Organic Doesn't Mean Safe

by Ashley Neglia (Subscribe to Ashley Neglia's posts)
Mar 18th 2009 2:00PM

I try my best to buy organic when I can, but sometimes my wallet is a little too light to justify paying extra for my go-to fruits and veggies. Maybe it's because I'm an organic neophyte, but to be honest, I can't really tell the difference between organic and pesticide-laden produce. But as reports of food-borne illness continue to dot the headlines, I've been left wondering, is organic the answer?

Turning first to the latest and greatest outbreak -- salmonella via peanut -- it seems that buying FDA certified organic doesn't really mean diddly in terms of food safety. Salmonella-contaminated plants in Texas and Georgia hosted rodent infestation, mold, bird droppings and even a federal organic certification.

The organic industry is a $20 billion-strong cash cow for farmers across the United States, and consumers continue to shell out hard-earned money for that ubiquitous "USDA Organic" label. While organic products may boast fewer pesticides, organic certification itself has little to do with food safety, as reported in "The New York Times." So what does that mean for consumers?

While buying organic may mean you're dodging chemical-laden produce, it may be safer to be realistic that whether or not your groceries carry the USDA organic seal of approval, they still may carry food borne illnesses.

For a guide to green lingo (what's the difference between free-roaming and cage-free anyway?), check out Enviro-Buzzwords 101 from "Women's Health Magazine."

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Comments (2)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Baron 3-19-2009 @ 9:56AM

Well, when you think about it, manure is one of the best fertilizers that an organic farmer can use. To ensure that they are still organic, the manure must also (to my knowledge) stay organic, that means that certain chemicals they could use to clean it to ensure it was less "dirty" (oxymoron I know) can't be used. So, in the end, just like any other thing you get at the store, just hope they (and you) washed it very well. I, for one, buy organic in certain things because of the ingredients, but fruits and vegetables are not one of those items due to the fact they pale in comparison to the quality, beauty and taste of their normally grown counterparts. Chocolate milk, on the other hand, is generally better organic b/c it typically has real coco in it vs. imitation in other products.

Ebony 10-10-2009 @ 9:16PM

I can't believe that no one is discussing the fact that the reason to buy organic is not so much as you're looking for a better tasting food, but a better quality food. I buy ALL organic because I don't want cancerous cyst along with many other ailments brought on by pesticides and herbicides. The fact that one would say organic produce isn't as good of quality as non organic is insane to me. this just goes to show what people really think of their health along with the health of their families. This is truly sad indeed.