ORGANIC FOODS-WHY AND WHY NOT TO BUY
It may be social media, our digital society or our current polarized society but our tendency to label everything and categorize has grown into an obsession. Classifying is fine, so long as the operative word on the box label is familiar as descriptive of the contents with a definition specific enough to characterize them while broad enough to allow for expansion.
In the food world, all things are classified, sometimes even generationally, but the labeling is accurate. The term ORGANIC is an excellent example. I first wrote on this subject it 2012, again in 2015 and again in March 2017. Every couple of years there’s a trend that focuses on natural foods, the Paleo Diet, the Millennial’s Combined Salad innovations, GMOs, causing ‘Organics’ to be re-examined, not just for additions, but also for interpretations.
Over the past 50 years, spurred by our increased awareness of the role food plays in maintaining our health and the desire to stay well and active longer the demand for organically produced food has grown. But, exactly what is “organic” food? Is it that much better than non-organic? Why is it more expensive? Should I switch over to buying it? Do I have to go completely organic? Am I jeopardizing my family if I don’t? What if I can’t afford it? Should I feel guilty if I can’t? Can GMOs be organic? Let’s look at the story of organic foods.
But first, let’s be clear about the definition of the term. As applied to food, Organic means that the crop has been grown without chemicals or other additives such as pesticide, using ecologically friendly farming techniques like crop rotation and composting, and produced with minimal processing. The concept, originally considered remaining traditional, had been practiced for a century before the term became a household word.
In 1878 a tasteless, odorless pesticide was synthesized. It sat around until World War II, when the U.S. Army rediscovered it and devised means of spreading it over large areas. It was credited with eradicating typhus in Europe, and greatly reducing the danger of Malaria and dengue fever in the Pacific. In 1948 it was made available commercially, and farmers hailed it as a miracle. It quickly appeared in everything from household insecticides to flea powder to bug repellent lotions. Its name was DDT. Then in 1964, biologist Rachel Carson wrote the book The Silent Spring, in which she claimed that DDT was extinguishing bird populations, especially the Bald Eagle, by making their food sources toxic and robbing them of the ability to produce egg shells strong enough to support the weight of the mother bird. In 1974, the use of DDT was banned and the public became suspicious of pesticides.
A few years later, the effects of an ex-foliating herbicide called Agent Orange, used in Vietnam, then employed in agriculture, became evident and people were suspicious of chemicals that killed weeds too. The simple solution was to assure the safety of food by eating products grown naturally, unaided by manufactured chemicals. Hence, a return to the ways of the past and popularization of a movement named ‘Organics’.
The ex-foliate made its way to market under the name ‘Round Up’ and widely used cosmetically for driveways etc. However, agriculturally, a big problem emerged. Its effectiveness was of great commercial value as a labor-saver, but it killed the crops as well as the weeds. Previously all the agricultural experimentation had been done by colleges and universities under Federal Grants. Those results were public domain but with such profits at stake, private corporations entered the field. In the early 1980s one of those labs developed a soy plant which could survive the poison and in a landmark move the U.S. issued the first patent for a living organism not just for the seed but also the process which developed it.
This was the first synthetically Genetically Modified Organism and GMOs have since become a heated topic. Man had been genetically modifying plants since farming began by selective and cross breeding, changing soil and locations—all natural means. The results from ancient to modern are in every market, nectarines, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, but this is different because non-plant genes are being added for cosmetic and commercial purposes. Combined with the current focus on promoting sustainable foods and eliminating chemicals and synthetics in preparation, many feel there is reason for concern. First let’s clear up a possible confusion, GMOs can be grown organically. They are two separate issues. As for that matter, the other categories of food whole, natural etc., defined below can be grown non-organically.
As to what precisely constitutes “Organic” and how can you be sure you’re buying it. Well, the USDA certifies organic products with a green and white PLU (Price Look Up) sticker. To earn this seal the product needs to be verified by 50 accredited certification agents as containing 95% organically produced ingredients. The seal will bear a 5 digit code beginning with the number 9. Products containing 70% organic ingredients often bear stamps carrying the word, but they are not green and white and their codes are 4 digits beginning with the number 8.
