GENERAL PROCESSING

• Organically derived ingredients must be used if available.
• Non-organic ingredients may be used inthe preparation of processed organic products where such ingredients are of agricultural origin and cannot be sourced as organic in sufficient quantities.
• These materials shall not be genetically engineered.
• Water and salt may be used as ingredients in theproduction of organic products and are not included in the percentage calculations of organic ingredients.
• Minerals (including trace elements), vitamins and similar isolated ingredients shall not be usedunless their use is legally required in the food products in which they are incorporated, or wheresevere dietary or nutritional deficiency can be demonstrated. This applies to both the country ofmanufacture and the country where the product is sold.
• Preparations of micro-organisms and enzymes commonly used in food processing may be used,with the exception of genetically engineered micro-organisms and their products.
• Ingredients, additives or processing aids derived from GMOs Must not be used.
• Ingredients produced using nanotechnology must not be used.
• Processing methods shall be mechanical, physical or biological in nature and minimise the use of non-agricultural ingredients, processing aids and additives.
• Extraction shall only take place with water, ethanol, plant and animal oils, vinegar, carbon dioxideand nitrogen. These shall be of a quality appropriate for their purpose.
• You must not use irradiation or ingredients that have been irradiated. This includes irradiation for the purposes of pest control, food preservation, elimination of pathogens or sanitation.
• Filtration equipment shall not contain asbestos, or utilise techniques or substances that maynegatively affect the product.
• Ethylene gas is permitted for ripening.
• Steam traps and filters should be used to remove non-volatile boiler water additives.

The following conditions of storage are permitted (for allowed substances in these conditions:

• Controlled atmosphere   
• Temperature control   
• Drying
• Humidity regulation   

A handler or processor is required to manage pests and shall use the following methods according to these priorities:

• Preventative methods such as disruption, elimination of habitat and access to facilities
• Mechanical, physical and biological methods
• Substances appearing in Table 1 (or other substances allowed for use by AsureQuality in accordance with Section 10) may be used provided that they are accepted for use inhandling, storage, transportation or processing facilities by the competent authority and so that contact with organic products is prevented. 
• The operator shall take necessary precautions to prevent contamination, including the removal of organic product from the storage or processing facility, and measures to decontaminate the equipment or facilities.
• Application of prohibited substances to equipment or facilities shall notcontaminate organic product handled or processed therein.
• Pests should be avoided by good manufacturing practice.

You must not use prohibited pest control practices, which include:

• Fumigation with ethylene oxide, methyl bromide, aluminum phosphide
• Ionizing radiation

WINE PROCESSING

• 100% grape juice and wine from organically grown grapes must be used.
• Organic sucrose and concentrated organic grape may be used for enrichment (increased natural alcohol content)
• Yeast may be used provided must not be from sources grown on petrochemical substrate, or sulfite waste liquor or using GMO technologies.
• Organic yeast where available must be used.
• Organic wastes from wine production must be processed and treated in such a way that they do notdamage the environment.
• Organic waste should be recycled as organic fertilizer.
• Organic wines must not be blended with non-organic wines at any percentage.

The following may be use:

• Pectins (unmodified)   
• silicon dioxide as a gel or colloidal solution   
• Tannic acid
• Bentonite   
• Casein organic unless commercially unavailable   
• Diatomaceous earth   
• Egg whitealbumen
• Food grade gelatin -organic unless commercially unavailable    
• Chilling   
• Potassium tartrate   
• Potassium carbonate & potassium bicarbonate   
• Lactic acid bacteria   
• Citric acid (to stabilize iron)   
• Abscorbic acid   
• Perlite

The following must not be used:   

• GMO processing aids and additives

• The following acceptable processing methods may be used:
• Crushing   
• Settling   
• Centrifugation   
• Chilling   
• Short term heating   
• Hot bottling of wine   
• Filtration with approved media   
• Treatment with inert gas