Eco-friendly products- those products in which the content of harmful substances is less than in conventional "standard" products that meet the quality of the necessary regulatory documents, in particular the maximum permissible concentration.

An environmentally friendly product - one that is obtained in a clean area without the additional use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides and other man-made influences; or it is a product obtained from natural raw materials using modern technology that ensures the minimum ingress of other substances into the product, practically free of impurities.

Environmentally friendly (natural) products are crops without chemical fertilizers, without pesticides, these are animals fed with grain and grass grown without chemical additives.

In their formulation, the use of genetically modified organisms, synthetic preservatives, artificial flavors and taste improvers is prohibited, and the raw materials for them are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pest and weed control agents, hormones and antibiotics. The internal structure of organic products is not destroyed by chemical additives and harsh processing methods, so their taste is natural.

A fresh organic product contains on average 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes (enzymes) and other microorganisms than a product grown in a traditional way.

Organic fruits and vegetables are juicy and flavorful. These products have a rich natural taste without chemical additives - a taste that brings you back to childhood.

The ecological product is not coated with chemicals and does not shine from wax. On average, a standard grown apple has 20-30 known poisons on its skin. It is almost impossible to wash off the wax layer, and an unpleasant aftertaste will still remain.

Ecological products are not only good for ourselves. Many chemicals in traditional foods can accumulate in a woman's body over time and be passed on to her future children. And the child's immune system does not protect him from those poisons that adults can consume every day. Don't be selfish

Ecological or bio-products are products that are produced in accordance with organic farming standards:

pesticide-free,

without synthetic feed additives and growth regulators,

To date, a fairly large number of food products have appeared on the Russian market, on the packaging of which the words "bio", "eco" or "organic" are written. However, these products almost never meet the eco concept. At the same time, the cost of products with a corresponding inscription on the packaging is 20-200% higher than analogues (without an inscription).

Consumers have become hostages of this situation due to the lack of an appropriate law on organic agriculture and organic food in the Russian Federation. Also, we do not have obligatory certification of eco-products. And since there is no law, then manufacturers are free to use these terms at their discretion, which, of course, cannot but bother buyers - after all, they are actually being deceived.

So, the concepts "eco", "bio" and "organic" are synonyms that denote environmentally friendly products produced in accordance with the principles of organic agriculture.

According to European and American organic farming standards, “organic” (“bio” or “eco”) indicates that at least 95% of the content by weight (minus the weight of salt and water) is organic. Made with organic means that at least 70% of the content is organic. The inscription is located on the front or top side of the package, and it can be followed by up to three names of product components. Less than 70% of content is organic means less than 70% of the content is organic. In this case, the package may contain a list of organic components, but the word “organic” cannot be used on the front of the package.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

According to the standards of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) *, organic farming is based on four basic principles that should be used as a whole.

The principle of health

Organic agriculture must maintain and improve the health of soil, plants, animals, humans and the planet as one and indivisible whole. According to this principle, the use of fertilizers, pesticides, veterinary drugs for animals and food additives that may have an adverse effect on health should be avoided.

Ecology principle

Organic agriculture must build on the principles of natural ecological systems and cycles, working, coexisting with and supporting them. The principles of organic farming, livestock grazing and the use of natural systems in the wild, in order to obtain crops, must be consistent with natural cycles and balances. Organic agriculture must achieve ecological balance by designing land-use systems, creating habitats and maintaining genetic and agricultural diversity.

The principle of justice

This principle states that animals should be provided with conditions and opportunities for life that are consistent with their physiology, natural behavior and health. Natural resources that are used in production and consumption must be viewed from the standpoint of social and environmental justice, taking into account the interests of future generations. Equity requires production, distribution and trade systems to be open, equitable and take into account real environmental and social costs.

The principle of care

Organic farming must be proactively and responsibly managed to protect the health and well-being of present and future generations and the environment.

Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that the marks "organic", "bio" or "eco" are intended to notify the buyer that the product is grown naturally without the use of chemicals, in an ecologically safe area, where at a distance of 500 kilometers around there is not a single chemical or other production that is harmful from the point of view of environmental protection.

HISTORY OF ORGANIC FARMING

As an independent direction, organic farming began to actively develop, starting in the 1940s in Europe and America, in response to the dependence on synthetic fertilizers and insecticides. During the industrial revolution of the 19th century, with the development of agrochemistry, many effective methods of soil fertilization and pest control were proposed. First, these were superphosphates, then ammonia-based fertilizers. They were cheap, efficient and easy to transport.
During the 20th century, new farming methods were actively used, indeed leading to higher yields. However, the ecological consequences of the application of these methods became more and more obvious: soil erosion, their pollution with heavy metals, salinization of water bodies.

