ANNEX 2. PERMITTED SUBSTANCES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC FOODS

Precautions

Precautions

1. Any substances used in an organic system for soil fertilization and conditioning, pest and disease control, for the health of livestock and quality of the animal products, or for preparation, preservation and storage of the food product should comply with the relevant national regulations.

2. Conditions for use of certain substances contained in the following lists may be specified by the certification body or authority, e.g. volume, frequency of application, specific purpose, etc.

3. Where substances are required for primary production they should be used with care and with the knowledge that even permitted substances may be subject to misuse and may alter the ecosystem of the soil or farm.

4. The following lists do not attempt to be all inclusive or exclusive, or a finite regulatory tool but rather provide advice to governments on internationally agreed inputs. A system of review criteria as detailed in Section 5 of these Guidelines for products to be considered by national governments should be the primary determinant for acceptability or rejection of substances.

TABLE 1: SUBSTANCES FOR USE IN SOIL FERTILIZING AND CONDITIONING

Substances	Description, compositional requirements, an conditions of use
Farmyard and poultry manure	Need recognized by certification body or authority if not sourced from organic production systems. “Factory” farming20 sources not permitted.
Slurry or urine	If not from organic sources, need recognized by inspection body. Preferably after controlled fermentation and/or appropriate dilution. “Factory” farming sources not permitted”
Composted animal excrements, including poultry	Need recognized by the certification body or authority
Manure and composted farmyard manure	“Factory” farming sources not permitted.
Dried farmyard manure and dehydrated poultry manure	Need recognized by the certification body or authority. “Factory” farming sources not permitted.
Guano	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Straw	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Compost and spent mushroom and Vermiculite substrate	Need recognized by the certification body or authority. The initial composition of the substrate must be limited to the products on this list.
Compost from organic household refuse	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Compost from plant residues	-
Processed animal products from slaughterhouses & fish industries	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
By-products of food & textile industries	Not treated with synthetic additives. Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Seaweeds and seaweed products	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Sawdust, bark and wood waste	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Wood ash	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Natural phosphate rock.	Need recognized by the certification body or authority. Cadmium should not exceed90mg/kg P205
Basic slag	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Rock potash, mined potassium salts(e.g. kainite, sylvinite)	Less than 60% chlorine
Sulphate of potash (e.g. patenkali)	Obtained by physical procedures but not enriched by chemical processes to increase its solubility. Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Calcium carbonate of natural origin(e.g. chalk, marl, marl, limestone, phosphate chalk)	-
Magnesium rock	-
Calcareous magnesium rock	-
Epsom salt (magnesium-sulphate)	-
Gypsum (calcium sulphate)	-
Stillage and stillage extract	Ammonium stillage excluded
Sodium chloride	Only mined salt
Aluminium calcium phosphate	Maximum 90 mg/kg P205
Trace elements (e.g. boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc)	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Sulphur	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Stone meal	-
Clay (e.g. bentonite, perlite, zeolite)	-
Naturally occurring biological organisms (e.g. worms)	-
Vermiculite	-
Peat	Excluding synthetic additives; permitted for seed, potting module composts. Other use as recognized by certification body or authority
Humus from earthworms and insects	-
Zeolites	-
Wood charcoal	-
Chloride of lime	Need recognized by the certification body or authority
Human excrements	Need recognized by the certification body or authority. If possible aerated or composted. Not applied to crops intended for human consumption.
By-products of the sugar industry(e.g. Vinasse)	Need recognized by the certification body or authority
By-products from oil palm, coconut and cocoa (including empty fruit bunch, palm oil mill effluent(pome), cocoa peat and empty cocoa pods)	Need recognized by the certification body or authority
By-products of industries processing ingredients from organic agriculture	Need recognized by the certification body or authority

²⁰ “Factory” farming refers to industrial management systems that are heavily reliant on veterinary and feed inputs not permitted in organic agriculture

Substance	Description, compositional requirements; and conditions for use
I. Plant and Animal
Preparations on basis of pyrethrins extracted from Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium, containing possibly a synergist	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Preparations of Rotenone from Derris elliptica, Lonchocarpus, Thephrosia spp.	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Preparations from Quassia amara	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Preparations from Ryania speciosa	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Preparations of Neem (Azadirachtin) from Azadirachta indica	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Propolis	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Plant and animal oils	-
Seaweed, seaweed meal, seaweed extracts, sea salts and salty water	Not chemically treated.
Gelatine	-
Lecithin	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Casein	-
Natural acids (e.g. vinegar)	Need recognized by the certification body or authority.
Fermented product from Aspergillus	-
Extract from mushroom (Shiitake fungus)	-
Extract from Chlorella	-
Natural plants preparations, excluding tobacco	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Tobacco tea (except pure nicotine)	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
II. Mineral
Inorganic compounds (Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride)	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Burgundy mixture	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Copper salts	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Sulphur	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Mineral powders (stone meal, silicates)	-
Diatomaceous earth	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Silicates, clay (Bentonite)	-
Sodium silicate	-
Sodium bicarbonate	-
Potassium permanganate	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Paraffin oil	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
III. Micro organisms used for biological pest controls
Micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi) e.g. Bacillus thuringiensis, Granulosis virus, etc.	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
IV. Other
Carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Potassium soap (soft soap)	-
Ethyl alcohol	Need recognized by certification body or authority.
Homeopathic and Ayurvedic preparations	-
Herbal and biodynamic preparations	-
Sterilized insect males	Need recognized by certification body or authority
V. Traps
Pheromone preparations
Preparations on the basis of metaldehyde containing a repellent to higher animal species and as far as applied in traps.	Need recognized by certification body or authority

