Organic food tests and inspections
Guidance on tests and inspections for producers, processors, importers and sellers of organic food, feed and seed.
If you produce, process, import, export or sell organic food, an approved UK organic control body must certify your food and business. Contact your control body for advice on organic procedures.
Your control body can inspect your business at any time. You might not get notice of the visit.
You can also report organic food you suspect does not meet organic standards for a control body to inspect.
Getting inspected
Your control body will inspect your business at least once a year. You may get further inspections randomly or if your control body thinks your premises may be a risk.
Provide samples for testing
Your control body might need to take samples if it inspects your business. You, or someone you authorise, must be present when your control body does this.
They will send the samples to an accredited laboratory for the test necessary on your particular samples.
Detailed inspections for livestock
If you keep livestock for organic meat or dairy products, you might need more detailed assessments. Your control body might test your livestock, meat and feed for:
- banned substances (known as prohibited substances in EU regulations) such as growth hormones
- use of veterinary medicines such as antibiotics
If tests show that your food might not meet organic standards
If test results show that your organic food might not meet organic standards, your control body will investigate.
During an investigation, they will complete a risk assessment. If the risk is high, your control body will usually stop you selling affected food as organic while they continue to investigate. They might also need to:
- inspect your premises
- test a sample of the affected food for traces of pesticides
- check if other organic food in your business is affected
- check if businesses that supply ingredients to you are affected
The investigation will decide if:
- you have deliberately used banned substances, such as a prohibited pesticide
- contamination was outside your control – for example, someone else’s pesticide spray drifted onto your crop or you bought a contaminated ingredient
- you were negligent – for example, you did not take steps to prevent contamination
- you have not followed organic procedures – for example, you did not clean and disinfect in line with organics rules
If your organic food contains traces of pesticides
If your control body finds:
- no traces of pesticides in your food – they will tell you when you can remarket your food as organic
- traces of pesticides under the safe limit – you must stop selling affected food as organic, and your control body may take further action like revoking your organic certification
- traces of pesticides above the safe limit – they will report you to the UK Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD)
The safe limit for consumers is known as the maximum residue level (MRL). Each pesticide has a different MRL. Find out the MRL for a pesticide.
If your control body reports you to the CRD, they will investigate you. Your control body will carry out any follow-up action on behalf of the CRD.
Contamination outside your control
In most cases, your control body will let you keep labelling your food as organic if both:
- any contamination was outside your control
- you’re following the procedures for organic production
However, meeting this criteria does not guarantee you can continue to market affected food as organic. Your control body will also consider other factors in their decision.
Appeal against test results
If you disagree with any test results, you must tell your control body within 2 working days.
You can:
- ask the control body to test again and get a second opinion
- arrange your own test in consultation with your control body
Not all labs are accredited for all organic testing.
You’ll have to pay for a second test if the results are similar to the first test.
If your food does not meet organic standards
You must stop labelling some or all of your food as organic if you:
- used banned substances deliberately
- were negligent and did not follow the procedures for organic production
You may need to recall your food from anywhere it’s on sale or held in storage.
Your control body will tell you if you must relabel or recall your food.
Your control body will work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Defra will decide if you can start labelling your food as organic again and when.
You cannot label your food as organic until your control body tells you in writing. If you start organic labelling without permission, trading standards will usually take enforcement action. You may be prosecuted.
Report food suspected or known to be non-organic
If you suspect that food labelled as organic does not meet organic standards, you must report it to a control body. It will investigate.
Report your own organic food
You must tell your control body if you believe:
- your organic food contains banned substances
- your staff have not followed organic procedures
You must:
- speak to and work with your control body
- keep any affected food separate
- stop labelling affected food with any reference to organic
- carry out testing in an accredited laboratory approved by the control body
- provide test results to the control body
You might be able to label your food as organic again if the control body is satisfied with the test results.
Report someone else’s organic food
You must contact your control body to report any:
- banned substances you suspect might be in any ingredient you use or food you sell
- producer that you believe may not have followed organic production methods
Your control body will tell you what steps to take. They might contact the organisation that certified the organic food to arrange a test or investigation. They will tell you the results if it affects your business.
Last updated 13 July 2023 + show all updates
-
Clarified the process control bodies will take when when investigating food that might not meet organic standards.
-
First published.