According to the Mayo Clinic organic farming is designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution by using frequent crop rotation, natural fertilizer, water with no sewage sludge, and mulch only, with no synthetics, to control weeds. No conventional, manufactured fertilizers or pesticides are allowed. In organic husbandry, certified meat and dairy must come from animals never injected with growth hormones, fed food with additives or irradiated, raised in confined or unclean areas, denied access to the outdoors, given preventative medications and/or antibiotics. Cuts of meat cannot be injected with saline to boost weight.
With rare exception, all the corn grown in the U.S. now is GMO. Therefore any animal fed corn is
not organic, even if the corn is grown organically. The same is true of wheat. Packaged products
claiming to be Organic are often miss-labeled. Organic grains must be un-hulled and therefore,
their flour, and any items containing it, won’t be white. I recently tasted a 6 oz. boxed ‘organic
Mac&Cheese. The ingredients were individually labeled ‘organic’, except for a few like sodium
phosphate and the pasta was white. Obviously not organic, lacking the PLU stamp, It cost quadruple the
most popular brand, tasted as bland and contained one less serving. So be very careful. There’s a lot of
false and in this case, impossible claims on shelves at premium prices.
“Organic’ chicken should be more than cage-free, it should be free range. My supermarkets regularly charge $7.00 per lb. more for the ‘organic’. Considering the various preparations, sauces etc. usually associated with chicken, as with most packaged items, I don’t find enough difference in product to justify the expenditure.
This distinction is even more important with beef. Cattle have 3 stomachs, and naturally produce e-coli in the 2nd but digested grass kills it in the 3rd one, eliminating the possibility of contaminated meat. Unfortunately, in the past 20 years, to save land, labor, cost and time, most cattle are fed corn to bring them to market sooner. This is why grass-fed beef is so exclusive and expensive, double, triple even quadruple the corn fed, but it also explains why e-coli recalls are more frequent. With beef, I resent the demise of the Meat Packers Union leading to the disappearance of many popular cuts. Despite the fact that in 2020 the U.S. produced over 2 Billion pounds of beef, except for boutique butchers, many of today’s offered cuts were formerly second choices, chuck steak, top round steaks, etc. and gone are the briskets, real London broils and flank steaks, not to mention ‘T’-Bones and porterhouses. A friend in the Dept. of Agriculture reports that most of our prime beef is being exported, mainly to Asia. Suddenly the Millennials’ introduction of the Combined Salad makes sense. Though I do miss the taste of grass-fed beef, I only consider paying those prices for meat which is to be roasted, grilled or broiled, in other words to be served rare.
While discussing definitions, I want to clear up a possible confusion. Organic foods are always natural, but products presented as “Natural Foods” are not always organic. For example, nuts in shell and dried fruits may be 100% natural but not grown organically or may have preservatives added. The International Food and Agriculture Organization Codex Alimenturius doesn’t recognize this category on the grounds that that all foods are natural, but admits any processing alters them. ‘Processing’ generally forbids any additions other than water, including oil, salt and vinegar. Different countries have different policies about natural foods; a fact to remember when buying exports.
The U.K. has a code defined by process and product to include various types of food. It bans anything derived from cloning or created by process, from a” natural” labeling. Canada’s code defines only by process, allowing just water to be removed and no vitamins, minerals or additives to be introduced. Israel’s code concerns only process allowing 33 different treatments, all physical, none chemical. By contrast the U.S. has no definitions of “natural” foods, but it discourages the use of the word on labels of poultry whose weight has been increased over 25% by water injection. I wonder if that extends to ham.
“Whole Foods” are not interchangeable with organics either. These are foods that are unpolished, and minimally processed before being consumed, with no added ingredients, but again, need not have been organically grown. They consist of mainly high fiber items, like grains, beans, and fruits, but also include non-hydrogenated dairy such as milk and cheese. The FDA dictates that anything labeled “Whole Grain” contain the bran, endosperm and germ of the grain. Makes me wonder about a lot of the breads and cereals I see in the markets and, as mentioned above, boxed products.
