What is Organic Food?
Organic food is food produced using organic farming methods, which limits the modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The use of organic pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis toxin is used. Organic food is not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. Organic agriculture movement emerged in the 1940s responded to the industrialization of farming which is now called the Green Revolution. Now many countries in the world implement food policies such as the labeling of organic certification that food can be sold to consumers as "organic food". With this regulation, organic food must be produced in a manner consistent with organic standards applied by national governments and international organizations. Various evidence gives mixed results about proving whether organic food is safer than conventional food or better in terms of taste.
Meaning and origin
Initially, the farm is organic based. Chemicals used in the food production chain was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century. Organic agriculture movement emerged in the 1940s responded to the industrialization of agriculture.
Walter James, Baron 4th Northbourne use the term organic farming in his book Look to the Land (1940), which is derived from the concept of organic farming hers that describes a holistic approach and ecologically balanced on agriculture, in contrast to what he termed as chemical agriculture which relies on "imported fertility" and unable to stand on its own. This contrasts with the use of the term "organic" in science refers to a group of molecules that contain carbon. Molecules from the group of organic compounds that are in all the things that can be eaten, but a variety of compounds of synthetic pesticides is also an organic chemical compound.
National Organic Program run by the USDA is responsible for the legal definition of organic in the United States and does organic certification
Definition
Organic food is a self-regulating industry to oversee the government in some countries. Currently, some countries require food producers who want to sell their products labeled "organic" must get a special certification that governs their production is based on the standard definition of government.In the United States, production of organic food is a managed system based on the Organic Food Production Act of 1990. If livestock is involved, either as a producer of animal products and byproducts and power, the livestock must get regular access to grazing land and do not use antibiotics and growth hormones.
Organic foods are processed normally containing compositions comprising organic food anyway. If there is a composition of organic food, it must be explained how organic percent. USDA requires that at least 95% organic to be able to keep so-called food organic.Bahan organic food must also be free of chemical food additives, free of chemical compounds, irradiation, and genetically modified foodstuffs. Pesticides are allowed as long as not a synthetic pesticide.
However, under the organic standards of the US government, if pests and weeds are not able to be controlled through management practices or organic pesticides and herbicides, the "number of synthetic compounds" that there is a single list can authorize to use. Some groups have advocated a ban on the use of nanotechnology is based on the precautionary principle as yet unknown dampaknya.5-6 Use of nanotechnology-based products was banned by some countries (Canada, UK, and Australia) and not regulated in other nations.
To be called organic food, a product must be grown and processed in a manner consistent with the standards set by a state agency or institution:
Australia: NASAA Organic Standard Canada: EU: EU-Eco-regulation Sweden: KRAV England: DEFRA Poland: Association of Polish Ecology Norway: Debio Organic certification India: NPOP, (National Programme for Organic Production) Indonesia: BIOCert, run by the Ministry of Agriculture Indonesia Japan: JAS Standards United States: National Organic Program (NOP) Standards USDA conduct routine inspections on farmland that produces under the label of organic food the USDA to test on the spot,
Differences in chemical composition between organic food and conventional food
There are also differences on the season and the planting site, the treatment of plants, soil composition, cultivars were used, and so on, including meat and dairy products. Treatment in food after the collection of fields or stables, the time between harvest and analysis, and transport conditions and displacement also have an effect on the differences in the chemical composition of foods tested. There is also evidence that organic food is generally drier than foodstuffs processed conventionally, so the important chemical compounds that exist in the organic food as a percentage could be higher, but not higher absolute levels.
Application of organic nutrients in livestock, including supplements, also affects the level of digestibility of feed received by the animals. A study published in 2006 showed that the feed is fermented and blended supplement chromium organic increase the digestibility of dry matter (dry matter digestibility) and organic matter (organic matter digestibility), and the levels of volatile fatty acids is higher than if mixed with supplemental chromium inorganic. This opens up the possibility of higher to produce more organic farms.
