Three years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that synthetic additives in organic baby formula violated federal standards and should be banned from a product carrying the federal organic label.
Today, however, the same additives can be found in 90 percent of organic baby formula. The turnaround came after a USDA program manager was lobbied by the formula makers and overruled her staff.
Grated organic cheese contains wood starch to prevent clumping. Organic beer can be made from non-organic hops. Organic mock duck contains a synthetic ingredient that gives it a more authentic texture.
Relaxation of the federal standards have helped push the organics market into a $23 billion-a-year business. But it also means that consumers are not always getting what they expect: foods free of pesticides and other chemicals.
In response to complaints, the USDA inspector general's office has widened an investigation of whether products carrying the label meet national standards. Some consumer groups worry that the program's lax standards are undermining the federal program and the law itself.