Organic Food Production Values - Essay Example

 Organic Food Organic production can be defined as an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony. U.S. regulations require that organic foods are grown without synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, modern genetic engineering techniques (including genetically modified crops), chemical fertilizers, or sewage sludge.(Winter & Davis 117) The use of synthetic material is not allowed in organic farming unless the synthetic material is on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Any substance that is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process, or by a process that results in chemical change in a substance extracted from a naturally occurring plant animal or mineral source, is termed a synthetic material. The main emphasis of organic farming is to minimize air, soil and water pollution. Animal and crop wastes, botanical, biological or non-synthetic pest control methods are used in organic farming. When required only permissible synthetic material that can be quickly broken down by oxygen and sunlight are used. Alternative methods to increase soil fertility such as crop rotation, tillage and cultivation practices, cover crops, and natural products such as natural fertilizers and pesticides are used. To be used for organic farming, a plot of land has to be free from the use of prohibitive substances for a minimum period of three years before the harvest of an organic crop. Organic farming therefore takes a long start-up period. The Wikipedia defines organic food as : “Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.” (Wikipedia) The Biodynamic Movement founded by Rudolf Steiner is the main concept behind organic farming. Conceived in the 1920s, biodynamic agriculture is the oldest consciously organic approach to agriculture. Biodynamic agriculture is stricter in its requirements for on-farm self-sufficiency, in terms of manure, compost and animal feed, than other types of organic farming, and it has a greater spiritual dimension (European Commission). The philosophy of organic farming is holistic and is based on working with nature rather than working against it. The soil is treated as a living organism in organic agriculture. It adheres to the rule that what is taken from the soil must be returned it. The aim is to maintain the soil fertility and minimize the environmental impact. In the United States, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) introduced the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) as part of the 1990 FarmBill. The 3 main goals of the OFPA were: i. to establish standards for marketing organically produced products, ii. to assure consumers that organic products meet a consistent standard, and iii. to facilitate interstate commerce (Winter & Davis 118). The OFPA drew up the National List of Allowed and Prohibited substances which list the synthetic substances and ingredients that are allowed in, and the natural substances and ingredients that are prohibited from organic production and handling. Due to the conscious effort to ensure that organic food production meet certain standards, the main characteristics associated with organic food today are: i. Increase in nutrition value ii. Avoidance of harmful pesticides and chemicals iii. Health benefits and safety These characteristics are sought by consumers in organic food, and can be viewed as a direct response to food scare and crises such as the mad cow disease and the foot and mouth disease in recent times. The objective of this paper is o study each of these required qualities of organic food in detail and examine how organic food differs for conventionally-produced foods in these aspects. Nutritional value: the chemistry of Organic Food Increase in nutritional value is one the main objectives of organic food. An analysis of the constituent elements of organic food compared to conventional food gives a realistic picture in this regard. Vegetables: Protein content of organically and conventionally grown vegetables usually refer to the crude protein content as well as concentrations of specific free amino acids. The general conclusion that arises, although not uniformly supported is that vegetables from organic cultivation, such as spinach, beetroots, carrots, tomatoes and potatoes, have a slightly lower crude protein and free amino acid content than conventionally grown vegetables; yet, they have higher concentrations of several essential amino acids (Magkos et al 359 – 360). The higher food content of conventional food may be due to the greater nitrogen availability from conventional than organic fertilizers. Though high nitrogen application may increase the crude protein concentration of plants, it may at the same time tend to decrease the nutritional value of that protein. The results of a small number of studies evaluating the dry matter content of several vegetables suggest that organically cultivated crops have higher dry matter content than those grown conventionally. This finding, however, was evident only for the plants that grow above the ground (leafy vegetables), such as spinach, lettuce, chard, Savoy cabbage, and white cabbage, whereas no clear picture emerged for those plants that grow below the ground (root and tuber vegetables), such as potatoes, leeks, turnips, and carrots (Magkos et al 360). The dry matter content of vegetables reflects the level of nutrition content of vegetables. As far as vitamins in vegetables are concerned, studies so far have indicated that there is so significant difference in the levels of A, B1 and B2 between organic and conventionally cultivated vegetables. Though some studies have reported higher content of ascorbic acid or vitamin C in organically grown vegetables, it is however not possible to make nay generalized statement in this regard. Fruits: Significant difference in the dry matter content of fruits grown organically and conventionally are not to be expected as the ability of fruits to absorb and assimilate nitrogen is very low. The concentrations of amino acids and crude proteins in fruit grown in moth the methods have also been found to be the same. In vitamins (B1, B2 and C), the large majority of studies have not found any significant difference in the content of organically and conventionally grown fruit. The same applies to minerals and trace elements such as Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, P and Zn (Magkos et al 361). Only one study has reported significantly higher micronutrient concentrations in apples, pears, and pineapples cultivated organically (Smith 95). The general conclusion is that organic fruits do not appear to differ in nutritional value from fruits produced in the conventional way. Cereals and legumes (carbohydrates): Studies revel that organic cereals such as wheat, rye and corn have lower content of crude protein and free amino acids, but a higher proportion of essential acids. This would imply that though cereals grown organically have a lower protein content, it is of higher quality than conventionally grown cereals. The findings of studies comparing vitamin, mineral and trace element contents between cereals and legumes grown organically and conventionally have also been rather ambiguous to merit any generalized comment. Milk and meat group: As organic livestock farming is a relatively new development, there are very few studies that have compared the nutritional content between organic livestock farming and conventional livestock farming. The studies that have been conducted have not found any significant difference in the nutritional content of the products from the two methods. Animal Feeding: Magkos et al (363) has cited many studies to show that several individual positive effects have been documented for animals which were fed on organically produced feedstuff. For example, weight gain was greater (10_/17%) for organically fed rats, mortality rate at 9 weeks of age for three generations of mice fed organic grain was 9% compared with 17% for those on conventional grain, and the incidence of degenerative diseases was lower. Hens that were fed on organically fertilized wheat showed a better laying performance than the animals which had been given conventionally fertilized wheat. In another study, significant differences with respect to egg weight and the distribution of the egg components were observed: higher egg and yolk weights but lower albumen weight were recorded when chicks were fed with organic feedstuff (Plochberger 27). From the above analysis, it is evident that there is no marked difference in the nutritional value or content between organic and conventional food, though, very interestingly, consumption of organic food has shown marked improvement on the health and biological performance of laboratory animals. This is an indication that organic food is beneficial to living beings in other ways than increase in nutritional value. In other words, many of the harmful and negative affects of conventionally produced food are not visible in organic food. The only explanation is that this could be the result of lower level of toxicity in organic food. Pesticides An estimated 20,000 accidental deaths occur worldwide from pesticide exposure each year (World Health Organization). A recent study involving nearly 700 women carried out by the University of North Carolina showed that mothers who lived near crops where certain pesticides were sprayed faced a 40 to 120 per cent increase in risk of miscarriage due to birth defects (Bell). A second study of the functional performance of pre-school children exposed to pesticides in Mexico demonstrated decreases in stamina, gross and fine eye-hand co-ordination, 30 minute memory and the ability to draw a person when compared to ‘unexposed’ children (Guillette et al. 106). Pesticides cause substantial damage to the ecosystem and environment. Inorganic chemical leaching into groundwater and waterways causes damage to the aquatic ecosystem. The use of herbicides and pesticides in non-organic agriculture results in the death of a large number of beneficial insects and birds and mammals. At the farm level, the overuse of pesticides has led to a crisis situation. More than 500 species of insects and mites are resistant to one or more insecticides (Dent & Waage). The result of this is the ever increasing use of pesticide because of low product effectiveness. Pesticides, soil, fumigants and inorganic fertilizers have a profound influence on organic matter degradation. For example, pesticides results in the reduction of earthworm populations. This again leads to further environmental damage. The population of natural biological controls of pests is also reduced by pesticides. Soluble nitrogen fertilizers lead to higher concentration of nitrogen in the plan t sap and thinner cell walls which in turn increase crop susceptibility to pests and disease attacks. Organic farming employs a variety of methods to prevent the use of pesticides in farming. These include: i. Sustainable Crop Rotation: Changing the crop that is cultivated in a field after a prolonged period of cultivation of the same crop, provide an obstacle to pest and disease life cycles. ii. Biodiversity maintenance: Measures such as crop rotation creates a diverse biodiversity which is essential for the growth of a wide range of biological natural pest control species. The encouragement and enhancement of biological cycles within the farming system is one of the fundamental principles of organic agriculture. iii. Maintaining microbial activity: Maintaining microbial activity provides the range and quantity of nutrients required by crops to maximize its ability to combat pests and disease attacks. A number of studies have found pest densities to be higher on crops fed with inorganic nitrogen fertiliser compared to those fed with compost and manure (Patriquin et al) iv. Compositing: Compositing builds and maintains organic matter levels in the soil and also removes pests, weed seeds and pathogens. Organic farming makes extensive use of compositing. All these have resulted in a lowering of pesticide residues in organic food compared to conventional food. An analysis of the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP) data showed that in the 22 cases where organic and conventional (no market claim) samples contained the same pesticide residue on the same commodity, residues in the organic samples were lower 68% of the time but not quite statistically significant (P = 0.067). The findings of pesticide residues at lower frequencies and at lower levels in organic foods suggest that organic foods may be less risky than conventional foods with respect to pesticides .