In 1940, British botanist Albert Howard, one of the founders of organic agriculture, proposed a soil fertilization system based on the use of compost from plant residues and manure. A natural, but not least, reason for the emergence of organic farming was the increasingly recognized danger to human health. Today, living conditions in big cities force people to think about how to protect themselves from the negative impacts of the urban environment. And a healthy lifestyle consists of more than 50% of a healthy diet.

In 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) was created with the goal of spreading information and introducing organic agriculture to all countries of the world. Already in the 1990s, green movements and green philosophy acquired a global scale, environmental protection and care for the health of their citizens became priority directions of state policy in many countries **.

HISTORY OF ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS IN RUSSIA

Ecological agriculture in Russia originated in 1989, when the All-Union program "Alternative Agriculture" was launched. In two years, the program brought international certification to a number of farms, but ended in complete collapse, as the market was not ready for such products.

In 1994, the export of environmentally friendly certified buckwheat to Europe began, and since 1995 an organic processing plant has been operating in the Kaluga region. Now the farms of Tula, Oryol, Novgorod, Omsk, Pskov, Kursk, Vladimir, Orenburg, Yaroslavl, Moscow regions and Stavropol Territory are engaged in ecological production of agricultural products.

Thus, the formation of a market for environmentally friendly and safe products is just underway in Russia. The main reasons for lagging behind the United States and European countries can be called the lack of a single concept of environmentally friendly products, the unclear position of the state on this issue, and the low ecological culture of the population. Nevertheless, consumer demands are gradually forming a separate sector of "village" food on the market. Certification organizations also appeared (for example, NP "Ecological Union", St. Petersburg), which developed their own standards, taking into account both international requirements for organic agriculture, and the peculiarities of Russian reality. All this clearly contributes to the development of the organic food market.

The newly created Moscow-based company "Chisty Krai" is conducting in-depth marketing research on the demand for environmentally friendly products and is preparing to enter this market. The company establishes links, on the one hand, with independent producers, whose product quality meets the IFOAM requirements, and on the other hand, with distribution channels that allow for the widespread presentation of organic products.

Over the period from 2000 to 2010, the global organic food market grew more than 3.5 times - from $ 17.9 to 60.9 billion (rice. 1 ) .

According to IFOAM, the global market for organic products in 2011 grew by about 12% - from $ 60.9 to 68 billion - while the growth of the consumer market as a whole during this period was only 4.5%. If the organic market continues to grow, then by 2020 its volume may reach $ 200-250 billion.

MAJOR TRENDS OF THE ORGANIC PRODUCTS MARKET

Currently, there are several main trends in the development of the Russian organic food market.

The growth of the world market for organic food is more than 2 times faster than the growth of the market for inorganic "bulk" products.

The fastest growing segments of the organic food market are vegetables and fruits, milk and dairy products. At the same time, the segments "meat, poultry", "bakery products" and "drinks" are growing at a faster pace, but lag behind the leaders in terms of volume.

Sales of organic food currently still account for a small share of total food sales across countries - from 0.75% in the Czech Republic to 4.2% in the United States.

The growth in organic sales indicates that consumers are ready for the added value. Russians are becoming more and more demanding of food, it is important for them that the products are natural, that they do not use genetic engineering and do not harm their health.

The main channels for selling organic products are retail chains (supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters) - they account for 41% of sales. The share of specialized stores is 26% and the share of direct sales is 13%.
The growing market demand for organic products is stimulated at the state level - programs for the development of ecological farms are being adopted in the United States and the European Union, and programs for the training of certified eco-farmers are emerging in many universities and colleges.

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE RUSSIAN MARKET OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

Russia lags behind developed countries in the production of eco-products and eco-services by 15-20 years, and the volume of the domestic market for organic products, according to IFOAM, is only $ 60-80 million, or about 0.1% of all food products.

At the same time, Russia is witnessing a steady upward trend in sales of organic food products. So, over 5 years it has grown more than 1.5 times - from 30 million euros in 2007 to 50 million euros in 2011.

The potential of the Russian market is estimated quite high: according to experts, by the end of 2013 it may grow by 25-30% - up to $ 100 million.