“Raw Foods” are the ones most likely to have been grown organically, because they are intended to be consumed in their natural state, or never heated above 104 degrees, and contain no whole grains, beans or soy. People who buy raw foods, mainly vegans, are understandably concerned about ingesting chemical residue. Interestingly, India is experiencing a Raw Organic Movement that had seen a 22% increase annually over the past few years. It brought in $57 billion in2012 and is projected to be worth $104 billion by 2015. Due to the nature of the products, it’s doubtful if much will ever exported but the movement itself may be.
Now, with any confusion of terms out of the way, let’s get back to organics. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization, publishes an annual list of non-organic foods to avoid called “The Dirty Dozen”. Since the list is always more than 12, and changes every year, due to weather conditions, drought, rain fall, frost, which affect chemical residues on crops, and insect populations, it’s wiser to remember the categories: thin skinned tree fruits, berries and grapes, leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach and kale, low growing vegetables like tomatoes, celery and cucumbers and shallow root ones like radishes, carrots and white potatoes. It’s understood that items with rinds, like citrus fruits and melons, with pods like legumes, with heavy skins like bananas and avocados and shells, like nuts are never on the list, but I don’t get why cabbage, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, kiwi or eggplant aren’t either, but they aren’t These are general guidelines, and it’s smart to check out the latest annual listings, especially after extreme weather conditions. Just plug Dirty Dozen Foods into a search engine.
Incorporating organic foods into the diet is beneficial for everyone, particularly the elderly and ill, but it can be very important for babies and toddlers, especially if you’re making their food. By the way, baby food is a cinch; I’m just finishing a book on it now titled Children’s Fare. Actually the nutritionists appear to be more concerned about encouraging people to focus on organic meats and dairy than produce because of the possible effects of growth hormones. However, the benefits of organic milk over non-organic are few, and it’s vital the label states the no rBST hormones were used to stimulate milk production.
Are there any downsides to buying organics? Of course! The biggest is that organically grown food is about 50% more expensive than conventionally. It requires more land, and taxes, to ergonomically rotate crops and allow livestock free-range. Far more labor is needed to hand weed, mulch and guard against fungus and pests by natural means. Add to this that organic farmers in the U.S. get no subsidy, and it becomes an unprofitable undertaking. In other words organic farms produce substantially less than conventional ones. Moreover, produce allowed to ripen naturally and not preserved, must get to market faster and will spoil quicker than the conventionally preserved. Incidentally, a note here, farmers in the U.S. earning less than $5000.00 per year from organic products needn’t label them, So if you go to a Farmers’ Market, ask the vendor about the produce. And don’t forget, tainted water from run off or pollution can contaminate even the most meticulously raised crop. The same is true if the field isn’t properly fenced and animal wander through at night. Nothing is 100%. Think before you buy.
Are there any ways to make regular food safer? Yes! Rinsing is the most important. Remove any soil and then soak in a solution of ½ part water ½ part vinegar for 5 mins. or wipe well with a solution of 1cup water, 1Tbs. lemon juice and 1Tbs.baking soda, or simply diluted dish detergent followed by water. Of course you can also buy one of the commercial “washes”, but that rather blows the “organic” doesn’t it? Be sure to do this before cutting, because a knife blade can carry pesticide residue into the flesh, and wash all utensils frequently.
Are there ways to buy organic food on a budget? Again Yes! The most obvious way is to comparison shop, especially if looking for milk. Stay seasonal, and, if possible, contact local growers, perhaps through visiting Farm Markets, to see if you can avoid the commercial mark-ups. Plan menus ahead featuring available produce, estimating the prices into your budget, before shopping. Be willing to make budget cuts or buying other items, snacks and sweets, for example, to accommodate the extra costs. Buy the dried foods, beans, rice etc. in economy sizes. Perhaps you have someone who will share bulk purchases from warehouse stores, to save money. There are high price and lower priced organic foods. Find ways to balance your purchases between them, either through menu planning, or by combining them in a casserole. Become familiar with the Dirty Dozen, and find ways to combine organic, with safe non-organic foods as described above.