(Winter & Davis 119). Health benefits and safety It has been found that though organic food are neither safer not more nutritious than conventional food, certain health benefits can be derived from organic food. People who are allergic to foods, chemicals or preservatives can gain relief by switching over to organic food, personal care product and clothing. The pesticide residues in conventional baby food can be avoided by the use of organic food. A 2002 study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that children who eat organic foods are exposed to “significantly lower” levels of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides than those who eat conventional foods. OP pesticides were used in the study because they are commonly applied to the crops processed into baby foods and juices (Food Marketing Institute 4). According to a study of corn, strawberries and marionberries (Mitchell), some organic food have a higher-level of cancer fighting antioxidants. The antioxidants level was found to be 30 percent higher in organic food than in conventional food. A section of the food experts however believe that organic food could be less safe than conventional food. The fact that preservatives are not used in organic food could make them more vulnerable to bacteria and parasites. However, a statement released by the First World congress on Organic Food, 2004 contradicts this on the basis of intrinsic natural protection of organic food: “Organic farming systems … provide a buffering capacity for the soil and plant surfaces, and therefore may lower the likelihood of establishment of food-borne … pathogens …. There is evidence that organically grown plants have stronger natural protection against plant pathogens than conventional ones, and this may also be the case for enteric bacteria, but needs to be verified.” Prevention of food poisoning from manure is an also important aspect that is taken into consideration in organic farming. Four factors influence the transfer of pathogens from manure to human: i. Pathogen levels in animal faeces. ii. Treatment, storage and processing of manure. iii. The biological activity of the soil to which the manure is applied. iv. The timing of manure application in the crop rotation (the interval between application and harvest). Organic farming adopts various methods to prevent the transfer of pathogens from manure to human. Organic farming lays emphasis on the optimization of animal health. This is done by allowing the animals access to pastures at all times in the grazing season, preventing over-stocking and making water constantly available to the animals. The routine use of antibiotics is prohibited and a grass rather than grain-based diet is prescribed to restrict e-coli infection which is always a potential threat in organic farming. Treatment of manure in the form of compositing and other methods is standard in organic farming to eliminate pathogens, pests and antibiotic residues. Composting is defined as a process of aerobic fermentation which involves a substantial temperature increase. This reduces the pathogen level in manures considerably. There is more biological activity in organically treated soils leading to a reduction in harmful organisms. The pathogens do not survive because there is strong competition from other micro-organisms in the soil. A 21-year-study at the Swiss Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) found that biological processes in the soil were improved under organic management and, conversely, that mineral fertilizers used in non-organic farming systems actually decrease biological activity in the soil (Soil Association 12). Conclusions: Organic food, as seen from analysis of its constituents, does not have any significant advantage over conventional food in terms of nutritional value. However, there is definite evidence that the advantage of organic food accrue from the fact that there is a direct positive impact on health due to the reduction pesticide residues. This has been a result of the methods of pesticide-free farming practiced in organic farming. Organic farming also has a positive influence on the overall ecosystem and environment. The need of the future is to ensure that organic farming adheres to the stringent norms and standards prescribed to ensure quality and safety in production. Works Cited -01 1. Winter, C., K., Davis, S., F., 2006, Organic Foods, Journal of Food Science, Vol. 71, Nr. 9, 2006. pp. 117 - 124 2. European Commission, “Organic Food and Farming Research in Europe”, A brochure printed by the European Communities, 2005. 3. World Health Organization, “The Public Health Impact of Pesticides Used in Agriculture”, WHO, Geneva, 1990. 4. Guillette, E., A., Meza, M., M., Aquilar, M., G., Soto, A., D., Garcia, I., E., “An anthropological approach to the evaluation of pre-school children exposed to pesticides”, Environmental Health Perspectives, 347-353, 1998. 5. Bell, E., M., Hertz-Picciotto, I., Beaumont, J., J., “A Case-Control Study of Pesticides and Fetal Death Due to Congenital Anomalies Epidemiology”, 12(2), 2001. 6. Dent, J. Waage, J., “Wanted: investors in biological control”, Pesticides News, 45, September 1999. 7. Patriquin, D., G., Baines, D., Lewis, J., Macdougall, A., “Aphid infestations of fababeans on an organic farm in relation to weeds, intercrops and added nitrogen”, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 279-288, 1988. 8. Magkos, F., Arvaniti, F. Zampelas, A., “Organic food: nutritious food or food for thought? A review of the evidence”, International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Volume 54, Number 5 (September 2003) 357 _/371 9. Smith, B., L., “Organic foods vs. supermarket foods: elemental levels”. J. Appl. Nutr. 1993, 45, 35 -39. 10. Plochberger K., “Feeding experiments. A criterion for quality estimation of biologically and conventionally produced foods”, 1989, Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., 419 - 428. 11. Food Marketing Institute, “Natural and Organic Food”, 2007, FMI brochure 12. Mitchell, A., et al., “Bitter or Harsh Phenolics Guard the Plant Against These Pests,” Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, February 26, 2003 13. Soil Association, “Myth and Reality, Organic Vs Non-organic: the facts”, 2001, SUSTA, The alliance for better food and farming. 14. Wikipedia, “Organic Food”, November 12, 2007, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food > Read More