Organic food champion chef Kylie Kwong has helped launch a new Australian standard for organic and biodynamic products.
The standard is aimed at assisting the public and food service operators to identify credible organic products and will ensure that accredited organic products have regulatory protection.
Standards Australia along with the Organic Federation of Australia and NSW Department of Primary Industries developed the standards, which will cover the production, preparation, transportation, marketing and labelling of organic and biodynamic products, though the existing range of certification schemes can continue.
John Tucker, the chief executive of Standards Australia, said the standards took two and half years of discussions and debate in the expanding organic industry and $250,000.
"This has been difficult, it's taken maturity, it's directly taken 30 parties to come together, and we have had a huge amount of public comment—over 900 parties chose to make comments," he said.
"It's a single benchmark standard, but competition continues in terms of the actual certification or marks applied to verify the claim."
To mark the launch of the standard, the Organic Federation of Australia has launched Trust Organic-a fortnight of activities regarding organic food and climate change in Sydney. Trust Organic was officially launched at the Novotel Darling Harbour by Kwong.
The chef and owner of Billy Kwong, has been an organic advocate for many years, making a switch to organic food at her restaurant in 2005.
“As a chef, my aim is to make a small and light environmental foot print where ever possible,” she explained. “It’s about respect for the land and produce.”
Along with using organic and free trade produce, Billy Kwong is also a carbon neutral restaurant, despite serving more than 700 people per week.
The Novotel Hotel Group is also an advocate for organic food and sustainable living, and has recently introduced an organic and gluten free, low GI breakfast menu world wide.
As a minimum standard, all Novotel Hotel breakfast buffets must now include organic options, in addition to standard breakfast options.
Lorraine Mercuri, general manager Accor’s Darling Harbour Hotels, said the move is in line with the company’s “Designed for natural living” positioning.
“We are a company committed to sustainability. Part of that sustainability commitment from our perspective is the investment in the future and I think organic food is part of the future,” she said.
“It’s our responsibility to make sure the commitment starts now. Starting with breakfast and educating the market.”
The hotel’s breakfast buffet menu includes organic banana bread, organic toasted museli, organic jams, organic fresh fruit and fruit juices as well as organic fruit compotes.