Organic vs. Conventional Food Bytes – Vege Out!

Organic vs. Conventional FoodBytes – Vege Out! By Olivia Hargrave and Lillian Reed

What are the chemicals used in the production of food? Everything we eat is a mixture of chemicals. Many of them are found naturally in food and are essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that we need to stay healthy. Other chemicals in food are additives, mixed in to stop it decaying or to improve its texture, colour, or attractiveness to the consumer. Traces of chemicals used while growing and manufacturing food may also be present as contaminants.

What are the risks of eating foods that have been grown using chemicals The Importance of Eating Organic Food for the Health of Your Body Research has shown that foods grown organically have more powerful effects against disease than those not grown organically. They are rich in antioxidants which boosts the immune system of the body. By boosting the immune system you have an improved ability to withstand and fight off harmful illness and disease. Antioxidants are effective for conquering free radicals in the human body and have been shown to be effective in the defence of cancer. Antioxidants are beneficial for improving the health of the skin and its appearance. They are widely used to minimize the effects of aging in the body. Consuming organic foods can improve the overall health of an individual due to the fact that they contain approximately 50% more nutrients, vitamins and minerals than its conventionally farmed counterparts. No Harmful Chemicals Organic foods are beneficial in providing nutrient rich foods that are free of toxic chemicals that are found in many processed or non-organic foods. Foods produced organically contain no chemicals. No herbicides, pesticides or chemically enhanced fertilizers are used. Consumers risk ingesting harmful byproducts of the use of such chemicals when food is produced or raised with these products. An example is that if you were to wash and eat an average apple that was conventionally grown you will have eaten approximately 30 pesticides. You can get the same foods with the same taste without consuming poisons or toxins and you can also help to improve the environment while improving your own health. The Importance of Eating Organic Food for the Environment Organic farming uses less energy and less fossil fuel than conventional methods. The soil used in organic farming remains healthy, free of insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and chemicals. This preserves the soil instead of depleting the nutrients as in conventional farming methods. Because the soil is chemical free the water supplies are not affected as rain waters run off into streams, creeks, lakes or other aquatic areas. Conventional farming methods allow harmful chemicals to wash into these areas which can affect the fish and other aquatic life there. Other animals who drink or eat from the water are then consuming these chemicals. Organic methods of farming or raising animals that produce the foods we eat are not only healthy for our bodies but also for the environment we live in.

What are GM foods? • People have been manipulating the genetic make-up of plants and animals for countless generations using traditional cross breeding. This involves selecting plants and animals with the most desirable characteristics (e.g. disease resistance, high yield, good meat quality) for breeding the next generation. These desirable characteristics arose from naturally occurring variations in the genetic composition of individual plants or animals. • Today’s techniques of genetic modification – called gene technology – provide new ways of identifying particular characteristics and transferring them between living organisms. For example, it is now possible to make a copy of a particular gene from the cells of a plant, animal or microbe, and insert the copy into the cells of another organism to give a desired characteristic. Because the resulting plants, animals or microbes have had their genetic material altered in some way, they are commonly referred to as ‘genetically modified’ or ‘GM’ organisms. Foods derived from genetically modified organisms are called ‘GM foods’. Most of the GM foods produced so far have been obtained from GM plants. Some examples of GM foods are corn plants with a gene that makes them resistant to insect attack, or soybeans with a modified fatty acid content that makes the oil better suited for frying. Developments are also underway to produce plants that use less water to grow, and so make them more suitable for changing climatic conditions, that is, drought-tolerant crops. Genetically modified (GM) crops and food are being grown and consumed by the public, even though: -there is little scientific study about their health risks -safety test technology is inadequate to assess potential harm -they can carry unpredictable toxins -they may increase the risk of allergenic reactions

What are the risks of eating GM? Environmental hazards e.g. Just as some populations of mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, many people are concerned that insects will become resistant to B.t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides. Human health risks e.g. Many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned because of the fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions. Extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Labelling of GM foods and food products will acquire new importance, which I shall discuss later Economic concerns Bringing a GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process, and of course agri-biotech companies wish to ensure a profitable return on their investment. Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness. Yet consumer advocates are worried that patenting these new plant varieties will raise the price of seeds so high that small farmers and third world countries will not be able to afford seeds for GM crops, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is hoped that in a humanitarian gesture, more companies and non-profits will follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and offer their products at reduced cost to impoverished nations. e.g.

What classifies food as organic? • Organic foods are made in a way that complies with organic standards set by national governments and international organizations. • Organic food is any food that is made without using chemicals or preservatives. Organic is food that has all been grown/made or cooked using all natural products and natural fertilizers etc.

What are the heath advantages of organic food? • There is little scientific evidence to prove that organic food is better in quality than conventional food. • Scientific research conducted so far on various organic food items have not been able to give strong signals about the superiority of organic food over non organic food. • As a result, even the FDA and the USDA clearly mention that non organic food is as healthy as organic food. • However, there are some scientific studies that have proved organic milk and organic tomatoes to be better than the non-organic ones.

What are the environmental effects of using chemicals in food production? • The use of pesticides can have unintended effects on the environment. • In the United States, pesticides were found to pollute every stream and over 90% of wells sampled in a study by the US Geological Survey. • Pesticides can contribute to air pollution, the way animals grow, and the health of plants!

What is the price difference? • You may already know that organic food has a significant price difference to conventional food, it is much more expensive! • This makes thing a lot harder when trying to choose between organic and conventional fruit and veg. Organic food is a lot harder to grow so therefore the price increase would be a result of that. • Example apples in Coles - $5.98 per kg, apples from an organic shop – from $8.67 per kg.

What is our stance on this issue? • There are not very many health benefits of eating organic food. Therefore I don’t think it is necessary to be spending a lot more money on eating organic food. Everyone eats fruit and veg that is conventional and there has never been many serious dangers. • I understand that the chemicals could be doing the environment harm but why are we only hearing about this now?

Bibliography: http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/ http://www.actionbioscience.org http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/ http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/GeneticRoulette/HealthRisks

Organic vs. Conventional Food Bytes – Vege Out!