Organic water? Really?

We were quite amazed recently at the flurry of posts that have gone viral about “Organic Water.” Sure, desperate manufacturers and marketers look for any new angle they can find to make their product stand out. But too many play fast-and-loose with the term “organic.” It has really become an almost meaningless word.

“Pesticide-free” – great. “No chemical additives” – perfect. But “Organic Water”? At least in the USA, certified organic products and ingredients must meet “strict production and labeling requirements” including inspection by a Department of Agriculture (USDA) certifying agent. Actually, the USDA specifically does not allow water to be labeled as “organic.” So any bottler trying to sell “organic water” in the US could be breaking the law.

On a more serious note, we recently received this note from one of our Asian distributors:

Due to the "Organic" shown on the packages, therefore we need to seek the Approval from our Authority whether it can be used.

Our whole line of Paul Penders natural herbal beauty products has recently been certified by several institutions…. One of them is the prestigious American Vegetarian Association (AVA). The AVA certification is something we have fought for. Only a few companies get that respect and are approved.

The AVA certification should be sufficient evidence to Food and Drug Administrations in countries around the world that Paul Penders products meet the highest standards.

The AVA certification is not only American, it is a GLOBAL approval by a US organization of distinction and integrity.

I believe the task of every FDA in the world is the safety and protection of the consumer. Whether or not a Rosemary Herb is cultivated organically or naturally isn't really an issue. Why? Because in the end, it is still the same ingredient and is protected by international INCI names and other major understandings.

The organic status brings nothing to the table as far as the ingredient is concerned.

Yes, we will continue to use the words “organic” and “certified organic” on our labels because we carefully research our ingredient sources and find out from our suppliers about how the plant materials are cultivated and processed. Most importantly, we will continue to use only the purest, chemical additive-free, highest quality ingredients in the formulations of our products.

Oh, and just to confirm, there is really no such thing as “organic water”!

Image courtesy of mikumistock /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Subscribe to the Paul Penders Newsletter

Share this post, download zipfile with the html code