FreshJax® was founded in 2011 to solve a major problem in the spice industry. We wanted to provide truly clean and organic ingredients with no additives, chemicals, or byproducts. It is important to us that our customers have full transparency into the ingredients they are consuming and have confidence in their nutrition.
As Amazon’s # 1 Best Seller in Herb, Spice and Seasonings Gifts, and with nearly 20,000 excellent product reviews, our customers provide consistent feedback.
- FreshJax Organic Spices have amazing flavor
- FreshJax product labels are fun and easy to read by everyone
- Every ingredient is listed on each bottle of organic seasonings and spices
- FreshJax products are 100% organic, unless noted, and free from preservatives, chemicals, radiation, dyes, heavy metals, fillers, genetically modified organisms (GMO), and artificial byproducts.
We take pride in our effort (and at a great expense) to provide the best ingredients from around the globe, certify our products, handcraft every blend, and sterilize and hand-package every bottle. Safety and authenticity are utmost important at FreshJax and therefore we invested in a 22,000 sq ft production facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Here we have a team of experts who ensure our certifications are intact, our production process stays industry-leading and that our customer service is unmatched.
FreshJax Organic Spices certification process
We source our ingredients globally from organic growers that are critiqued, audited, surprise-inspected and certified by our international certifying agency, Americert International. Americert International, formerly known as OIA North America, is accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a licensee of United Fresh Produce to audit and certify farm and packing facilities. Americert International is U.S. food safety and Farm Good Agricultural Products (FARMGAP) certified, which means they supply independent verification that food safety and best practices have been followed throughout the supply chain – from producer (growers) to packer (FreshJax).
Without this certification, spice producers are self-regulated and operate however is most economical for their business. We realize that FreshJax products are not the cheapest in the marketplace, but they are the most economical for clean, organic ingredients and fun cooking. (1)
Transparency in product contents and labels
When it comes to shopping in a grocery store, spices are often plentiful, and we get excited when we find new eye-catching blends. Have you looked at the labels on these spices to see what you are consuming? If you read in between the lines, you may be a bit surprised.
- Preservatives
- “Adds color”
- “Other Natural Flavor”
- Anticaking additive or “(to make free flowing)”
- Maltodextrin
Consumers have a right to know precisely what they are buying and cooking up for consumption. This is especially important to us here at FreshJax and is the second founding principal for our products. We pride ourselves on being 100% transparent with our customers and call out every ingredient that goes into our products. In fact, the only secret about our blends are the proportions of each ingredient. Have you ever read ingredients and wondered how to pronounce a word, none the less what it means? When words on labels require Wikipedia, you will want to reconsider. You also want to re-think vague terms like, “other natural flavors,” or ingredients “to make free flowing,” also known as “anticaking.” These are not spices and in fact are chemical additives that have traces to various harmful effects to the human body.
Maltodextrin for example, is a cheap artificial food additive typically used to increase taste and shelf-life in food products. A common source of Maltodextrin is genetically modified corn. Some of the known increased health risks include high cholesterol, weight gain, and type 2 diabetes. Evidence also suggests that it affects the balance of gut bacteria which could increase bacteria leading to the development of inflammatory bowel disease and also the survival of salmonella bacteria. (2)
What is not printed on the label but included in your spices matter
FreshJax goes to great lengths to source the finest ingredients from key regions around the world. Through AmeriCert International, we ensure our growers and suppliers adhere to strict standards and organic best practices. At our production facility, we mix every seasoning by hand and do not use any machinery throughout our process. This is particularly important to us because we want our customers to have full confidence in what they are consuming in each of our spices.
Our process also supports our effort to prohibit all chemicals, additives, and harmful heavy metals from getting into our spices. Heavy metals can enter herbs and spices in many ways during growth and manufacturing. This can be common if where they are grown, water and soil has been contaminated by industrial uses or pesticides and is not rigorously tested. Heavy metals can also get into foods from sources like processing equipment or packing. (3)
To ensure that our products are free from heavy metals, we sourced an independent lab to test for heavy metals. As of the date of this article, every result shows zero trace of heavy metals.
Food irradiation is also common in the United States, which is the application of ionizing radiation to food. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “it is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects.” Although believed safe by the FDA, these foods are treated with Gamma rays, X-rays and Electron beams and companies must use unfamiliar symbology to inform consumers of the radiation. (4)
At FreshJax, you can rest assured that our organic spices are free from radiation.
Trust, satisfaction and ending childhood hunger
FreshJax is a small family business whose mission is to excited taste buds, inspire healthy living and end childhood hunger. Humbled by our farmers market roots, we are celebrating 10 years in business and are proud of our features on the Today Show, CNN, in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Inc. 5000, Buzz Feed, Jacksonville Daily Record, among others. We are excited to have earned the trust of our customers and fans over the past decade and your support for our products and feeding hungry children is a dream come true.
This leads to our third principle, feeding hungry children. Food insecurity among children in a significant problem across the world. In the U.S. alone, one is six children will go hungry tonight while we are eating dinner. Therefore, it is our mission to provide 50 million meals to children in need and fight this tragedy. We do this by donating one meal for every box of spices sold. We are well on our way to achieving our goal and are grateful to our customers who support us and continue to be part of the FreshJax family. We love hearing from our customers and welcome your feedback, ideas and concerns via email at hello@freshjax.com or via our web chat.
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