Are products labeled “natural” the same as “organic?”
No. While the term “natural” suggests that products have been minimally processed or are free from synthetic ingredients, there are no regulations that must be complied with in order to label a product “natural,” while products labeled “organic” must be certified by an USDA-accredited third-party certifier to have met the government’s strict organic standards. Natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels.
