Why You Should Buy Organic vs Non Organic Spices - Spice Up Your Health Vol. 4

Feb 26, 2021

By FreshJax Team

We Certify Our Spices Organic To Give You The Safest Products Possible

Article Author: Madison

Before working at FreshJax, I really did not understand the value behind organic food products. You always hear organic is better, but why? What makes the certification so great? I've done the research so you don't have to! There is so much that has to happen to make a product organic, so I hope this information helps you start your understanding somewhere!

You may know that FreshJax spices are organic, but do you know what that really means? I’m going to deep dive into organic certifications and why we choose to offer this category of food products.

Let’s get down to it. USDA certified organic foods are foods that follow specific federal guidelines relating to soil quality, pest and weed control, and the use of additives and preservatives (1). These many factors ensure that the food product, from start to finish, is handled in the most natural way possible. This means no artificial colors, preservatives, or genetic engineering.

organic who?

There are two levels of certifications that occur with our products. First, we have to source farms that grow certified organic ingredients. We take our time and do meticulous research to find organic farms we trust. These farms are analyzed and tested like crazy to ensure every little detail

in their growing and harvesting process is up to code with USDA organic regulations.

Each crop is safety and quality tested before it can be distributed. For example, the organic cayenne pepper we use had to be analyzed for its physical, microbiological, and chemical properties. It is tested for bacteria and diseases such as Salmonella and E. coli.

On top of that, FreshJax uses its own certifying agent, Americert International, in Gainesville, FL to ensure that our ingredients are compliant. Americert tests all of our ingredients, checks our production facility, and monitors the production process in its entirety. We undergo a yearly certification process to uphold our certified organic title, and we could have a surprise inspection at any given moment.

fresh facts

We even have the brand of soap we use to sanitize our bottles/ packaging approved!
Surprise facility inspections could happen at any time. We just had one yesterday!
Before a farm can even begin the certified organic growing process, the soil has to be clean from prohibited substances for three years (2).

FreshJax Organic Spices Rosemary Lemon Sea Salt with zucchini noodles

sterilizing the ingredients

Once the spices are harvested and packaged, they must be sterilized before they can be distributed. Non-organic spices use methods such as irradiation and fumigation. Irradiation is used to remove bacteria and pests, as well as slow the aging process of foods such as fruits and vegetables (3). While the irradiating process does not pose a threat to the safety of food, it can alter the taste of spices.

Fumigation is another way non organic companies sterilize food. Ethylene oxide gas is used as an inexpensive way to sterilize foods such as spices. According to a study done by the World Health Organization, “Ethylene oxide induces gene mutations at all phylogenetic levels tested in vitro and in vivo. It also induces germ cell mutations and clastogenic effects in experimental animals. There is consistent evidence that ethylene oxide has induced clastogenic changes in exposed workers” (4). In short, this gas is proven harmful to the workers who use it to treat our food goods. What about our families that in turn eat the food?

USDA certified organic food products undergo a far different process for sanitizing food. Want to know the secret? It’s steam. Just purely hot as heck water, vaporizing into bacteria fighting steam! No chemicals or toxins here!

There is a lot of care that goes into each bottle of FreshJax organic spices. As a family business, we work hard to give you and your family a clean and safe product that you can trust to use every day!

The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.