Integrity

Who Says it's Organic?

After twenty years of doing organic certification itself, Eden Foods reluctantly acquiesced to third-party organic certification in 1988. The fear we had that this would lead to degradation of organic standards has been proven justified. Eden Foods' farm, storage, factory systems, and manuals, were widely shared serving as guiding bedrock for the many new organic certifiers who came on the scene at the time.

Eden is discerning in who it selects to do its third-party organic certification. Our primary is the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA), yet we continue to maintain complete responsibility for ensuring organic authenticity. It is far more than paperwork and "yes or no" questions to us. We get to know our growers pretty well. They use third-party certifiers who work with standards similar to ours, require an audit trail, and provide deep transparency. Knowing what motivates our growers is important to us, before we can have confidence in their food.

Regrettably, organic food no longer has to be natural food. There are thousands of chemicals and ‘allowables’ permitted in the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) that Eden avoids. With USDA organic certification requirements vary quite a lot, all the way to nonexistent. Accountability is rare, especially for imported food.

We do not consider food ‘certified organic’ unless we have completed an appropriate due diligence regarding its authenticity. The same is true for our non-genetically engineered claims. We test, so we know, before we say it is.

edenfoods.com/organic_skeptic.

Irradiation Free

Realizing that powerful forces were determined to make food irradiation common practice, Eden first communicated with our customers about this issue and established a Zero Tolerance policy for irradiated foods in 1988. Today, as irradiation is an increasing threat to human rights and health, Eden's position remains Zero Tolerance. Rigorous selection and screening down to every herb, spice, and seasoning provide us solid confidence that no Eden food or ingredient is, has been, or will be subject to irradiation. We encourage and hope for your vigilance and activism. More About Our Irradiation Stance

GMO Free - Since 1993

Since 1993 Eden has diligently created a system that avoids genetically engineered food. The GMO industry and USDA want us to believe that commercial scale, GMO free food is impossible, as they have thoroughly and intentionally polluted the food supply. Eden foods are proof that Non-GMO food is doable. We have the records, tests, and foods that demonstrate this.

The Non-GMO Project (The Project) was created by industry members from all of its sectors in the U.S.A. and Canada. The Project works to provide individuals and makers a third party Non-GMO verification program through all levels of the supply chain, providing verified Non-GMO alternatives for a discerning public. Michael Potter, Eden Foods' president has been a governing member of its board of directors since 2008. The board founded, funded, and wrote its Non-GMO standards. The Project is North America's first independent, Non-GMO verification program utilizing on-site facility audits, document and systems reviews, and DNA Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing of all inputs at risk for GMO contamination.

To view Eden foods that are verified or being verified by the Non-GMO Project, visit edenfoods.com/verified.

Highest Rated Food Safety

Eden employs AIB International and BRC Global Standards to audit food safety and its food handling systems. Since 2000 all Eden warehouses and processing facilities have passed stringent annual inspection and achieved the highest ratings.

We are committed to allergen control. Isolated packaging rooms are used to reduce the possibility of contamination of gluten free foods. We severely monitor them to ensure that gluten free food status is assured. FDA standards for marketing Gluten Free is ‘less than 20 parts per million’ (ppm). Eden Foods has chosen to use ‘less than 10 ppm’ before we use this marketing phrase. For a list of 309 EDEN Gluten Free foods please visit edenfoods.com/glutenfree.html.

Kosher

Eden has managed a kosher certification program for its foods since 1982 after realizing its natural foods were already, by virtue of our selection criteria, completely qualified for kosher status. Ninety percent of Eden foods are kosher. Eden's choice of the Organized Kashrus Laboratories of Brooklyn, New York and their mark was because of their sound reputation for attention to detail dating back to 1935.

The when it appears alone means that a food is 'pareve' as well as kosher. Pareve means that all ingredients, food contact surfaces, processing, and storage equipment are certified meat and dairy free.