In Russia, there is a problem with the designation of the boundaries of the market for organic agricultural products - there is no single law that would establish which products should be classified as organic and which should not. There is also no single certification system. Solving this issue and introducing mandatory organic certification at the legislative level will contribute to the development of the market.

Experts believe that the faster development of the Russian organic market than in the West will be facilitated by the improvement of the general ecological situation in the country, the rich soil resource potential, the presence of huge areas of land (up to 40%) that have not been cultivated recently due to economic and financial difficulties, cheaper labor.

Organic food belongs to the premium segment of the market, and the mark-up on them, depending on the product category, can vary from 20 to 400%.

The main sales channels for organic food are:
* supermarkets where most of the premium food is sold;
* specialized shops selling natural products;
* direct sales through online retailers to avoid retail mark-ups. Today, organic food sales through online stores account for 5% of all organic food sales. According to experts, sales via the Internet by the end of 2013 will grow by 22%;
* pharmacies selling a limited range of organic products. These are mainly diabetic and low-calorie foods, baby food and cosmetics.

The possibility of exporting Russian organic products to EU countries is also highly appreciated.
Let us consider the factors that in the long term may have a positive impact on the growth and development of the market for organic products in Russia.

Political factors:
* in the near future - the adoption of a law on organic agriculture, within the framework of which it is necessary to define what is "organic" (ecologically clean) food;
* development of a unified certification system for organic products based on European and American standards;
* introduction of mandatory certification of organic products;
* adoption at the state level of a comprehensive program for the development of the agro-industrial complex;
* providing financial assistance to farmers (in particular, preferential taxation) at the state and / or regional level;
* building strong ties with regional and local authorities.

Economic forces:
* stabilization and further growth of the economy after the 2008 crisis;
* stabilization of the ruble exchange rate;
* creation of a system of concessional lending for organic agriculture projects;
* high growth potential of the market for organic products (at least 25-30% per year);
* creation of additional jobs in farms;
* attraction of cheaper labor;
* price reduction for organic products.

Social factors:
* an increase in the birth rate;
* striving for a healthy lifestyle;
* growth of incomes of the population;
* consumer orientation towards higher quality and more expensive food products;
* concern about the presence of artificial ingredients and preservatives in "traditional" products;
* a conviction that organic products are healthier;
* the desire to buy food products with a natural taste, without amplifiers;
* increasing the culture of consumption and education of people in the eco-sphere as a whole;
* development of an educational program for workers in organic agriculture.

Technological factors:
* development of an integrated technology for the production of environmentally friendly products (from soil preparation, planting of plants and seeds, feeding and keeping animals, to a full cycle of production and packaging of products);
* conducting scientific research to ensure that organic farming is healthy, safe and environmentally friendly;
* creation of a logistics system - building a clear and well-functioning system for the delivery of products from a farmer to a client.

TARGET GROUPS OF BUYERS AND CONSUMERS OF ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTS
As in the West, in Russia farm products belong to the premium segment, their main consumers are representatives of the middle and upper class, that is, about 20% of Russians. The most active consumers are women and men aged 25-45, with higher education, with an average and higher income, residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The main reasons for buying and consuming organic food are health benefits, no artificial ingredients or preservatives, natural taste and safety.

One of the main barriers to buying this product is its high price. Also, many consumers do not feel the usefulness of environmentally friendly products for health, do not know anything about them or do not trust the manufacturer. The short shelf life of these products is also a limiting factor.

Factors that stimulate the purchase of organic products include: income growth, taking care of your health and family health, fitness classes, and a decrease in the number of available and free medical services. It is also important to disseminate information about the dangers of biotechnological “unhealthy” ingredients in food, as well as about the harmful effects of chemicals on traditional agriculture. In addition, the consumption of branded organic products is one of the most fashionable trends in the West.

Thus, we can conclude that a clear policy of the state and the introduction at the legislative level of mandatory certification of eco-products in accordance with world standards, an educational program aimed at increasing the level of knowledge about eco-products, as well as the interest of retail chains in sales and the establishment of an adequate price for these products will contribute to the growth and development of this category in the future.

* International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements.

** Data of the international association of producers, suppliers and consumers of eco-products.

Ekaterina Dvornikova

Research by the consulting company "Dvornikova & Partners"

Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine

Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after M. Tugan-Baranovsky

on the topic: "Environmentally friendly products"

Donetsk 2009

In our modern time, when the air, water and earth are polluted by the products of human activity and the ecological situation, despite all the efforts of mankind, continues to deteriorate, people are increasingly beginning to think about their health.

