Formal Recommendation by the 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) 

to the National Organic Program (NOP)

 

Date: October 28, 2010 

Subject: Sunset Review of Yeast as listed on §205.605 (a), 

nonagricultural (nonorganic) non-synthetic substances allowed 

as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic” 

or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)).” 

Chair: Daniel G. Giacomini 

 

 

The NOSB hereby recommends to the NOP the following: 

Rulemaking Action X 

 

 

Statement of the Recommendation (Including Recount of Vote): 

 

Yeast is listed on 205.605(a) with the annotation “nonsynthetic, growth on 

petrochemical substrate and sulfite waste liquor is prohibited (Autolysate; 

Bakers; Brewers; Nutritional; and Smoked-non-synthetic smoke flavoring 

process must be documented)”. This substance was scheduled to sunset off 

the National List in 2012, was reviewed by the NOSB, and a motion was made 

for the re-listing of this substance at the October 2010 meeting. The motion 

passed by a vote of 14 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions, 0 absent, and 0 recusals. 

 

Rationale Supporting Recommendation (including consistency with 

OFPA and NOP): 

 

The Handling Committee’s recommendation covering this material is attached. 

There were no public written or verbal comments opposing the committee’s 

recommendation, and the material was recommended for relisting by the full 

NOSB as shown below. 

 

NOSB Vote: 

Moved: Joe Smillie Second: Steve DeMuri 

Yes: 14 No: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 0 Recusal: 0 
National Organic Standards Board 

Handling Committee 

Sunset Recommendation – 2012 

Yeast 

August 30, 2010 

List: 205.605 Nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances allowed as ingredients in 

or on processed products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic (specified 

ingredients or food group(s)).” 

(a) Nonsynthetics allowed 

 Yeast- nonsynthetic, growth on petrochemical substrate and sulfite waste liquor 

is prohibited (Autolysate; Bakers; Brewers; Nutritional; and Smoked-nonsynthetic smoke flavoring process must be documented) 

Committee Summary 

Federal register notice of the sunset of these materials elicited a number of public 

comments and a detailed petition requesting that yeast be moved to 205.606. 

Review of the original recommendation, historical documents, and public comments 

does not reveal unacceptable risks to the environment, human, or animal health as a 

result of the use or manufacture of this material. There is information contradicting the 

original technical review which was the basis for the previous NOSB decision to list this 

material. This information cited OFPA as a basis for recognizing yeast as agricultural. 

The Handling Committee has examined this and issued a recommendation. 

Committee Recommendation(s)

The handling committee recommends the renewal of the following substance in this use 

category as published in the final rule: 

Yeast- nonsynthetic, growth on petrochemical substrate and sulfite waste liquor 

is prohibited (Autolysate; Bakers; Brewers; Nutritional; and Smoked-nonsynthetic smoke flavoring process must be documented) 

Committee Vote 

Motion: Joe Smillie Second: Steve DeMuri 

Yes: 6 No: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 1