NO GMO certificate guarantees that the ingredients of the product in question are not genetically modified.
This certificate is issued by various companies and organizations responsible for auditing the supply chain for products that are not GMOs (Genetically Modified Foods, better known in Spanish as OGM – Organismo Genéticamente Modificado).
In this context, there are different terms related to this certificate, such as “genetic engineering,” “genetic modification,” and “agricultural biotechnology.”
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines them as follows:
- Genetic Engineering (GE): the manipulation of an organism’s genes by introducing, removing, or rearranging specific genes using modern molecular biology techniques.
- Genetic Modification (GM): the production of heritable improvements in plants or animals for specific uses through genetic engineering or other more traditional methods. Some countries use this term to refer specifically to genetic engineering.
- Agricultural Biotechnology: A range of tools, including traditional breeding techniques, that alter living organisms or parts of organisms to make or modify products, improve plants or animals, or develop microorganisms for specific agricultural uses. Modern biotechnology now includes genetic engineering tools in this group.
What does NO GMO certification cover?
The standard for this certification covers everything from the seed, through the growing process and harvest, to transport, collection, storage, and processing in the market channel.
The companies responsible for issuing certification can independently certify quality management systems. Certification also includes verification of legal requirements related to labeling and tracking of GMOs.
Based on EU regulations regarding non-GMO products, including Directive 2001/18/EC and Regulations 1829/2003 and 1830/2003, the standard can be applied to all processes in the supply chain:
- Seed supply
- Cultivation
- Trade
- Processing
In addition to supply chain services:
- Storage
- Transport
- Sampling and analysis
Organic production
There is often confusion among consumers regarding the terms organic. However, according to current European legislation, these are three different ways of referring to the same type of food.
Ecological production, also known as biological or organic production, is an agri-food production system that combines very good environmental practices with a high level of biodiversity and preservation of natural resources. The aim is to obtain food and products from natural substances and processes without neglecting animal welfare.
In general terms, the concept of ecological, biological, or organic refers to food produced in harmony with the environment, avoiding the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or GMOs, and making responsible use of renewable resources.
How can you tell if a product is ecological, biological, or organic?
As a distinctive mark for consumers, companies that wish to label their products as ecological, biological, or organic must print the logo of the Regulatory Council that has certified them on all packaged units.
Therefore, each product may have one or more organic certification labels. For practical purposes and in order to provide effective information, Spanish-certified products are differentiated by including a label from their Regulatory Council, specifying the autonomous community from which they originate.
In Spain, the competent body is the CRAE, the Regulatory Commission for Organic Agriculture, attached to the MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food). Its function is to advise and act as a forum for the sector, bringing together consumers, the central government, and the autonomous communities.
Only when the producer and manufacturer of by-products comply with the provisions of the European Organic Regulation and with the inspection controls on the organic status of the products can they be labeled and sold with the European Union (EU) organic label.
Main differences and similarities between non-GMO, ECO, and BIO
Therefore, since GMOs and products produced from or by GMOs are incompatible with the organic production process, they must not be used in this type of agriculture. The aim is to minimize the presence of GMOs in products, limiting them to accidental and technically unavoidable presence.