Food consumption patterns are rapidly changing nowadays as a result of environmental issues, concern about the nutritional value of food and health issues. Issues such as quality and safety in food attract consumer interest in organic food that is free from pesticides and chemical residues. Although the concept of "organic food" seems to be well known to many consumers the proportion of consumers who purchase organic foods on a regular basis is low.
To better protect consumers from harmful and fake organic food, knowing the factors affecting consumers’ consumption of organic products is therefore important.
Definition of Organic Food
There is no common definition of organic food for a simple reason that different countries have different standards for products to be certified as organic. In the simplest words, organic foods are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of the food without artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation. Organic products are obtained by processes friendly to the environment, by cultivation techniques that consider both the attributes of the final product and the production methods. Generally speaking, Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. More than that, "organic" is not only a set of
“Products with multiple ingredients must contain 95 percent or more organic content.” says, Rachel Cernansky, author of Organic Food Starts to Prove Its Worth. Organic means, that the food has met guidelines set out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I think that organic foods are not worthwhile because of nutrition and price.
Organic farming is farming without the use of growth hormones or genetically altering the growth of the food. Organic farming is a great alternative to the way the meat industry is ran now. Many large corporations, like Stonyfield Farm, are broadening the horizons on organic foods. Organic foods may take longer to produce, but it will be a very good exchange for health over time. Without the food being genetically altered, it will be rid of the nasty E. coli which has stricken the nation so often. Stonyfield Farms are even getting places like Wal-Mart to carry organic foods in their stores, which is a big step, Wal-Mart is thought of as one of the low grocery places, somewhere that the cheap people get their food. But, with this new movement, it could change the face of organic food, and the way we think of supermarkets. Organic farming is a step the industry must take to improve health
Traits of organic food can also be misconstrued in the sense of the ingredients and how it is different from the way processed food is produced. “In reality, certified organics have lower levels of chemical residue, Roethal argues, which is positive for consumers, farm workers and the land itself, but organic growing practices have no impact on how many nutrients, calories or grams of fat are in anyone's favorite foods”(SFGate). As mentioned previously in the quote, often times organic food can benefits one’s health because of the little amount in which chemicals and calories are in the substance. The concern about organic food is that it is substantially more expensive than non-organic food. However,“Organic food sales are increasing by double digits annually, and more than 80 percent of parents reported buying organic food for their families last year”, according to Batch. With the high-price of organic food, this could also be a reason on why people tend to lean more towards the less healthier items, all because of the low cost. Even though there are different and confusing standards on what organic really is, the ideal description would typically be foods that do not have the same producing process as non-organic food.
In ‘What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic Food,’ by Steven Shapin, Steven talks about organic food and what organic food means. Steven states that Earthbound farm, a business in organic food, uses toxic chemical pesticide, synthetic fertilizer, and tractors to farm their products. But is it still organic after all the chemical treatment? Steven also says that organic food cost more and has better tasting. If you don’t want chemical in your food then spend more on organic food. Lastly, Steven had another meaning that knowing the person who farmed the products and are local farmers then that makes food organic. Therefore; I believe that organic foods are from professional business in farms.
From the now popular recyclable cloth grocery bags, to the organic garden at the White House, food, and the food industry is changing. The popularity of organic and whole foods is on the rise. Processed foods are increasingly advertising that they are additive and preservative free, and all sorts of products now offer a “gluten-free” variety. The popularity of what is now being called the sustainable food movement, leads many to wonder why are some people willing to pay more, sometimes double, for organic produce, meat, eggs, and milk. Will this prove to be just another trendy American fad, or are there real health benefits from eating organic and whole foods? While the organic market only represents approximately 3% of the total food
Organic food, once only found in health food stores, is now a consistent element at local supermarkets. So what is the difference between a conventionally grown apple and an organic one? The answer is in the way the crop is grown and what it is and is not exposed to.
Organic foods are those which are grown without hormones, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers. Organic farming does have its advantages. It conserves water and soil resources, recycles animal waste, releases fewer chemicals, improves soil fertility, promotes diversity of crops, and protects farm workers, livestock, and wildlife from potentially harmful pesticides (AG). Are organic foods safer than conventional foods though? After all, they do claim to be better for consumers, which is a tactic to be avoided (Pollan). Not only can organic foods be contaminated with bacteria and synthetic pesticides, they are also more expensive than
Organic products meet stringent standards . Organic certification is the public 's assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs."
Organic - means food that is grown or produced in certain USDA guidelines. Organic does not mean that food is better and contains more nutrients such as ice cream can be organic and still contains a lot of fat.
Natural, although there is no official definition is thought to be without artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors. Organic speaks of the original ingredients used to make the food. How the plants and animals were raised to produce the product. The item must state that each product that is organic be state so on the ingredient list. For example: Organic chicken, chicken fat, organic brown rice, beet pulp, sweet potatoes, flackseed, barley, organic wheat, organic carrots. Several of these ingredients are not organic but since one of them is the manufacture can say the product is organic.
First off, organic foods are defined as being grown without the use of pesticides, fertilizers or heavy metals, which are thought to influence the interaction of bioactive chemicals and metabolites present during the growth process (Bernacchia, Preti, & Vinci 2016). Consequently, produce that is grown under normal, unaltered conditions is assumed to cultivate additional substances that benefit our health as compared to inorganic produce (Bernacchia et al.,
(Cropper, 2004) Decostole, J. (2010). The Truth About Organic Foods. Retrieved from Redbook Magazine website: http://www.redbookmag.com/recipes-hometruth-about-organic-foods In this magazine article Decostle explains just what organic foods are. She gives us details about how organic crops are grown and how organic animals are raised. Providing more information about how organic food is healthier and better for our bodies and how they differ from conventional foods. She also provides facts about how purchasing organic foods are also healthier for our environment and worth the price difference. Although pesticides contamination is common in our meats, due to feeding animals conventional farmed grains, much of the concern is about
Organic versus non-organic foods are always being debated to whether they are worth the extra cost. This seems to be an easy question, at first, but begs a more in-depth analysis to come to a conclusion. Organic definitions can vary by government, company and even individuals. Many people have their own ideas of what organic means. My personal definition, before this research assignment, was that organic products were grown with no pesticides, chemical additives, or preservatives and grown in a humane way. Meaning that if it said 100% organic, that is what was meant. This however, is not the case when it comes to the government’s definition of organic, according to T. A. Niewold who wrote, “Organic More Healthy; Green Shoots in a
According to the USDA, organic foods consist of foods and products that are grown without the use of sewage sludge, harmful pesticides, and fertilizers made from synthetic ingredients. These standards and guidelines were implemented with the overall objective of improving the quality of the food supply while also preserving the environment. The Organic Foods Act (OFPA) “authorized a new USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to set national standards for the production, handling, and processing of organically grown agricultural products. In addition, the Program oversees mandatory certification of organic production.” (Gold “Organic Production/Organic Food:”) When these standards are upheld, consumers are given the opportunity to educate themselves on the contents found in their food, which
The department of the United States government that is responsible for programming anything related to food, agriculture and nutrition (USDA) defines organic as “food produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.