The label "natural" doesn't mean "all natural."

Consumers - eager to eat more healthful foods - often mistakenly view "all natural" labels as government-backed assurances that the food is produced without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics or growth hormones.

The label implies food as close to nature as possible. advertisement

But, according to government regulations, "natural" for meat, poultry and dairy means that the food does not contain ingredients, colors or preservatives considered artificial and not natural to the product. It has nothing to do with how the animal was raised or what it ate.

"Natural can give consumers a false sense of security, because most of the labels have no meaning, no regulation behind them," said Ronnie Cummins,director for the Minnesota-based Organic Consumer Association.

"Organic" is the only label certified by U.S. inspectors, and certified products must carry a United States Department of Agriculture organic seal.

Other common food labels - "all natural," "cage free," "range free" - are simply unregulated guidelines. That said, experts recommend consumers pay close attention to labels before buying.

Here are a few of the most confusing label categories:

Grass fed: This label implies that the animal was raised roaming fields and hills eating grass and hay, but grass fed does not necessarily mean pasture raised. They can be fed harvested grasses.

The USDA recently issued a proposed standard for what grass fed must mean on meat, but not poultry, products: The animals' diets must consist of at least 99 percent grass over their lifetimes. The labeling is voluntary and requires no verification, however. For more information, see Eatwild.com, which lists about 800 grass-fed beef ranches.

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