TABLE 3: INGREDIENTS OF NON AGRICULTURAL ORIGIN REFERRED TO IN SECTION 3 OF THESE GUIDELINES

3.1 Food additives, including carriers

INS	Name	Specific conditions
	For plant products
170	Calcium carbonates
220	Sulfur dioxide	Wine products
270	Lactic acid	Fermented vegetable products
290	Carbon dioxide
296	Malic acid
300	Ascorbic acid	If not available in natural form
306	Tocopherols, mixed natural concentrates
322	Lecithin	Obtained without the use of bleaches and organic solvents
330	Citric acid	Fruit and vegetable products
335	Sodium tartrate	cakes/confectionery
336	Potassium tartrate	cereals/cakes/confectionery
341i	Mono calcium phosphate	only for raising flour
400	Alginic acid	-
401	Sodium alginate	-
402	Potassium alginate	-
406	Agar	-
407	Carageenan	-
410	Locust bean gum	-
412	Guar gum	-
413	Tragacanth gum	-
414	Gum arabic	Milk, fat and confectionary products
415	Xanthan gum	Fat products, fruit and vegetables, cakes & biscuits, salads.
416	Karaya gum	-
440	Pectins	-
500	(unmodified)Sodium carbonates	Cakes & biscuits, confectionery
501	Potassium carbonates	Cereals/cakes & biscuits/confectionary
503	Ammonium carbonates	-
504	Magnesium carbonates	-
508	Potassium chloride	Frozen fruit and vegetables/canned
		fruit and vegetables, vegetable sauces/ketchup and mustard
509	Calcium chloride	Milk products/fat products/fruits and vegetables/soybean products
511	Magnesium chloride	Soy bean products
516	Calcium sulphate	Cakes & biscuits/soy bean products/bakers yeast. Carrier
524	Sodium hydroxide	Cereal products
938	Argon	-
941	Nitrogen	-
948	Oxygen	-

3.2 Flavourings

Substances and products labelled as natural flavouring substances or natural flavouring preparations as defined in General Requirements for Natural Flavourings (CAC/GL 29-1987).

3.3 Water and salts

Drinking water.

Salts (with sodium chloride or potassium chloride as basic components generally used in food processing).

3.4 Preparations of Microorganisms and Enzymes

Any preparations of microorganisms and enzymes normally used in food processing, with the exception of microorganisms genetically engineered/ modified or enzymes derived from genetic engineering.

3.5 Minerals (including trace elements), vitamins, essential fatty and amino acids, and other nitrogen compounds

Only approved in so far as their used is legally required in the food products in which they are incorporated.

For livestock and bee products

The following is a provisional list for the purposes of processing livestock and bee products only. Countries may develop a list of substances for national purposes that satisfy the requirements of these Guidelines as recommended in Section 5.2.

INS	Name	Specific conditions
153	Wood Ash	Traditional cheeses
170	Calcium carbonates	Milk products. Not as colouring agent.
270	Lactic acid	Sausage casings
290	Carbon dioxide	-
322	Lecithin	Obtained without the use of bleaches or organic solvents. Milk products/milk based infant food/fat products/mayonnaise.
331	Sodium citrate	Sausages/pasteurisation of egg whites/milk products
406	Agar	-
407	Carrageenan	Milk products
410	Locust bean gum	Milk products/meat products
412	Guar gum	Milk products/canned meat/egg products
413	Traganth gum	-
414	Arabic gum	Milk products/fat/confectionery
440	Pectin (unmodified)	Milk products
509	Calcium Chloride	Milk products/meat products
938	Argon	-
941	Nitrogen	-
948	Oxygen	-

TABLE 4: PROCESSING AIDS WHICH MAY BE USED FOR THE PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS OF AGRICULTURAL ORIGIN REFERRED TO IN SECTION 3 OF THESE GUIDELINES

Substance	Specific conditions
For plant products
Water	-
Calcium chloride	coagulation agent
Calcium carbonate	-
Calcium hydroxide	-
Calcium sulphate	coagulation agent
Magnesium chloride (or	coagulation agent
nigari)
Potassium carbonate	drying of grape raisins
Carbon dioxide	-
Nitrogen	-
Ethanol	solvent
Tannic acid	filtration aid
Egg white albumin	-
Casein	-
Gelatine	-
Isinglass	-
Vegetable oils	greasing or releasing agent
Silicon dioxide	as gel or collodial solution
Activated carbon	-
Talc	-
Bentonite	-
Kaolin	-
Diatomaceous earth	-
Perlite	-
Hazelnut shells	-
Beeswax	releasing agent
Carnauba wax	releasing agent
Sulphuric acid	pH adjustment of extraction water in sugar production
Sodium hydroxide	pH adjustment in sugar production
Tartaric acid and salts	-
Sodium carbonate	sugar production
Preparations of bark components	-
Potassium hydroxide	pH adjustment for sugar processing
Citric Acid	pH adjustment

Preparations of microorganisms and enzymes

Any preparations of microorganisms and enzymes normally used as processing aids in food processing, with the exception of genetically engineered/modified organisms and enzymes derived from genetically engineered/modified organisms.

For livestock and bee products

The following is a provisional list for the purposes of processing livestock and bee products only. Countries may develop a list of substances for national purposes that satisfy the requirements of these Guidelines as recommended in Section 5.2.

INS	Name	Specific conditions
	Calcium arbonates	-
	Calcium Chloride	Firming, coagulation agent in cheese making.
	Kaolin	Extraction of propolis.
	Lactic acid	Milk products: coagulation agent, pH
		regulation of salt bath for cheese.
	Sodium carbonate	Milk products: neutralizing substance.
	Water	-