Organic cinnamon is grown without harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and must follow specific criteria for fertilizers and pesticides. It cannot be harvested from bioengineered plants or be subjected to ionizing radiation. Natural cinnamon is not the same as organic cinnamon.
Organic cinnamon is cinnamon that is grown without the use of harmful pesticides or prohibited synthetic fertilizers. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), for cinnamon to be considered organic, it cannot be harvested from bioengineered plants or be subjected to ionizing radiation. Additionally, cinnamon must be grown using agricultural practices that have the least environmental impact and must be harvested using fair trade practices.
The process of growing organic cinnamon starts from the seed. Cinnamon is harvested from the bark of several varieties of cinnamon trees. To be considered organic, the trees from which cinnamon is harvested cannot have been grown from genetically modified seeds. The cinnamon tree is then grown following specific criteria for fertilizers and pesticides.
Once the cinnamon tree is growing, the use of most synthetic fertilizers is prohibited for organic crops. Sewage sludge is sometimes used on non-organic crops but is not used if the cinnamon crop is to be considered organic. The nutrients in the soil of organic crops are maintained by agricultural practices such as crop rotation and tillage. Composted manure is an approved fertilizer for organic crops. Prohibited fertilizers are not used on organic crops for a period of three years prior to harvest.
Organic methods are used to control pests on organic cinnamon crops. Beneficial insects may be released that feed on insects harmful to trees or interfere with insect breeding and reproduction. Insect pests can also be removed by hand or with the help of specialized machinery. A limited number of pesticides are approved for use on organic crops if harmful pests cannot be controlled by other means. Banned pesticides are not applied to cinnamon crops for three years prior to harvest.
Cinnamon is harvested from the inner bark of the tree. The thin inner bark is stripped and dried into rolls or quills. The cinnamon is then sold in stick form or ground into a powder. Irradiation, sometimes used on perishable food crops to extend market life, is not used on organic cinnamon.
Natural cinnamon is not the same as organic cinnamon. The term natural means that there are no artificial ingredients, colors or preservatives added to cinnamon. Natural cinnamon may contain pesticides or artificial fertilizer residues. Organic cinnamon, although grown without the use of harmful pesticides or fertilizers, can still contain traces of these chemicals. Some pesticides and fertilizers can sit in the soil for decades, eventually being absorbed by cinnamon trees.
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