Season willing, our fresh fruit and veg is both local and organic. All of our produce is labeled with it’s country of origin, and as organic when it applies. At the moment the majority of our beautiful fresh Irish produce is organic, and when it’s not it’s label will reflect that. It’s not always possible to source locally (e.g. bananas etc.) in which case we source and import certified organic produce.
WHY CERTIFIED ORGANIC?
Organic food is produced by methods that comply with the standards of organic farming. Organic farming in general features practices that strive to cycle resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organisations regulating organic products may restrict the use of certain pesticides and fertilisers in farming. Organic foods are also usually not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents or synthetic food additives.
Currently, the European Union and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic within their borders. In the context of these regulations, organic food is produced in a way that complies with organic standards set by regional organizations, national governments and international organizations. Although the produce of kitchen or community gardens may be organic, selling food with an organic label is regulated by governmental food safety authorities, such as the Irish Organic Association.
Not only does the farm that produces the food need to be certified but so too does the shop you buy your organic food from. This is the customer’s guarantee that the food they purchase is actually organic. A shop that has this certification has been and is continually subject to strict audits on all of the food and products that carry the organic label. This includes dried foods.
So, if you see the word Organic on any produce or product in Small Changes you can trust that it has been certified!
