Over the last year I have made some changes to our snack menu at the preschool because of the push to buy organic. As I researched what the organic sticker (in the chain grocery stores) represents I was surprised. Through my research I discovered that the FDA has a minimum requirements for food in order to be considered organic. In other words, food that has an organic sticker may still have pesticides that were used in the growth process. Pesticides are not bad but in the last 25 years we have been conditioned to recognize pesticides as being the enemy. Pesticides are used to keep pests away...we do need them but in moderation. The real issue, when it comes to buying organic is to remember the following:
1. Is the fruit in season?
2. Are the farms local (California)?
3. Does the fruit have a normal decaying process?
It is important to recognize that fruit that is in season and comes from local farms does not require shipping for days or months to arrive at the destination you purchased it, thus no artificial methods were used to ripen the fruit. If the fruit decays after a few days then it was harvested at its peak thus allowing for all the flavors and nutrients to be natural without technology to make the crop look pretty but be tasteless.
In conclusion, food is only truly organic if you can grow the food yourself or go to a community garden to guarantee that no pesticides were used.
Here are some helpful websites:
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/DOCKETS/dockets/06p0094/06p-0094-cp00001-05-Tab-04-Food-Marketing-Institute-vol1.pdf
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/organic.html
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/
community garden in Santa Monica
Video on Food Inc.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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