There is a Chinese proverb - "tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are." This adage best describes the relationship between the food you eat and the way you look and feel.

On the food market today there are a lot of proposals on the topic of "healthy eating". Starting from all kinds of pills, powders (dietary supplements) and ending with products with an optimally selected diet. But, to the question of which of them are really useful and most effective, no one can answer, for one simple reason: there are so many people on the planet earth and the options for the impact of these products can be on them.

So is there one single solution to the problem of healthy eating?

Yes, it exists and, like everything ingenious, it is simple. This requires growing food in an environmentally friendly environment and packaging it in an environmentally friendly manner.

Why is this particular option the only one?

The answer to this question is simple. Products created by nature without human intervention in the process, most fully and in a balanced manner, contain all the necessary substances for the life of the human body. In this case, the phrase "made by nature" can be used. And this phrase will most fully and succinctly contain the answer to your question.

What is an environmentally friendly environment?

Where and how are standards and criteria for a clean environment set?

The answer to this question can be given to us by the European certification system.

In 1980, the Basic Standards for Organic Production (IBS) were defined by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM).

Here is some of them:

· The cultivation of land for at least three years should be carried out without the use of chemical fertilizers;

· Seeds for organic farming must be adapted to local conditions, resistant to pests and weeds and, most importantly, not be genetically modified.

· Soil fertility should be maintained through a variety of crop rotations and biodegradable fertilizers of exclusively microbiological, plant or animal origin.

· The use of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, nitrogen-containing and other chemical fertilizers is prohibited.

· For pest control, physical barriers, noise, ultrasound, light, traps, special temperature conditions, etc. should be used;

· When raising livestock to obtain Organic meat, it is prohibited to use antibiotics and growth hormones;

· Farmers must register any treatment for animals. Treatment records are reviewed annually by certifying authorities;

· The use of radiation and genetic engineering in the production of Organic products is strictly prohibited;

· If a product is designated as Organic, its manufacturer is obliged to use 100% organic ingredients;

“So it is in Europe, but our nature is much cleaner and apples from the“ favorite garden ”are much tastier and healthier,” you might say.

Yes, everything is correct, and tastier and healthier, but only who checked it, where is the confidence in this? Where is the guarantee and criteria, which is more useful?

Unfortunately, no one can give you any guarantees. There are no criteria yet.

There are many voluntary certification schemes out there that will make your conventional products “green” for a “modest fee”. At the same time, these voluntary organizations have their own criteria for evaluating products. Whether they have the correct criteria or not, at the moment it is impossible to figure out, since there is no law that sets the standards for Organic products.

As a result, we have a lot of Russian food products that use the terms of European standards to increase the sales of their products. Who among us has not seen juices, kefir, mayonnaise on store shelves, and this list can be continued for a long time, with the designations "BIO", "BIO", "Environmentally friendly product", "Verified by environmental expertise", etc. As a matter of fact, it turns out that our consumer is being misled, simply saying "our brother is being made a fool, gentlemen of the marketers."

At the same time, in many European countries, at the state level, organic product standards have been introduced. A system for monitoring the implementation and compliance with these standards has been created.

How can our customers figure out which products on store shelves are really Organic?

The easiest and fastest way is to find one of the badges of the European certification bodies on the product label. Here are examples of some of them:

Organic Agriculture - EC Management System	European Union	In March 2000, the European Commission for Organic Products introduced this emblem. It is used exclusively on a voluntary basis by those manufacturers whose products comply with the 1991 European Union system of standards.
Bio-Siegel (Ecological seal)	Germany	In 2001, the German Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Rural Affairs introduced a national label - Bio-Siegel (Environmental Seal), which designates products from companies that comply with the EU regulation.
Agriculture Biologique (Ecological Products)	France	France was one of the first European countries to introduce a national mark for organic food, which replaced private labeling systems and is owned by the French Ministry of Agriculture. The application of this logo on goods is allowed after signing an agreement with the owner of the mark and fulfilling all the requirements established by EU legislation. The mark can also be applied to organic products from other countries, provided that the requirements of French law for farms using organic methods are met. However, herbal products must be produced in the European Union, with the exception of exotic ones.
Valvottua tuotantoa / Kontrollerad ekoproduktion (Certified organic products)	Finland	This national mark is issued by the Finnish Crop Inspection Center
	Sweden	In Sweden, the only accredited control organization is KRAV. Its standard is more stringent than the requirements stipulated by European legislation. Issued by the Swedish Agricultural Control Society. The mark is also found on products manufactured outside Sweden (coffee, tea, fruits).
	Netherlands	This mark is issued by the Dutch National Inspection Authority called Skal.
United States Department of Agriculture	USA	This mark has been issued with permission from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 2002 under the National Organic Program (NOP)
	Finland	This ladybug sign is issued by the private certification body in Finland - Luomuliito. Most often, this sign is found on vegetables.
	Europe, America, Africa, New Zealand	The Demeter ecological certification standard, which appeared in 1924 on the basis of the work of Rudolf Steiner ("Spiritual and Scientific Foundations of the Successful Development of Agriculture"), became the world's first organic agriculture standard. The presence on the product packaging of the Demeter biodynamic production mark not only characterizes the special conditions of strict control at all stages of product creation according to Organic standards, but also reflects a special concept of approach to careful and careful farming, taking into account many natural features (moon phases, seasons, etc. .), incl. taking care of the cleanliness and preservation of the soil and the environment. Demeter International currently has 18 member organizations in Europe, America, Africa and New Zealand.

