Geneva  - People may spend more money on them, thinking they are healthier and better for the planet: but statistics published by the local media Monday showed that 17 out of 25 Swiss producers surveyed had food products falsely labeled as "organic."

The testing, carried out in 2008, included milk products, vegetables and baked goods from Canton Aargau in the north of Switzerland, a significant agricultural region.

The cantonal Office for Consumer Protection also checked restaurants claiming to serve organic dishes.

The office felt most of the mislabeling was a result of "ignorance" as to what "organic" products were allowed to contain.

Most mislabeled items had traces of additives or disinfectants, though the producers likely thought they met the standards, which are kept rather high by Suisse Bio, the association of organic growers.

A 2007 survey, conducted in the western part of the Alpine confederation, found more reassuring results, the Swiss News Agency ATS reported.

Then, 88 per cent of products, or 50 out of the 57 that underwent testing, actually fit the "organic" label they carried and did not contain traces of synthetic chemicals. (dpa)