Write down one or two words that
describe what the term “organic” means
to you. Then, we’ll discuss your responses
as a group.
USDA National Organic Program
•Passed by Congress in 1990
•Set national standards for production process
•Crop standards
•Livestock standards
•Handling standards
•Regulation through
•Inspections
•Complaints, Investigations and Appeals
•Fines
100% Organic
•Only organically-produced ingredients and processing aids
•Specific processing methods
•Specific nutritional labeling
Organic
•95% organically produced ingredients
•Specific processing methods
•Specific nutritional labeling
Made with Organic Ingredients
•At least 70% organic ingredients
•Specific ingredients noted
•Specific processing methods
Some Organic Ingredients
Using one or two words, state why you do
or do not buy foods that are labeled as
organic.
• Approximately 70% of consumers purchase organic
foods to avoid pesticides
• The USDA prohibits some pesticides in organic food
production, but allows others like:
•Water disinfectants of calcium and sodium
hypochlorite and copper sulfate
• Insecticides of boric acid, lime sulfur, copper
sulfate and oils
• EPA regulates all other pesticides by imposing Maximum
Residue Limits
•“Reasonable certainty of no harm”
•Lifetime cancer risk to pesticide exposure are
below 1 cancer per 1 million persons exposed
•For non-cancer risk, occurs when acute or
chronic basis is below the reference dose 99.9%
of the time
• Occupational exposure is the greatest area of concern,
specifically to migrant workers
Data on pesticide residues from three different testing agencies
• What are nitrates and nitrites?
•Naturally occurring inorganic ions
•Microbial action decomposes wastes to ammonia,
which oxidizes into nitrite and nitrate
•How does nitrate and nitrite get into the food supply?
•Contaminated food
•Prepared baby foods
•Sausage
• Studies indicate organic production of food results in
lower nitrate levels
•An analysis of over 18 independent studies showed the
following results in nitrate levels of organic and
conventional foods:
• Levels regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency
•Safe Drinking Water Act sets maximum level at 10mg/L
• Nitrate sources include
•Runoff from agricultural fertilizer use
•Leaching from sewage and septic tanks
•Erosion of natural deposits
•University of Minnesota study measured E-coli contamination
in fields using animal manure as fertilizer
• Study included organic farmers, semi-organic farmers
(non-USDA certified) and conventional farmers
•All types of produce gathered directly from fields
•Samples measured for E-coli
•Degree of contamination contingent upon manure spraying
techniques
•Fields using manure aged <6 months before application
had highest E-coli levels
•Fields using manure aged >6 months before application
had lower E-coli levels
•Organic and semi-organic fields most contaminated
Uses of Antibiotics in Livestock
• Therapeutic Use
•Control Use
•Prevention-Prophylaxis Use
•Growth Promotion
No current regulation by the FDA on sub-therapeutic
antibiotic use in animal production
No reporting requirements, but the following facts are
submitted by the FDA’s National Antimicrobial
Resistance Monitoring System:
•20.5 million pounds used by meat producers in 1999
•17.7 million pounds were used for prevention of
disease and treatment
•Remaining 2.8 million pounds used for growth
promotion
The CBS Report
•Nearly 70% of hogs and 64% of workers detected with new
MRSA strain where antibiotics were used
•No MRSA on antibiotic-free farms
The University of Iowa study
• Two facilities – both used antibiotics
•Production System A – 60,000 head, sows from Canada,
Minnesota and Illinois
•Production System B – 27,000 head, all sows from Michigan
•Results
•Production System A – 49% in swine, 45% in workers
•Production System B – 0% swine, 0% workers
• Voluntary ban in 1998
•Mandatory ban in 2000
•As AGP use (growth protection) use
decreased, need for therapeutic
drugs increased
•As therapeutic drug use increased,
human resistance to campylobacter
and salmonella increased
• In 2003, French researchers used tomato puree to determine
antioxidant effects of organically grown vs. conventionally grown
tomatoes
•Fresh organic tomatoes had higher levels of Vitamin C,
carotenoids and polyphenols than conventional tomatoes
•No significant difference in higher levels of Vitamin C and
polyphenol benefit in plasma levels of antioxidants
1. Organic food is more nutritious than
conventional food
2.Organic food is safer than conventional
food
The short answer is no.
•Organic foods have less synthetic pesticides and nitrates but –
•Still contain measurable levels of pesticides and nitrates
•Contain other allowed
pesticides with known
health risks
•Some foods higher in
Vitamin C and carotenoids,
with no difference in
antioxidant levels
Again, the short answer is no.
• Conflicting study results for
microbiological safety
•Issues with organic farming practices
concerning manure use
•Antibiotic use in animal food production –
more research needed
• Not scientific evidence exists to show a benefit in organic foods over
conventional foods in safety, nutrition, or disease prevention
•Organic foods are usually more expensive than conventional foods while
providing basically the same nutritional value
•Whichever route you choose,
eat your fruits and vegetables!
Check out www.mypyramid.gov