And what about environmentally friendly packaging?

This question is no less serious, but easier to solve.

Why serious?

Because, no matter what environmentally friendly products are produced, if the packaging is toxic, it will spoil the quality of the products that we have been striving for.

Why easy to solve?

What is environmentally friendly packaging is such packaging that comes into the least contact with the products in it, without changing the quality properties of the products. Today, the packaging market can offer many options for solutions for environmentally friendly product packaging. At the same time, the technologies for the manufacture and production of packaging are constantly being improved.

To date, in our country, the concept of "environmentally friendly product" (ESP) is not approved at the federal legislative level. Each of us, including the manufacturer, can interpret this combination of words in our own way and put different meanings into it. There are no standards for ecological products, there is no law that should regulate the legality of applying "ecological" labeling. Therefore, recently on the shelves of stores, you can often see products marked with the signs "eco" or "bio". When buying such products, the consumer often does not think about why this marking is applied to this or that product, how it should differ from the rest, and whether it is legal to apply such information on the packaging of the product.

After conducting a small survey among Muscovites on the topic “What is an environmentally friendly product”, we realized that they most often associated this concept with products grown on their personal plot, on “grandmother's beds,” that is, with home-made products. Speaking about them, the consumer usually emphasizes that their production did without the use of pesticides, herbicides and growth stimulants, that they do not contain preservatives and dyes. This is true in most cases.

At the same time, the consumer does not at all correlate the quality of products with the sanitary and hygienic standards of packaging, storage, sale and transportation of food products, which determine their safety.

Let's look at a simple example at what point homemade milk can become unsafe. Let's say cows graze in an ecologically clean area, eat only "clean" grass, their diet does not include biostimulating additives. However, the conditions for “production” and marketing of milk are far from sanitary: hygienic conditions are not ensured during milking, and there is no need to talk about compliance with the thermal and sanitary regime when selling on the roadsides. Consequently, milk comes to the consumer with biological and chemical contamination.

From this it follows that an environmentally friendly product (ESP) is not only a product made from environmentally friendly raw materials or a natural product, it is also a safe product that has undergone strict control of compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards during production, a product that must be stored, transported and implemented only under certain conditions.

Sustainability and safety are not synonyms

In both Russia and Europe, milk production at a factory must comply with established safety requirements. But only Western milk can be called environmentally friendly, since it is in Europe that there are standards for ecological products.

During the survey, many respondents, talking about ESP, said that such products should, first of all, be safe for human health. One cannot but agree with this, but the concept of "environmental friendliness" cannot be replaced by the concept of "safety".

Food safety is subject to sanitary and hygienic control. Sanitary norms and rules characterize it as the absence of danger to the life and health of people of current and future generations. Food products must meet the requirements of sanitary rules, norms and hygiene standards. Food products that comply with such regulations must not have a toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or other adverse effect on the human body.

An environmentally friendly product is necessarily a safe product, but not only. It must be produced in accordance with environmental standards
- no pesticides,
- without synthetic feed additives,
- without growth regulators,
- free of artificial preservatives, colors and flavors,
- free of chemical enzymes and additives,
- without the use of the achievements of genetic engineering.

It is important to note that organic farming is viewed in Europe not only as a guarantee of the environmental friendliness of a product, but also as a guarantee of the preservation of natural resources for its production. On the packaging of milk, produced by order of the President in Spain, it is indicated that organic farming allows preserving the traditional rural type of settlements, using renewable energy and water resources, and preserving the biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Green certification

Now more and more attention is paid not only to the ecological quality of the environment, but also to the "ecology" of human nutrition. In this area of ​​our environmental policy, there is something to be surprised and upset about. It turns out that in Russia, without a sufficiently legitimate federal framework, there are several food quality certification systems.

