I’ve seen a lot of misconceptions around organic foods thrown around, and I figured it would be a great idea to clear up a few of these ideas.
First, let’s start by saying that I am all for organic food, and I’m all for “conventional food;” Whatever fits into your lifestyle, your budget, your goals, and what you stand for is what works for you. I choose to eat organic when possible, and there are some foods that I really don’t care whether or not I eat them organic– It all comes down to choice, and that choice is yours to make.
That being said, on with some myth debunking! (And it’s worth noting that this is strictly for an American audience– I’m not familiar with Organic standards abroad.)
You probably have some misconceptions about this.
Let’s start by defining what “Organic Food” is. It is food that is heavily regulated by the USDA under the guidelines of the National Organic Program (NOP) and Organic Food Production Act of 1990. These guidelines define what must be followed in order to be certified organic, and they also define what sort of compounds may be used in the cultivation, production, and packing of organic foods. Any business associated with the production of food can be certified as “Organic,” so long as they follow the strict guidelines. Processed food that is marketed as “100% Organic” is made with 100% organic ingredients and may carry the “USDA Organic” seal; Processed food that is “Organic” is made with 95% organic ingredients, and also carries the seal; A food with 70% or more organic ingredients may be labeled, “Made with Organic Ingredients,” but may not carry the “USDA Organic” seal.
So, there is a very, very brief rundown on what defines organic food– Now, to bust a myth.
Many people believe that organic food is free of pesticides and herbicides; That is incorrect. The difference between “Conventional” and “Organic” in terms of the use of pesticides comes down to what the Secretary of Agriculture defines as organic friendly or not. What does that mean? Pesticides used on organic foods must be derived from natural sources, whereas pesticides used for conventional foods may either be derived from natural sources, or synthetic. The distinction has nothing to do with safety– Simply the source of the pesticide. Also keep in mind that the “natural source” of the organic pesticide has nothing to do with toxicity– Organic pesticides can still be very toxic to humans and animals. One common organic pesticide, “Rotenone,” is classified by the WHO (World Health Organization) as moderately hazardous; It is toxic in humans and animals; Deliberate ingestion can be fatal; And in a 2011 study, Rotenone was linked to the development of Parkinson’s Disease in farm workers.
. . . So whether you buy organic or not, be sure to wash your produce thoroughly.
And it’s also worth noting that there is no regulation on the use of the phrase “Pesticide Free” for marketing– While an organic farmer has to be certified to market his products as organic, no one checks to see if his products are pesticide free if he markets them as such.
Bottom line, though: Pesticides are everywhere– “Organic” has nothing to do with that. We’ll be tackling more misconceptions about organic food in the future, as well!
(A few fun facts on the subject: The peel of fruits can hold onto trace amounts of pesticides, so if you are worried about synthetic pesticides and are on a budget, you can go conventional for any produce where you don’t eat the peel (Pineapple, Corn, etc.). Meat can hold onto pesticides, but it all collects in the fat; Trim the fat to avoid consuming any unwanted pesticides.)
Edit (6/19): I’m adding links to various sources used while doing research for this article. Sources may become a permanent fixture in our articles soon. (You’ll have to forgive my sources not being annotated or properly formatted, as I’m adding these after the article was originally published.)
USDA National Organic Program, Subpart G
“Some Pesticides Permitted in Organic Gardening” from Colorado State University
Gillman J. (2008). The Truth About Organic Farming.
“Organic Agriculture”
Mechanism of toxicity in rotenone models of Parkinson’s disease
Rotenone model of Parkinson Disease