Quality, Labels & Identity
What label words like natural, organic, hypoallergenic and certified do and do not tell you about a natural ingredient, with what US sources say and the limits of testing.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read natural ingredient safety before you use anything on this page.
Quick answer: words on a natural-ingredient label tell you less than most people expect. A few have a legal meaning in the US, several do not, and none of them shows that a product works or is safe for you. Quality is about identity, purity and honest labeling. It is a separate question from benefit.
What common label words are described to mean
| Label word | What the sources we read say | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Natural (food) | The FDA has not made rules for a formal definition of "natural" on food. Its longstanding policy is that nothing artificial or synthetic has been added that would not normally be expected in the food. [1] | More about Natural (food) → |
| Natural or organic (cosmetics) | The FDA does not have regulations defining "natural" or "organic" for cosmetics. [2] | More about Natural or organic (cosmetics) → |
| Organic | USDA rules: "organic" means at least 95 percent organic ingredients (not counting salt and water), and "made with organic" means at least 70 percent. The label must be approved by a certifying agent. [3] | More about Organic → |
| Natural flavors | Defined in federal food rules as things like an essential oil, essence or extractive from a plant or animal source, used mainly for flavor rather than nutrition. [4] | More about Natural flavors → |
| Hypoallergenic | There are no federal standards or definitions for the term, and it means whatever a company wants it to mean. [5] | More about Hypoallergenic → |
| Standardized, verified, certified | NCCIH says these words do not necessarily guarantee product quality or consistency. [6] | More about Standardized, verified, certified → |
| Food grade, cosmetic grade, pharmaceutical grade | See the page on grades. | More about Food grade, cosmetic grade, pharmaceutical grade → |
Identity comes first
A label should say which organism or plant part is inside. Names change over time. For example, GBIF (a taxonomy database) lists Spirulina platensis as a synonym of the accepted name Arthrospira platensis, so the same organism can appear under either name. [7][8] For herbal products, the plant part and the extract type also matter; see Latin names, plant parts and extract ratios on labels.
What published testing has found
Testing studies show why identity and purity checks matter. They are examples, not a verdict on every product.
| Product type | What the testing found | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Spirulina supplements sold in Slovenia | 86.7% of the products had inappropriate declarations of elemental content, and additives caused significant variation in nutrient content. [12] | One study of products on one national market. |
| Spirulina in general | LactMed says products grown in uncontrolled conditions can contain heavy metals, and some can be contaminated with a blue-green alga that produces liver toxins called microcystins. [13] | A reference summary, not a ranking of products. |
| Cocoa, seaweed, clay and shilajit | Published studies found metals such as lead, cadmium or arsenic in some samples. [14][15][16][17] | Results vary by sample and source. See Heavy metals in natural ingredients. |
LactMed also notes that differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts in supplements. [18]
Organic and quality are different questions
The FDA states that an ingredient's source does not determine its safety, in an answer about organic cosmetics. [19] One US study of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products found that products labeled organic were significantly more likely to show higher cadmium and lead. [20] That is a single sample of products, so it does not mean organic products are worse. It does show that "organic" cannot be read as "low in metals."
What certificates and test reports can and cannot show
LactMed explains that a manufacturer may hire an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that this does not certify the product's safety or effectiveness. [18] It also says clinical testing results on one product may not apply to other products. [18] How programs work in general is covered in Quality testing and certifications.
What a reader can do
- Look for the scientific name, the plant part and the full ingredient list, and compare with the checklist in How to compare natural ingredient products.
- Ask a pharmacist or clinician before using a supplement if you take medicines, have a medical condition or are having surgery. NCCIH says supplements may interact with medicines or pose risks in those situations. [6] See also how interactions work and product quality and contamination.
- If a product caused a problem, the FDA's MedWatch program receives reports from the public, including for cosmetics such as moisturizers and shampoos. [21] See how to report a side effect.
- If someone has swallowed a product not made to be eaten, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). Call 911 for collapse, seizure, trouble breathing, or swelling of the face or throat.
Frequently asked questions
Does "organic" mean a natural ingredient is pure or safe?
No. USDA organic rules describe how a product is produced, handled and labeled. [3] The FDA says an ingredient's source does not determine its safety. [19]
Does "natural" have a legal meaning?
For food, the FDA has a longstanding policy but has not made rules for a formal definition. [1] For cosmetics, the FDA does not have regulations defining "natural." [2]
If a product has a third-party seal or lab report, is it safe?
Not necessarily. Independent quality verification does not certify safety or effectiveness, according to LactMed. [18] NCCIH adds that words like "verified" or "certified" do not necessarily guarantee quality or consistency. [6]
Is something sold as "food grade" fine to use anywhere on or in the body?
The sources we read do not say so. The FDA notes, for example, that cumin oil is safe in food but can cause the skin to blister. [2] See Food grade vs cosmetic grade vs pharmaceutical grade.
Where can I report a bad reaction to a product?
In the US, MedWatch accepts reports from the public, including for cosmetics. [21] Supplement labels must also give an address or phone number for reporting serious adverse events to the company. [9]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
What regulators review before sale, and what they do not
- Dietary supplements: NCCIH says the FDA is not authorized to review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed, and that the rules for making them are less strict than for medicines. [6] The FDA says it generally does not approve supplement claims or labeling before use. [9]
- Cosmetics and skin products: with the exception of color additives, cosmetic products and ingredients do not require FDA approval before they go on the market. [10] The FDA has no list of approved or accepted claims for cosmetics. [11]
- The same ingredient can sit under different rules depending on whether it is sold as a food, a supplement or a cosmetic. For the full picture, see Regulation of natural ingredients.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Use of the Term Natural on Food Labeling. Content current as of October 22, 2018. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Aromatherapy. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Labeling Organic Products. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 101.22, Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Hypoallergenic" Cosmetics. Page dated October 18, 2000. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Using Dietary Supplements Wisely. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, species match for Spirulina platensis. Checked 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, species match for Arthrospira platensis. Checked 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?). Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Cosmetics Labeling Claims. Content current as of November 21, 2022. Read 2026-10-23.
- Masten Rutar J, et al. Nutritional Quality and Safety of the Spirulina Dietary Supplements Sold on the Slovenian Market. Foods. 2022;11(6):849. PubMed 35327271. Read 2026-10-23.
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Spirulina. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; record dated 2021-06-21. PubMed 30000909. Read 2026-10-23.
- Abt E, Robin LP. Perspective on Cadmium and Lead in Cocoa and Chocolate. J Agric Food Chem. 2020;68(46):13008-13015. PubMed 32293881. Authors are at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Read 2026-10-23.
- Rose M, et al. Arsenic in seaweed: forms, concentration and dietary exposure. Food Chem Toxicol. 2007;45(7):1263-1267. PubMed 17336439. UK Defra laboratory study of retail dried seaweed. Read 2026-10-23.
- Reeuwijk NM, et al. Levels of lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium in clays for oral use on the Dutch market and estimation of associated risks. Food Addit Contam Part A. 2013;30(9):1535-1545. PubMed 23862762. Read 2026-10-23.
- Hussain A, Saeed A. Hazardous or Advantageous: Uncovering the Roles of Heavy Metals and Humic Substances in Shilajit. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024;202(12):5794-5814. PubMed 38393486. Review. Read 2026-10-23.
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Seaweed. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; record dated 2024-10-15. PubMed 30000910. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Organic" Cosmetics. Content current as of February 25, 2022. Read 2026-10-23.
- Hands JM, et al. A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1366231. PubMed 39144282. Some authors were employed by a product-testing company, as the paper discloses. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. Content current as of October 21, 2026. Read 2026-10-23.