Firstly, the Moscow sign “Eco-friendly product”. Until then, it is awarded after successfully passing the voluntary certification.

This is a joint project of the Department of Nature Management and Environmental Protection of the city of Moscow and the Union of Consumers of the Russian Federation. According to the Decree of the Moscow Government dated September 16, 2003 No. 783 "On measures for the environmental assessment of products sold in the consumer market of the city of Moscow", drinking water packaged in containers can be labeled with the conformity mark "Eco-friendly product"; products of animal or plant origin, produced from natural food raw materials, grown in compliance with the established sanitary standards and rules, and meeting the safety requirements established for food products of young children.

Secondly, it is the EkoNiva system of voluntary certification of ecological agricultural production.

Thirdly, the BIO voluntary certification system.

Undoubtedly, voluntary certification is the path to quality improvement. It provides an opportunity for business to develop, improve product quality, and fight in a world of tough competition.

But for the production of environmentally friendly products at the present stage of economic development, first of all, there should be laws regulating the use of the “ECO” terminology and the application of appropriate markings. These laws should be based on standards that establish strict requirements for the quality of ecological products.

List of enterprises eligible to use the Eco-Friendly Product label (according to the Moscow Department of Food Resources)

In accordance with the Decree of the Moscow Government dated September 16, 2003 No. 783-PP "On measures for the environmental assessment of products sold on the consumer market of the city of Moscow" NP "Moscow Eco-Friendly Products" carries out practical activities on environmental certification of products within the framework of the Moscow voluntary certification system "Eco-friendly products".

To date, this organization has issued certificates with the right to use the "Eco-friendly product" mark for products manufactured by the following enterprises:
CJSC Agrofirma "Belaya Dacha": fresh cucumbers; fresh sweet pepper; fresh tomatoes; fresh potatoes; table carrots; White cabbage; turnip onion.
OJSC "Cherkizovsky Meat Processing Plant": natural lump semi-finished products from beef and pork.
JSC "Gorodishche": fresh table carrots.
JSC "Dashkovo Vegetable Plant": fresh table carrots, fresh food potatoes, fresh white cabbage.
JSC "Karat": butter "Domashnee".
Interregional public organization of beekeepers: 14 varieties of natural floral honey.
ZAO Sistema Zerrostandart: buckwheat and wheat flakes that do not require cooking.
JSC "Moscow Mill Plant No. 3": wheat flour of the highest grade.
JSC "Mill in Sokolniki": premium flour "Sokolnicheskaya" and premium flour "Grain company" Nastyusha ".

ECO cheating

Today, the situation is often repeated when a consumer, purchasing a product, “buys” a large number of different icons on the package, without thinking about what each of them means. Unfortunately, most cases of applying environmental labeling to Russian-made products are a PR campaign of pure water. When choosing a product, it is worth remembering that awards are not always an indicator of its quality and environmental friendliness. The application of the so-called eco-labels is most often illegal, they are used as a method of competition and as an excuse for increasing the cost of a product among similar ones. Such products mislead the consumer.

We discussed the problems of ECO cheating with the specialists of the ecological supermarket "Grunwald". They noted that for the European market the “bio” label is not a myth or a PR move of manufacturing companies. Organic (organic, ekologisch), biological (bio, biologisch, issue d "agriculture biologique) or ecological products are not just a product with a specific label and icon. An ecological product is the result of a complex and long process based on the observance of a huge number of standards. recommendations and standards.

Producers of quality products understand that counterfeiting is a blow to their reputation. The worst thing for them is the massive loss of brand trust. Many are trying to protect their product. A good example is the decision made by the management of the Shishkin Les company. Manufacturers incur higher costs of producing original packaging than their competitors. But by financing the production of their own bottling bottles, they get a 100% guarantee of protection against unauthorized use of their brand. Most other manufacturers simply buy cheap off-the-shelf containers and reap disastrous results.

Unfortunately, goods with various illegal information related to quality are often found on the shelves of stores, including some large chain department stores. The buyer is not able to independently figure out the reliability of this information. You can hope for luck, or you can shop in stores that have their own quality control service and act as a qualified intermediary between the manufacturer and the buyer.

