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A natural food crop is minimally processed and does not contain any flavorings, food colors, sweeteners, antibiotics, or hormones not originally found in the food. The words “natural food” or “all natural food” are often used on food labels. The varying, and sometimes vague, definitions for these terms often lead to their misuse in advertising and labeling. In comparison, the word “organic” has a legal definition as well as an international standard.

Nearly all foods come from some natural product of a plant or animal. Defining natural foods leads to a somewhat arbitrary inclusion or exclusion of ingredients. In addition, almost all foods are subject to some form of processing, whether it is through chemicals, machines, or temperature. This makes it difficult to define what type of processing is considered natural.

The United Kingdom defines natural foods by product and process. Its Food Standards Agency states that natural foods contain ingredients that are produced by nature and are not “the work of man or interfered with by man.” Different types of foods and processing techniques have different agency standards.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency claims that natural foods are those that are not altered significantly due to processing. The agency provides examples of processes that alter and do not alter food. It also provides the requirement that the item not contain an added mineral nutrient, vitamin, food additive, or artificial flavoring agent. In addition, the item may not have an entire constituent or portion of a constituent significantly changed or removed, with the exception of water removal.

Within the U.S., the rules for natural foods have not been determined by the USDA or FDA. In fact, the FDA discourages the food industry’s use of this term. Since natural foods have no legal meaning, food manufacturers sometimes place the word “natural” on foods that contain ingredients that are in fact heavily processed.

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