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Meaning of the organic seal - the most important facts in brief

Our teas are all certified organic according to DE-ÖKO-006 and JAS organic (Japan). But what exactly does this mean and which regulations must be observed? Today we want to explain to you in more detail what the organic seal and what is actually behind the Japanese Organic Regulation (JAS organic).
Laura
Laura · Tea Encyclopedia & Japan Fan
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 27. Juli 2026 · Lesezeit ca. 3 Min.
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Today we want to explain to you in more detail what the organic seal and what is actually behind the Japanese Organic Regulation (JAS organic). 

More than 10 years ago, before the national organic label was launched in 2001, numerous organic labels confused consumers in their daily consumption decisions. Fortunately, this has changed. Now, products and foodstuffs that are "[...] produced and controlled in accordance with EU legislation on organic farming [...]" are labeled as organic. are labeled with the organic label. The consumer can rely on the fact that uniform minimum standards for the organic farming are adhered to. True to the motto: if it says organic, it's organic.

In order to seal of approval the following EU legal requirements, among others, must be met:

  • all ingredients of agricultural origin must come from organic farming
  • records must be kept of all inputs and products
  • only those who can meet the relevant requirements and undergo regular organic inspections may label the products with "organic" and "Eco" label

But what does "organic farming" actually mean? 

As is so often the case, one set of requirements leads to further regulations. And so it is with organic seal of approval.

Organic farming means a production system that respects natural life cycles as much as possible. This means that the impact of humans must be minimized in order to preserve the properties of the soil and protect biodiversity. "The main idea of organic farming is to operate in the in harmony with nature. 

No use of genetic engineering, no use of chemicals, no irradiation of food and severe restrictions on the use of additives are just four of the numerous regulations for organic farming.

In addition to the extensive regulations for organic certification according to DE-ÖKO-006 there are of course also requirements for the Japanese organic regulation, which are also met by all our teas.

What does the JAS organic certification stand for?

This organic seal applies to agricultural raw materials and food products in Japan. Here too, the products and their compliance with the official regulations must be certified by a competent authority. The requirements include similar regulations to the German equivalent regarding climate and environmental protection, preservation of soil fertility and biodiversity, as well as the use of fertilizers.

Organic labels and the corresponding regulations behind them are an extensive topic, but we want to leave you some time for our other exciting blog posts and, above all, recipes.

Hopefully we have been able to give you an insight into the importance of our organic certifications. 

If you have any questions about this or any other topic, please feel free to write to us. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Was bedeutet die Nummer DE-ÖKO-006 auf der Verpackung?

Die Codenummer bezeichnet die zuständige Öko-Kontrollstelle. DE steht für Deutschland als Kontrolland, ÖKO für ökologische Erzeugung nach EU-Vorgaben und 006 für die konkrete Kontrollstelle – in diesem Fall die ABCERT AG in Esslingen. Sie prüft zertifizierte Betriebe mindestens einmal jährlich.

Was ist der Unterschied zwischen dem deutschen Bio-Siegel und dem EU-Bio-Logo?

Inhaltlich stellen beide dieselben Anforderungen, da sie auf der EU-Öko-Verordnung beruhen. Das grüne EU-Bio-Logo ist seit 2012 für alle vorverpackten Bio-Lebensmittel aus der EU verpflichtend, während das sechseckige deutsche Bio-Siegel (seit 2001) freiwillig zusätzlich verwendet werden darf. Oft findest du beide gemeinsam auf einer Packung.

Ist Bio-Tee mit JAS-Zertifizierung in Europa als Bio anerkannt?

Ja. Zwischen der EU und Japan besteht ein Äquivalenzabkommen für Bio-Produkte, sodass sich beide Systeme in weiten Teilen gegenseitig anerkennen. Japanischer Tee mit JAS-Organic-Zertifizierung darf daher auch in Europa als Bio gekennzeichnet und verkauft werden. Unsere Tees erfüllen beide Normen.

Sagt das Bio-Siegel etwas über Schadstoffe wie Schwermetalle aus?

Nein. Das Bio-Siegel bezieht sich auf die Erzeugungs- und Verarbeitungsweise, nicht auf die Gehalte im fertigen Produkt. Grenzwerte für Schwermetalle und andere Kontaminanten stehen im allgemeinen Lebensmittelrecht und werden über Laboranalysen geprüft. Wer Werte für eine bestimmte Charge sehen möchte, braucht ein Analysenzertifikat.

Our Recommendation

Matcha Hitotsu - Uji Edition (JAS)

Matcha Hitotsu - Uji Edition (JAS)

Bio- und JAS-zertifizierter Premium-Matcha aus Uji

ab 35,00 € · 1.166,67 €/kg

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