What are organic foods? How to choose an environmentally friendly product? What's on the labels? We will answer these and other questions about natural products in our article!

It is important to know how to choose quality, natural and organic food. This article explains how to make your grocery shopping more efficient, how to read labels correctly, and choose natural products. It's not difficult, but some knowledge will be extremely useful.

First, let's take a look at some general guidelines and tips on how to read food labels:

• Both the ingredients and their nutritional value are important - one without the other does not reflect the whole picture;
• In the list, the ingredients are listed in descending order, which means that the first ingredient is the most in this product, and the last is the least;
• Make sure that sugar and salt are at the end of the ingredient list;
• If you are looking for fatty foods, remember that the labels indicate the fat content in grams. The percentage shown next to fat is the percentage of daily consumption, not the percentage of calories derived from the fat in this product. Look at the top of the label for “calories from fat,” and divide by the total calories to find the percentage. That is, calories from fat account for about half of the total number of calories, then about 50% of the calories in the product are fat.
• If you need carbohydrates, choose natural foods that contain fewer processed carbohydrates.
• On bread labels, words like “whole” and “grind” should be the first on the list of ingredients. It is common to see "non-bleached, fortified wheat flour", but that doesn't work for you - the bread is processed and whole grains are added for color. The first ingredient should be whole grains.
• Quality carbohydrates should contain fiber and sugar. Try to avoid carbohydrates without fiber. At the same time, carbohydrates, which contain nothing but fiber, also do not provide the necessary nutrients. Try to have 1/6 of the total carbohydrate in the product fiber. That is, 20 grams of carbohydrates should contain about 3-4 grams of fiber.
• Eating highly processed foods or not is up to you. But it's better to go for whole, natural foods. If there are too many Latin words on the label - for example, ingredients that you can't read or don't know them - it's best to put it aside.
• Canned food, frozen meals, and other convenience foods are usually high in sodium. Instead, buy whole, single ingredients and then cook your own meals. You can freeze them and store them in containers.

Secrets of natural products

Mixed Ingredients

Often times, products are grouped by ingredient list with the goal of presenting items in a specific order. Sometimes this happens legally, and sometimes it can be cheating. Most people understand that the ingredients should be listed in descending order - in other words, the ingredient that is most in a given product should come first. Thus, if you are looking for a protein bar, then you will be happy to purchase one on the label that says:

double delicious protein blend (hydrolyzed proteins from cow hooves, whey), maltodextrin

The label also indicates the absence of sugar.

Of course, this includes a lot more. Proprietary Protein Blend - What Is It Really? Let's just say that there is 10 g of whey, 11 g of protein from cow's hoof, 12 g of maltodextrin. The ingredients should be in descending order, ie "maltodextrin, hydrolyzed cow hooves, whey".

Anyone familiar with sugars knows that although maltodextrin does not affect sugar, it is very high and therefore not desirable to be on the list of ingredients (unless it's a post workout shake). So looking at a label like this, the average consumer will say to himself, "high sugar, tons of low-quality protein, and very little whey."

So what do you do? It's simple. The company has combined the protein from cow's hooves and whey. This is the “Double Delicious Protein Blend.” Since the sum of the ingredients is 10 + 11 = 21, this new “blend” may appear before maltodextrin in the list, with all ingredients listed in descending order.

Now it seems to unsuspecting consumers that there is actually more whey in the product than maltodextrin (sugar). But we know there is less of it! Whey comes out on top because of what is in the formula. Therefore, by reading labels on natural products, you will already know how such a grouping works.

Special offers

Occasionally there are special offers on the labels of organic products. You must understand exactly what this means.

When the label reads “Not a significant source of calories from fat,” the product must contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Be careful with deli meats. They can be cut so thin that one slice contains less than 2 grams of fat. but still provide a significant percentage of fatty calories.

"Not a significant source of sugar" means that the amount of sugar on the label is less than one gram. Don't take this statement at face value. Some ingredients, such as maltodextrin, are not technically considered sugar, but have the same effect. This is why it is so important to consider both the ingredient list and the nutritional value.

The table provides definitions for other specials:

Warning signs

As you go through the list of ingredients, pay attention to the hazard labels. This is not a complete list, but it will help you buy only high-quality, natural and organic food. Always look, these ingredients are at the beginning (main), in the middle and at the end of the list.