There are coupons for organic foods on the web, but avoid ordering things there, because it will cost too much in shipping, and depending on the vender and item possibly take too long to arrive. If you have space, learn to freeze and/or can. Finally, you can try growing your own produce, but I should warn you, my neighbors tried that last year. After some “wiffy” days, a rather cute infestation of lady bugs and a surplus of zucchini, the local rabbits got most of the tomatoes and beans, they sodded over the plot. It had cost far more in supplies than they could have saved even with bumper crops. This highlights the main problem. Organic farming is expensive and labor intensive with a proportionately low yield.
All farming was organic before the industrial revolution and the population explosion. It’s the way Third World nations still farm, struggling to feed their own people. The truth is that without modern farming techniques, and that includes some genetically altered crops, we wouldn’t be able to feed ourselves. Moreover, organic farming requires more space than conventional, due to the extra land needed for proper crop rotation, making it expensive on a large scale. Add in the weather variables and there’s the potential for disaster. England has an experiment Thanet Earth in Kent, enclosing acres in vast greenhouses, but its success is unknown as yet. The truth is, until a solution is, or can be found we’re going to have to depend for most of our food, on modern, conventional farming techniques and methods. Hopefully, we can make those safer.
As for me, I’m more anti-GMOs than pro-organics. I miss the distinctive lingering tastes and textures of foods I ate growing up. I cringe at a bin of identically shaped, brightly colored, unblemished produce, labeled ‘organic’, knowing the seeds were GMOs. Most of all, I pity the younger generation who will never experience fresh, naturally generated, fresh produce. So I do frequent farm markets with venders selling ‘heritage’ produce. Unfortunately, they are becoming more scarce as well.
I believe that, with all the controversy over GMOs and the difference between produce improved by lab created ones as opposed to the increasingly popular ‘heritage’ produce created through cross breeding, there will be a new category of food recognized soon. I suppose it could be called ‘artificial’ as opposed to ‘natural’. Once again, either could be organically grown, but it would give the consumer a wider choice. Obviously, the artificial varieties, since they would be modified to need less care concerning pests, fungus, soil, perhaps even water could be a less expensive, yet still organic, alternatives.
Finally, it is also very important to remember that the “organic” label is no guarantee against products causing food borne illnesses. Many contaminants can be introduced between the field and the table. Your best protection is to always buy from reliable sources, constantly wash your hands, counters and tools to avoid cross contamination, keep the cooking area chemical free, and be sure to maintain the proper temperature for storage and cooking of each item.
As for relief from rising prices, there is none forecast for the foreseeable future. The expectation had been 5%-7% per year, but the recent surprise hikes of double digits, blamed on the current ‘world situation’ prove that nothing is predictable. For more information and an explanation of our current food circumstances, read on….
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The U.S. corporation which received the patent for the process to genetically modify organisms, extended the process to include most grains, then produce. When Congress neglected to renew The Farm Bill in 2008-2009, farmers suffered. Without federal aid, many were forced to use the ‘new’ seeds, contracted by said corporation, with options on their crops. It’s simple math, he who controls the seeds and the harvest, controls the market and sets the prices.
In 2010 there was a drought. The public was told the grasslands had dried up and cattle herds had to be culled for lack of feed. Beef prices would rise but even out when the herds were restored, in about 2 years. Instead, corporate interests announced they had an excess of GMO corn and offered it as cattle fodder. Corn fattened the steers to market weight faster than grass, was cheaper and more plentiful, opening a new phase of cattle ranching. The beef tasted different and there was the matter of avoiding e-coli in butchering, but the returns were huge. About the same time, a similar situation delivered the poultry industry.
So the U.S. food supply passed to corporate control, and though governments have to care for their people, the business of a corporation is to make money. Don’t expect food prices to drop in the foreseeable future. Particularly since the American corporation* which orchestrated this situation from the time it developed the ex-foliate during the Vietnam War, has been sold to a German corporation*.
** The names of these corporations are readily available on Google and well known.
