AMA organic seal

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The state Austrian AMA organic seal is a seal of approval from Agrarmarkt Austria . The new AMA organic seal guideline has been in effect since January 1, 2014, and has developed the former AMA organic seal into an organic quality seal. This is used to award organically grown food that exceeds the legal requirements. The trademark is registered with the Austrian Patent Office under the registration number AM 6259/98 as a word and image trademark . The AMA organic seal is available in two versions, with and without an indication of the origin. The red-white-red AMA organic seal with the indication of origin “Austria” stands for organically produced agricultural products from Austria or for food made from organically produced Austrian ingredients. With the black and white AMA organic seal without indication of origin, the origin of the organic agricultural raw materials is not restricted. The seals are awarded in connection with a license agreement.

Structure and accountability

The seal issuer is the Republic of Austria, represented by Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing GesmbH. Licensees are producers, processing companies and marketers of organically produced products.

Basic requirements

The red-white-red AMA organic seal is awarded in conjunction with a license agreement exclusively to foods that meet the provisions and quality requirements of the AMA organic seal guideline in the currently applicable version.

The following basic requirements must be complied with (according to the EU Organic Regulation on the production and labeling of organic products) - extract from Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007:

  • Prohibition of the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

No use of GMOs or products made with GMOs.

  • Prohibition of the use of ionizing radiation for the treatment of organic food or the raw materials used in organic food.
  • No use of easily soluble mineral fertilizers.
  • Synthetic pesticides must not be used.
  • The use of growth promoters (e.g. hormones) and synthetic amino acids is prohibited.
  • The product must consist of at least 95% organic agricultural raw materials.
  • Flavor enhancers , artificial aromas (nature-identical aromas, synthetic aromas) and colorings are not permitted in the production of organic foods.
  • In addition, the implementation regulation (EC) No. 889/2008 (as of September 2012) restricts the use of additives.

Foods labeled with the AMA organic seal not only meet the criteria of the EU organic regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 as amended. and the Implementing Regulation (EC) 889/2008 as amended, but the requirements to be met go beyond these legal provisions.

Requirements of the AMA organic seal guideline

Organic origin of the raw materials: The basic standards allow organic labeling for composite foods if 95 percent of the ingredients come from organic agriculture. Since the new directive, however, the AMA has required 100 percent organic ingredients for agricultural raw materials. Monoproducts (i.e. meat, milk, eggs or fruit and vegetables) with the AMA organic seal must be one hundred percent organic.

The product quality is ensured with specific quality criteria and requirements for "good manufacturing practice" and high hygiene standards. If food is awarded the AMA organic seal, its chemical, microbiological and sensory properties must meet the highest standards. For example, a guaranteed beef maturation of at least nine days is required for precious parts. For dairy products, the highest quality level according to the Austrian Food Book and the first quality class according to the AMA quality assessment scheme are required. This is checked through regular product analyzes.

Regulation for additives and packaging

The AMA organic seal imposes restrictions on additives. Around a quarter of the additives that are allowed to be used by the EU organic regulation are prohibited in AMA organic seal products. The long-term goal of the AMA is to further reduce the number of permitted additives. There are also requirements for packaging: no packaging material containing chlorine may be used if it could come into contact with organic food.

For agricultural production, the provisions of the EU organic regulations as well as any further criteria of organic associations apply. The AMA organic seal guideline applies to processing and trade. It lays down requirements for treatment and processing, for slaughterhouses and cutting plants, packing centers, direct marketers and the food trade.

Product groups that can be awarded the AMA organic seal: The AMA organic seal is only awarded for organic food. The focus is on fresh products such as milk and dairy products, fruit and vegetables, eggs, meat and meat products including poultry as well as bread and pastries.

Red-white-red AMA organic seal with indication of origin

Red-white-red AMA organic seal

With the red and white AMA organic seal with the indication of origin "Austria", all organic raw materials that determine the value come exclusively from Austria. This also applies to processed foods that consist of more than one ingredient. Organic ingredients for such organic foods may only come from another country in exceptional cases - for example, if an organic ingredient is not produced in Austria or is not produced in market-relevant quantities. Even then, these organic ingredients can only make up a third of the product. "Classics" are organic bananas or organic strawberries in organic fruit yoghurt or the organic pepper in organic sausages. If this exception is used, the origin must be marked.

Black and white AMA organic seal without indication of origin

Black and white AMA organic seal

The AMA organic seal without indication of origin guarantees the controlled organic quality of the food in accordance with the AMA organic seal guideline. The place of treatment and processing as well as the origin of the organic raw materials are not restricted.

Control system

In agriculture, organic inspection bodies check at least once a year. The processors:

  • ongoing in-house controls and documentation by the company (product analyzes, HACCP, good manufacturing practice)
  • External controls by independent organic inspection bodies at least once a year
  • Over-controls by the AMA (control of control)
Example organic milk:
  • Farmer: organic feed (agricultural biological management of the forage areas), housing conditions (group housing, etc.), stable control
  • Transport: separation of organic milk from conventional milk (separate chambers)
  • Dairy: separation between conventional and organic milk, hygiene, HACCP, laboratory tests, proper labeling

See also

Web links