• Sugar is allowed at the end. The presence of sugar in the middle of the list is possible if there is enough fiber in the product. Of course, these rules can change when it comes to a post-workout cocktail.
• Salt is acceptable at the end of the list. Salt is important, but only in moderation.
• Any ingredient that you cannot pronounce or understand. Again, such substances do not have to be bad, but if you cannot answer how they will benefit you, it is better not to risk it.
• Excess vitamins and minerals. It is far more beneficial to get them from whole foods and quality multivitamins than as a spray or food supplement.
• If the product is enriched with something. This must be the biggest joke in the food industry. “Fortified” means that the food has been stripped of vital nutrients and instead added those that were originally less nutrients.
• "Vitaminized" natural product. Control your vitamin and mineral intake with special supplements and whole foods, not by adding them to regular foods, where you don't know their quality or quantity.
• Any food containing more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per serving and less than 2 grams
• in which half or more of the total number of calories comes from fats (unless, of course, you are not looking at the ethics of a bottle of olive oil)
• Partially hydrogenated fat anywhere in the ingredient list (also known as trans fatty acids). If hydrogenated fats are at the bottom of the list, don't worry. In addition, if the product contains no trans fatty acids, then it can be safely consumed, even if there are hydrogenated fats in the ingredients list.

How to recognize the presence of sugar in natural foods

It cannot be said unequivocally that sugar in organic products is harmful, however, it is important to be able to determine its amount. Below are some of the common names for sugar. Be careful with foods where they appear at the top of the ingredient list, as they can contain too much sugar and trigger unwanted blood sugar spikes:

• Sugar cane juice
• Concentrated custard
• Falernum (sweet liquor)
• Fructose
• Glucose
• Jaggery
• Sugar cane juice
• Lactose
• Levuleza
• Malt
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Marshmallow
• Misri (sugar in crystals)
• Molasses (black molasses)
• Orshad (drink)
• Panocha (candies made from yellow sugar, milk and butter)
• Sorghum (cereal)
• Sucrose
• Sugar
• Syrup
• Turbinado (partially refined raw sugar)

Milk and its derivatives in natural products

If you avoid dairy products, the following items in the ingredient list are dairy products or derivatives:

cream, cheese, butter, yoghurt, koumiss, kefir, ghee, paneer, lactose, casein, whey, Rennet, Rennin

There are no fragrances in environmentally friendly products!

There is a lot of controversy over natural and artificial flavors. Many manufacturers seem to take pride in organic ingredients listing "natural flavors" while consumers are willing to give up anything that resembles "artificial foods." It's not really what you think! So what is the difference between natural and artificial flavors?

Natural and artificial flavors are defined by the Code of Federal Regulations. This means that specific laws govern which terms can be used in ingredient lists.

natural flavoring contains essential oil or resin extract, protein hydrolyzate, distillate or any product of roasting, heat treatment or enzymatic decomposition that contains flavoring components obtained from spices, fruits or fruit juices, vegetables or vegetable juices, edible yeast, herbs, bark, kidneys , roots, leaves or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products derived therefrom, whose function is more to impart flavor rather than nutritional value to food

Anything that does not fit this definition is considered artificial. Quite voluminous, isn't it? Is it possible to admit the existence of flavorings in natural products?

Chemicals can be either natural or artificial. This is not the same difference as between wool and nylon, which are used to make clothes, however, these materials are different.

At the molecular level, natural and artificial flavors appear to be the same. By the way, it is believed that artificial flavors are safer because they are produced in pure form. For natural flavors, the original product (eg apple) must be broken down into elements and filtered with chemicals to produce flavoring agents. Therefore, there may be more impurities in such flavors.

In this case, it is fair to say that there are chemical additives in natural and artificial flavors that are used to improve the taste. If the label states that there is a natural flavor in the product, this does not mean that the manufacturer has added crushed apples - it means that a certain set of chemicals has been isolated or extracted from them and artificially added to the product.

If you are not particularly interested in flavors, then pay less attention to how artificial or natural they are, and look more at the order of the list of ingredients.

If you want natural foods that you can make yourself, don't buy those that have other flavorings other than natural spices.

And finally, take advantage of the advice called "buying at the edge".

If you have noticed, most often in stores, processed foods in packages are located in the center of the square. Fresh organic food, eggs, dairy and meat products are more often located around the perimeter of the store, so stick to the walls and then you have a higher chance of purchasing organic and healthy food.

Educate yourself about food choices. This will help you acquire the perfect one. As with everything else, strive for moderation. For example, if your weakness is fried corn chips, then you can eat them in moderation without going beyond your daily calorie intake. If the thrust is too strong, then look for compromises, choose the baked option.