1. Nutrition
A survey in 2012 found no scientific evidence that says significant differences related to vitamin content of food products organic and conventional food products, and the results vary from study to other studies .Studi carried out on various crop and livestock products that analyze ascorbic acid ( vitamin C), beta-carotene (vitamin A shaper), retinol (vitamin A shaper), and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E).Organic chicken meat is known to contain omega-3 fatty acids more than conventional chicken meat, with an average difference 1.99 grams per 100 grams. No significant difference was found between the levels of fat and protein, and there is only a little difference in the levels of ascorbic acid and other micronutrients.
Studies in 2003 found that higher levels of phenolic compounds in fruit marionberry, strawberries, and corn is grown organically compared to conventionally grown fruit.
2. Anti-nutrients
3. Pesticide residues
3. Bacterial contamination
The comparative study of E. coli bacteria contamination in organic food and conventional food ingredients not found significant differences. Four of the five studies found a higher risk of contamination in lettuce is grown organically, remaining insignificant.Bacterial contamination of organic food is likely to occur due to the use of manure as fertilizer, but the case of an outbreak of disease caused by bacteria from organic farming are very small compared with the number of application of manure around the world. The latest case is the E. coli outbreak in Germany in the cultivation of organic sprouts.
Health and safety
1. Effects of organic food diet for health
There is no scientific evidence of benefit or harm to human health by regularly consuming organic food. Experimentation and research are quite difficult, because of the difficulty of finding populations that consume organic food all his life. The study would be quite expensive to do.
Most of the articles are related not to learn a direct effect on human health. Only a small portion that includes such things, among them changes in antioxidant activity. Status and antioxidant activity may be a biomarker but not as directly to health effects. Other publications examining the composition of fatty acids in breast milk and the possible implications for the baby.
In addition, the difficulty of accurately measuring the chemical differences and significant between organic food and food chemistry makes it difficult to extrapolate the health recommendations based on a chemical analysis.
Until the year 2012, the existing scientific consensus is that "consumers choose to buy fruits, vegetables, and meat because they believe that organic food is more nutritious than other foodstuffs.
The compilation of the scientific evidence does not support this view." An annual systematic review issued by the FSA in 2009 and conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine based on the evidence gathered during 50 years concluded that "there is no scientific evidence that says that organic food is beneficial to health-related nutrition." And there is no support in any scientific publication that says that a lower nitrogen content in the organic vegetables is good for health.
2. Consumer Safety
Claims that says that organic food is not harmful to consumers focus on pesticide residues. This is related to the fact that:- Excessive exposure to pesticides capable of causing health problems
- food products can be contaminated by pesticides, which can cause poisoning
- most of the food that is sold commercially contain smaller amounts of pesticide residues
But mentioned that the health effects resulting from exposure to pesticide residues in small amounts found in food are difficult to quantitatively investigated. Research on the safety level of organic food is hampered by the difficulty of finding adequate study designs to do and only a small number of studies that compared the pesticide residues in organic food and conventional food.
Carcinogenic Potency Project has systemic test the ability of a carcinogenic chemical, natural or synthetic, and build a database of over 30 years of research results available to the public. Their results in the ability of carcinogenic chemical is as follows:
- A large number of chemicals that humans are exposed to naturally occurring chemicals. The average daily exposure of the US population against the burning material in their diet is 2000 mg and the exposure to natural pesticide ingredient is 1500 mg. Natural pesticides are chemicals produced by plants to protect themselves. As Comparison, total daily exposure to residues of synthetic pesticides is 0:09 mg. So that 99.99% of the pesticides swallowed by humans is natural. Although the difference so far, but 79% of chemicals tested on laboratory rats Carcinogen ability is synthetic.
- It is often assumed incorrectly that the human defense system (immune system, and so on) to evolve resistance to natural chemicals in foods, but do not evolve resistance to synthetic chemicals. In general, the defense system in animals evolved in the same direction and not too specific on certain chemicals. And defense systems generally protect the animals in chemicals, synthetic or natural, to the lowest dose.
