Petitions filed to remove lecithin from National List

Organic lecithin supplier petitions USDA to remove non-organic lecithins from National List of substances approved for use in organic products. Decision on petitions likely at NOSB meeting in May.

Clarkson Soy Products, LLC has petitioned the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to remove two forms of lecithin from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, saying that commercial quantities of organic lecithin are now available.

Organic food processors can now use non-organic bleached and unbleached lecithin in products labeled “organic.”

Clarkson’s first petition, filed in June 2008, asks NOSB to remove bleached lecithin from the National List. The second petition filed in August 2008 asks NOSB to remove fluid lecithin from the National List.

Organic lecithin available
In letters to the National Organic Program accompanying the petitions, Lynn Clarkson, managing director, Clarkson Soy Products, states that “the supply of organic lecithin has evolved to the point that there are now certified organic lecithins available” to replace the need for non-organic bleached and fluid lecithins.

Non-organic lecithin has been allowed as an ingredient in organic foods because no organic alternative was available. That changed in 2004 when Clarkson introduced its organic lecithin. The company supplies bleached and fluid organic lecithin to organic food manufacturers, and is the main supplier of organic lecithin worldwide.

“We see no justification to leave bleached lecithin, especially made from soybeans treated with pesticides, hexane, and acetone, on the National List,” says Lynn Clarkson, managing director, Clarkson Soy Products.

GMO threat
Organic consumers, Clarkson says, don’t want chemicals—such as hexane and acetone used to make non-organic lecithin—in organic foods. They also don’t want pesticides that are used in production of conventional soybeans or genetically modified ingredients.

GM soybeans are used to make lecithin, though there are supplies of identity preserved, non-GMO, lecithin. Organic certifiers are obligated to require that organic processors use non-GMO lecithin because of the GMO threat.

Clarkson says allowing non-organic lecithin to remain on the National List discourages the development of organic ingredients. “Does the organic community want to support the development of organic ingredients? Who will invest in producing an organic ingredient if there is no incentive to do so?”

Clarkson also argues that the allowance for non-organic lecithin is not fair to his customers. “They have to compete with someone who uses cheaper ingredients and displays the same organic label.”

Clarkson Soy Products is the first company to petition to remove a non-organic ingredient from the National List, which lists non-organic substances that are allowed in organic livestock and crop production and processing.

Praise and opposition
Clarkson’s petitions have been praised by consumers and groups such as Cornucopia Institute, Beyond Pesticides, Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Organic Crop Improvement Association, and International Certification Services; the last three are organic certifiers.

In public comments submitted to the NOP about the petitions, the National Organic Coalition said, “This is an excellent example of industry making inroads in developing the organic availability of materials, which then necessitates the removal of a conventional product from use in organic production.”

Opposing the petitions are several organic food manufacturers. Sharon Herzog of Country Choice Organic wrote, “There is currently no commercially available supply of dry organic soy lecithin. Those products that require a dry form of lecithin would not be available to the consumer or would have a compromised quality.”

Sue Bisco of Northland Organic Seed & Grain, which supplier IP, non-GMO lecithin, wrote, “If there were truly a new supply of organic powdered bleached lecithin available, we would be in favor of removing bleached lecithin from the National List. The fact is, however, that there is no commercially available alternative to IP Non-GMO bleached powder lecithin.”

However, Lynn Clarkson says that the petitions only apply to fluid lecithin, not dry.

Another complaint was that Clarkson Soy Products has a monopoly on organic lecithin. Clarkson disagrees. “We have no patent, no corner on the market. We were the first to develop organic lecithin. Others will join the supply line to compete.”

Clarkson Soy Products’ petitions will be discussed at the NOSB meeting May 4-6 in Washington, DC.

© Copyright The Organic & Non-GMO Report April 2009