Ingredients
(continued from page 15)
new organic ingredients or else they
may run into a few hiccups when it
comes time to get their certification
renewed. For some tips, see “Simple
Steps to Source Minor Ingredients.”
Conclusion: The Major Message
About Minor Ingredients
The goal of the NOP has always
been to use as many organic ingredients as possible. This should be the
philosophy of the organic industry.
We as an industry owe it to our customers and to ourselves to do the
best we can. Our continued success
depends on the consumer and on the
farmer. By using as many organic
ingredients as possible, we are ensuring our integrity as well as supporting
sustainable farming. In striving for
these goals, we will help ensure the
health of our planet. And, by always
innovating and raising the bar, we
help ensure consumer confidence
and loyalty. Everyone wins. So the
only question that remains is, what
steps are you going to take to be more organic this year?
Simple Steps to Source Minor Ingredients
Finding the minor organic ingredients you need may seem like a major project, but
don’t get overwhelmed—there are many resources that can help.
• First, check with your regular organic minor ingredient suppliers. While in the
throes of day-to-day operations, it is very easy to forget to check in with suppliers for
new ingredients that they may be carrying. These suppliers are the ones who have been
rising to the challenge of finding new ingredients all along. They may well already have
just what you’re looking for on their product lists, or they can work with farmers and
manufacturers to help bring new products to market. They are also extremely knowledgeable, and may be able to suggest alternatives that could work better than you had
imagined. These suppliers have done the heavy lifting already; most are willing to work
with their customers to meet their specific needs.
• Do an Internet search. Try putting the word “organic” before the conventional
ingredient you have been using. The results may well be surprising. “Organic replacement” before a non-organic ingredient may turn up results like the aforementioned rice
bran extract, the processors of which have been careful in wording their promotional
materials to include such information.
• Visit the OTA’s Organic Yellow Pages
( www.theorganicpages.com/topo/index.html). While the listings of ingredients and
services are limited to OTA members, use of the listings is open to anyone. If you don’t
find the organic ingredient you need on the list, you may well find a manufacturer who
is willing to make it, or a consultant who is willing to help develop it.
Grace Marroquin is the president of
Marroquin International Organic
Commodities, a firm dedicated to growing
the organic industry and working with
growers, suppliers and processors to
develop new organic ingredients and bring
them to market. She serves on the editorial board for Organic Processing Magazine
and is a member of the International
Relations Committee (IRC) and the Trader,
Ingredient and Supplier Committee (TIS)
for the Organic Trade Association. She can
be reached at grace@marroquin-organ-
ics.com
Sheila Linderman is an organic product
and certification consultant, with extensive international experience in the development and certification oforganic flavors, baked goods and personal care products. She can be reached at
sheila@sheilalinderman.com.
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