Just about everyone knows there are certain benefits to choosing organic. Organic foods and ingredients are generally seen as “cleaner” and of “higher quality.” But what does it mean when Shaklee has a ingredient philosophy of “Beyond Organic”? Let’s discuss what defines our Beyond Organic philosophy and why it is something we stand behind.
What Organic Means
Before we can talk about Beyond Organic, it’s important to understand what it means for something to be organic. Generally, organic means that a food or crop is produced by natural means. Foods or crops that are certified organic are grown and processed according to federal guidelines for soil quality, animal-raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. According to the USDA, in order for a food or crop to be certified organic there must not be any prohibited substances like synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, antibiotics, or hormones used to grow or feed the plant or animal.[1]
However, organic certification only looks at how and where a food or crop is grown, and the fact that something is organic doesn’t necessarily guarantee it is clean and free from chemical contaminants. Sometimes pesticides and herbicides—even when safely applied—can run off into unintended areas and farmland. And this is where our philosophy of Beyond Organic comes in.
What It Means to Be Beyond Organic
“Beyond Organic” is a term we have coined to showcase Shaklee quality standards for all ingredients used in the creation of our products. We go beyond Good Manufacturing Processes (GMPs) regarding re-testing of raw materials to make sure that they meet our standards for heavy metals and no pesticide residues or adulterants. We guarantee that every ingredient that is in a given product is listed on the label, and these ingredients are in the product not only at time of manufacture but also at expiration date. For every new botanical ingredient (or new supplier) we test for over 350 chemicals which is over 3 times as many as required by US Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. We also perform over 100,000 quality tests every year to ensure the ingredients in our products are pure.
Think Beyond Organic
At the end of the day, we always encourage you to choose organic produce, products, and ingredients as they have a much lower chance of containing chemical contaminants. We also want to set your mind at ease knowing that we hold to the highest standards of safety for you and your family with our Beyond Organic philosophy. That’s The Shaklee Difference®.
[1] https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means
