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In part 1, we see how organic food are grown compared to the conventional type. Organic food differs from conventionally produced food simply in the way it is grown, handled and processed.

Indeed there is no scientific evidence to suggest that it is more nutritious or safer than conventional food.

However, a major advantage is that the organic food is less likely to contain pesticide residues than conventional food

Yet, according to the National Research Council, the traces of pesticides left on conventionally grown products are unlikely to cause an increased cancer risk. Also, if fruits and vegetables are properly washed, most of the chemicals can be removed.

As for taste, that’s up to you to decide what you like best. In general, people tend to find that the fresher a food is, the better it tastes, regardless of whether it is organic or not.

However there are the following criticism pertaining to organic food:

• some people argue that eating such products increases your exposure to biological contaminants, putting you at greater risk for foodborne illness. In particular, concerns have been raised about:

Manure - While manure is a well known carrier of human pathogens, when properly treated it is both safe and efficient. Plus, certified organic farmers are restricted from using untreated manure within 60 days before the harvest of a crop and are inspected to make sure these standards and restrictions are met. Mycotoxins from molds - Fungicides are not permitted in the production and processing of organic foods. However, studies have not shown that consuming organic products leads to a greater risk of mycotoxin contamination. E. coli bacteria - Particularly the virulent strain O157:H7, found in the intestinal tract of animals, is a concern. As it turns out, both conventional and organic foods are susceptible to contamination by E. coli.

• organic farmers can’t produce enough to feed everybody. Some experts contend that organic food production, and in particular the failure to implement genetic engineering techniques, will condemn millions worldwide to hunger, malnutrition and starvation because:

Yield (total harvest per unit area) for organic farming is lower than for conventional farming.

• Organic farming is not economically or socially viable in poorer countries.

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Organic Food (Part 1) In this part of the article, the following are highlighted:

• What is organic food?
• How to tell if a food is organic ?

What is Organic Food? The National Organic Standards Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defined organic food by how it cannot be made rather than how it can be made:

• organic food must be produced without the use of sewer-sludge fertilizers, most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetic engineering (biotechnology), growth hormones, irradiation and antibiotics.

“Organic” does not mean “natural.” There is no legal definition as to what constitutes a “natural” food. However, the food industry uses the term “natural” to indicate that a food has been minimally processed and is preservative-free. Natural foods can include organic foods, but not all natural foods are organic. Only foods labeled “organic” have been certified as meeting USDA organic standards (or other certifying bodies around the world).
Organic agricultural practices are quite distinct from those of “conventional” farming. Conventional farmers apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops, spray with insecticides to protect crops from pests/diseases and use synthetic herbicides to control weed growth whilst Organic farmers feed the soil, build soil matter with natural fertilizer to grow their crops, use insect predators, mating disruption, traps and barriers to protect crops from pests and diseases, make use of crop rotation, mechanical tillage and hand-weeding, as well as cover crops, mulches, flame weeding and other management methods to control weed growth. At the very last resort, organic farmers may apply certain botanical or other non-synthetic pesticides (for example, rotenone and pyrethrins, both of which are from plants).

The meat, dairy products and eggs that organic farmers produce are from animals that are fed organic feed and allowed access to the outdoors. Organic livestock must be kept in living conditions that accommodate the natural behavior of the animals. For instance, ruminants (including cows, sheep and goats) must have access to pasture. Although they may be vaccinated against disease, organic livestock and poultry may not be given antibiotics, hormones or medications in the absence of illness. Instead, livestock diseases and parasites are controlled largely through preventive measures such as rotational grazing, balanced diet, sanitary housing and stress reduction.

Next how can we tell if a Food is Organic?Simply just look for the word “organic” on vegetables or pieces of fruit, or on the sign above the organic produce display.

The word “organic” may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Foods labeled as:

• 100 percent organic- must contain only organic ingredients.
• => 70-percent organic- made with organic ingredients.
• Labeled as Organic - must have at least 95-percent organic ingredients, by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt.
• In most cases bear the seal “USDA Organic.” But as its use is voluntary, companies may choose not to display the seal.
• If a food is labeled “transitional,” it means that the farmer produced it during the three-year conversion period from conventional to organic.

Incidentally in US, anyone who knowingly sells or labels a product “organic” that is not produced and handled in accordance with these regulations can face a civil penalty of up to $10,000.

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