Brian Clark Howard / Home and Eco-Tips Editor

Labeling may not seem like a particularly exciting topic, but it is extremely important to those with nut allergies, diabetics and those busy people everywhere who rely on labels to know what’s inside the foods they eat. Consider the heated controversy over whether genetically engineered foods should be explicitly labeled, or the ongoing fight over country-of-origin seals, and how that relates to recent scares over food imported from China.

When it comes to the much-touted word “organic,” there is much at stake. Not only is the sector the fastest growing in the food industry, but also advocates are positioning organics as a great hope in the battle to protect the environment from the ravages of industrial agriculture and even oil-fueled climate change. There are perhaps as many detailed definitions of organic as there are farmers, chefs and consumers. But here are some of the most important labels:

USDA Organic

In 2000, after a 10-year development process, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rolled out its rules covering use of the word “organic” on foods. The USDA accredits independent certifiers, who then check the claims of producers. The system has three levels:

- “100% Organic” — Can only contain organic ingredients, meaning no antibiotics, hormones, genetic engineering, radiation or synthetic pesticides or fertilizers can be used. Can display the USDA organic logo and/or the specific certifying agent’s logo.

- “Organic” — Contains 95% organic ingredients, with the balance coming from ingredients on the approved National List. These products can also display the USDA organic logo and/or the certifier’s logo.

- “Made With Organic Ingredients” — Must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients, three of which must be listed on the package, and the balance must be on the National List. These products may display the certifier’s logo but not the USDA organic logo. Read more about the organic program at the Consumers Union’s Eco-labels.org.

European Union

As in North America, organic farming continues to grow in popularity on the other side of the pond, to the tune of around 30% a year. In June, the EU released new rules on organic labeling, designed to simplify the process. The place where the products were farmed has to be listed, and no genetically modified ingredients are allowed. Food carrying the EU’s organic logo must be at least 95 percent organic, although other products can list organic ingredients. Learn more here.

JAS System (Japan)

The market for healthy and organic foods has been particularly robust in Japan, where a rigorous labeling and certification process for organics was launched in 2000 under the country’s JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) umbrella. Learn more here.