Photo courtesy Shutterstock Images

Now that you can find organic everything from frozen burritos to soap to farmed shrimp, this fast-expanding industry is showing some growing pains. Recently, the organic family feuded over legislation that, some argued, would dilute the standards that consumers have come to trust.

A rider to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, signed into law on November 11, 2005, permits the use of synthetic substances in processing organic food and allows nonorganic ingredients to be substituted for organic in some cases. According to opponents, this amendment to the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 will result in the introduction of more synthetic substances than the 38 currently permitted. These include ethylene for ripening bananas, lime used in tortillas and vitamins A and D in milk. Except for artificial colors or flavors, these synthetics do not have to be disclosed on ingredient lists. Jim Riddle, former chair of the National Organic Standards Board, says that the amendment "opens the door to processing aids and other food contact substances. That includes boiler additives (anti-corrosives), some of which transfer to steam and can enter food." But according to Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association, the amendment is only intended to preserve the status quo following a January U.S. appellate court decision that synthetics and nonorganic ingredients could not be used in any foods carrying the USDA organic label.

Joseph Mendelson, legal director of the Center for Food Safety, worries that the amendment would "create a loophole for nonorganic ingredients to be substituted" when processors complain that they can't find organic ingredients. "We really want to protect the small suppliers like organic lemongrass growers," Mendelson adds.