From fresh fruits and vegetables to breakfast cereals and pasta, more
and more foods are cropping up in our stores labelled as "organic". And
these foods are not just sold in health-food stores anymore. They are
increasingly found in the normal supermarket. Just what does the label
"organic" mean and are these foods a better alternative to conventional
products?
All foods are organic
The term "organic" is really a misnomer, according to the American
Dietetic Association (ADA). All foods come from living organisms -
either plant or animal - and because they all contain carbon, all foods
are technically "organic".
A more accurate term for these products is "organically grown" or
"organically produced". These foods are grown or produced with little or
no synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. Instead, chemical such as
copper, sulphur, pyrethrins and nicotine, may be used as pesticides
while manure, compost and organic wastes are typically used as
fertilisers.
The CODEX Alimentarius Commission, a cooperative effort of the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health
Organization (WHO), states that " 'Organic' is a labelling term that
denotes products that have been produced in accordance with organic
production standards and certified by a duly constituted certification
body or authority. Organic agriculture is based on minimizing the use of
external inputs, avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers and
pesticides". (Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling
and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods, CAC/GL 32-1999).
The US Department of Agriculture proposed national standards for
organic farming and handling in 1998. This standard is still being
finalised however it proposes that all foods sold in the US as
"organically-grown" or "organically-produced" must be certified by the
Department of Agriculture. The law proposes that these foods have at
least 50 percent of their ingredients produced organically. In the case
of processed foods, at least 95 percent of the ingredients must be
organically produced. In addition, the food can't contain any nitrates,
nitrites or sulphites.
Generally, organic production:
limits "inputs" such as fertilisers and pesticides, to those on an
approved list.
establishes standards for allowable materials, restricted
materials and prohibited materials.
allows some "natural" and very few synthetic pesticides to be
used.
allows some synthetic pesticide residues from pesticide drift from
other fields, or from the soil of a field in which synthetic
pesticides were previously used, to remain on organic produce.
In Asia, the area of organic products is more loosely regulated.
Organic Associations have established their own standards, which may
differ from country to country. These associations certify the products
to be "organically produced" and allow the producer to use their label
or to claim their product is "organic".
Organic doesn't mean more nutritious or safer
Despite the claims made by some producers and marketers of these
foods, there is no scientific evidence that organically grown products
are any healthier, more nutritious or safer than conventionally grown
crops.
"This is a common misunderstanding amongst buyers of organic
products," said Dr. Sushila Chang, Head, Department of Biotechnology and
Chemical Engineering, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore. "People think
that the products are in some way more nutritious but they offer similar
nutritional value as other products on the shelf".
There is also no evidence to show that organic foods are any safer
than conventional products according to the ADA. The House of Lords
Select Committee, UK, found no evidence for or against the safety of
organic products stating that "conventional and organic foods are
equally safe."
There have been some concerns recently over the use of manure on
organic foods and the increased risk of bacterial contamination of
organically produced crops. A recent study by Dr Michael Doyle at the
University of Georgia found that organically-grown produce was slightly
more likely than conventional produce to be contaminated with E.Coli, a
bacteria that causes food poisoning. In the tests, about 5 percent of
the organic produce was found to be contaminated with E.Coli bacteria
however, the levels varied by product, with some samples showing higher
levels. The products most likely to be contaminated were sprouts and
pre-bagged lettuce, where up to a third of the samples had E.Coli
contamination.
Environmental benefits?
So if the products are not any safer or any more nutritious than
conventional products, what are the benefits of "organically-grown"
products? Some proponents argue that organically grown produce is better
for the environment. These claims are based on the fact that fewer
pesticides and synthetic fertilisers are used.
Increasingly, this approach towards sustainable agriculture is being
followed in the production of conventional crops as the benefits to the
environment become apparent. According to the Scottish Crop Research
Institute, conventional farms can be, and often are, managed in ways
that provide the same environmental benefits as organic farming.
Dennis Avery, former analyst from the US Department of Agriculture,
believes that organic farms may in fact be harmful to the environment as
they waste land and lose a large proportion of crops to weeds and
insects. Many analysts also argue that farmers could not provide enough
food to feed the world if all pro-ducts grown were organically produced
because there would not be enough land to devote to production.
"It's today's conventional farmers, the non-organic ones, who are
saving the environment," says Dennis Avery. "By taking nitrogen from the
air to make chemical fertiliser and by using pesticides and genetically
modified seeds, today's farmers are producing more food on less land."
It's your choice
"At the end of the day, people purchasing organic food may be
expressing preferences other than the nutritional value or safety of the
food itself. Perhaps they believe that the food tastes better or they
wish to make a lifestyle statement," said Dr. Chang. "These rights must
be respected by providing education and labelling to allow people to
make that choice."
Given the large number of organic food stores springing up around the
region, it appears that the demand for organic produce is growing.
"While recognising that conventional systems also produce good quality
food that is safe to eat, people should be able to make an informed
choice on the products they choose to eat," said Dr. Chang.
Are genetically modified foods consistent with organic
agriculture?
Most farmers of organically grown foods claim that genetic
modification is the complete opposite of what the organic farming
movement is all about.
Genetic modification allows crops to be bred by selectively inserting
one or more genes into a plant to confer specific advantages. Plants
that are resistant to pests and diseases can be produced this way
thereby reducing the amount of insecticide required.
After taking evidence from a wide range of experts and interest
groups, a Select Committee of the House of Lords reported that,
"Biotechnology in general and genetic modification in particular, offer
great potential benefits to agriculture, industry, consumers and even to
the environment."
Genetic engineering would appear to be compatible with the principles
of organic farming however most current guidelines exclude genetically
modified foods from being classified as organically produced.