- The difficulty of finding a rodenticide toxicity (pesticides for Rodentia) as tested in the laboratory is exposure in lab rats. Rodenticides are designed to kill mice.
- In lab mice, have been tested also a natural pesticide found in plants as they agriculture mechanism. Research shows that half of the natural pesticides are tested on lab mice to cause cancer in rats. All of these natural pesticides are most commonly found in the human diet. It can be concluded that almost all the vegetables and fruits that are sold on the market contain natural pesticides that are capable of causing cancer in rats.
A study published by the National Research Consul of the United States in 1993 showed that in infants and children, the primary exposure to pesticides they exist in food. Another study published in 2006 measured levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure in 23 schoolchildren before and after being replaced with organic food. The level of exposure to organophosphorus found to descend from very small levels to levels that can not be detected.
Claims related to pesticide residues will increase the risk of infertility or decrease the total number of sperm is not supported by scientific evidence in medical journals and the American Cancer Society. A study says that health risks due to the presence of microorganisms and natural toxins may be more significant than the risk from pesticide residues.
The public perception
There is a public trust advertise by the organic food industry, that organic food is safer, more nutritious, and has a better flavor than conventional food. This belief has led to increased demand for organic food despite having a more expensive price and the lack of scientific evidence.
The psychological effects associated with the choice and consumption of organic food, and it may be a religious experience for some people, is also a motivating factor to buy organic food. An example of the psychological effects on organic food halo is demonstrated by a study published in 2010.
The results of the study showed that students of a university believe organic cake has a lower calorie than conventional baking. This effect was observed even if the nutrition label is given and shows the calorie content identical. This effect is more pronounced in participants who support organic food is strong and has a high awareness of environmental issues. The perception that organic food is a lower-calorie food or healthier looks common in the community.
In China, the increase in demand for organic food is increasing, especially in milk and dairy products for baby that are triggered by the Chinese milk scandal of 2008. This made China the organic milk market world in 2014. The Pew Research Centre survey in 2012 found 41 percent of consumers in China consider that food security is an important issue, increased threefold compared to the survey in 2008 that only 12 percent.
Flavor
A study in 2002 the perception of taste organic fruits and vegetables when compared to the conventional food ingredients may vary depending on the quality of the tentacle, and the results are inconsistent. There is evidence that organic food is drier than the conventional food ingredients so coined because the more intense flavor flavoring compound concentration is higher.Some foodstuffs such as bananas are picked when still raw. And in general, chemically accelerated maturation using propylene and ethylene during storage, resulting in different flavors.A problem of the use of ethylene in organic food objectionable. Opponents of the use of ethylene stated that this would only benefit large companies and opens the door wide for the weaker organic standards worldwide.
Economy
Although organic food only 1-2% of the total world food production, sales of organic food continues to rise. The market share of organic food in the United States has reached the figure of between 5 to 10% based Organic Trade Association, significantly outpace the value of sales volume in the US $ compared to conventional food.
In some countries, the increase in sales of organic food by the enactment of regulations and local laws. Since 2000, the use of organic food is a must in schools and hospitals in Italy. A law in Emilia Romagna issued in 2002 and implemented in 2005 explicitly ordered the provision of food in kindergartens and elementary schools to be 100% organic, and the provision of food in schools, universities, and hospitals must be at least 35% organic.
Cuba became a country that makes organic agriculture as a "last resort" for the provision of food since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the start of the embargo which complicates the supply of agricultural inputs in the country. Pesticides, seeds, and inorganic fertilizers became difficult to obtain, so farmers must supply their own seeds and restore soil fertility using manure and humus.
Until now, organic farming is still the main way to produce food, where a number of countries still make organic farming as an alternative way of provision of food. Although organic standards do not apply the same standards of other countries (eg the use of GMOs allowed) but the export of oranges and orange juice Cuba to the EU meet EU organic standards. Cuba will maintain organic farming and become a major supplier of organic food in the world.
A study conducted in Bogor on farmers who grow organic rice was found that organic farmers tend to be more prosperous.
Write Comment Hide