Mimis Gourmet

At Mimi’s Gourmet we believe that eating well, staying healthy, and cooking delicious organic food is one of the great pleasures of life. With informing the public about the benefits of the sustainable methods of the organic industry, we hope it will promote a healthy lifestyle that will make you feel good about yourself, and what you eat. By promoting the expansion of organic farming practices, we are confident that other organizations and individuals will begin to become more aware of the benefits to create a healthier environment in a variety of ways for future generations.

Our Gourmet Organic Cuisines are made without any environmentally harmful chemicals, synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics or artificial flavors & colors. We use premium organic ingredients in all of our products.

1. What is organic food?

Organic food is grown by farmers who use a variety of methods that strive for a balance with nature. Organic farmers focus on soil improvement and rely on biological systems to produce high quality food and reduce environmental impact. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

The "organic" food label identifies food grown with practices that:

• Don't use synthetic pesticides, herbicides and soil fumigants.
• Don't use genetic engineering
• Don't use sewage sludge as fertilizer
• Do improve the quality and fertility of the soil
• Do protect water quality
• Do reduce soil erosion
• Do rely on natural biological systems for pest and weed control
• Do reduce the impact of agriculture on our environment
• Do produce high quality, great tasting food

2. Is organic food better for consumers and the environment?

By eating organic foods, you limit your intake of growth hormones and antibiotics, because organic meat and dairy farmers are prohibited from using hormones and antibiotics in organic livestock and dairy production. Furthermore, You limit your exposure to synthetic insecticides, and herbicides, because these chemicals are not applied to organic crops. Organic farmers also cannot raise genetically modified crops or livestock or use any production aids that are genetically modified.

One of the main benefits of organic farming helps provide a safer, more healthy environment by not polluting our groundwater, rivers, lakes, and oceans with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. It improving soil quality provides safer working conditions for farm laborers not exposed to pesticides.

Organic Food Standards, and Labels: The Facts (From the USDA)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has put in place a set of national standards that food labeled "organic" must meet, whether it is grown in the United States or imported from other countries. After October 21, 2002, when you buy food labeled "organic," you can be sure that it was produced using the highest organic production and handling standards in the world.

3. When I go to the supermarket, how can I tell organically produced food from conventionally produced food?

You must look at package labels and watch for signs in the supermarket. Along with the national organic standards, USDA developed strict labeling rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. The USDA Organic seal also tells you that a product is at least 95 percent organic.

You'll find four labeling categories when looking for organic products in stores and markets:

A. 100 percent Organic:
All of the product's content is certified organic. These products may display the USDA Organic seal on the label.

B. Organic:
At least 95 percent of the product's content is certified organic. These products may also display the USDA Organic seal on the label. These products contain some minor ingredients that are not certified organic, such as minerals and vitamins.

C. Made with Organic Ingredients:
At least 70 percent of the product's content is certified organic. Up to three ingredients can be listed on the label with the phrase "made with organic."

D. Less than 70%
Products containing less than 70 percent organic content may only identify the organic ingredients in the ingredient listing on the label.

4. How is use of the USDA Organic seal protected?
People who sell or label a product "organic" when they know it does not meet USDA standards can be fined up to $10,000 for each violation.

5. Does natural mean organic?
No. Natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels. However, don't confuse these terms with "organic." Only food labeled "organic" has been certified as meeting USDA organic standards.

For more detailed information on the USDA organic standards, visit our web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop or write USDA-AMS-TM-NOP, Room 4008 S. Bldg., Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence, SW, Washington, DC 20250.