Final Revised Informative Report

Yechan Bae

English 21003, Section M

Professor Matyakubova

6 March, 2018

Final Informative Report

Tomatoes with Different Labels

In less than two decades, the sales of organic products rose by $20 billion, growing “from $1 billion in 1990 to $21.1 billion in 2008” (Crinnon, 2018). Ever since the introduction of organic labelling on foods, a division was created among consumers in grocery: one who regularly buys and prefers food with an organic label and one who sticks with the conventional food without the label. Findings reveal four main factors that drive one’s consumption of organic food or conventional food: nutrition, food safety, cost, and taste.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, organic food is defined as being “produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals.” The regulation and guidelines that need to be met for certified organic farming are strict, under which the main constraints include: “Prohibition of synthetic chemicals, the use of organic fertilizers and natural pesticides, long crop rotations,” and “use of organic feeds and the use of therapeutic treatments” (Gueguen, Pascal, 413). On the other hand, conventional method of food production is free from use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other artificial chemicals, with their amounts under control to limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (Chang, 2012).

The history of organic farming in the United States does not trace itself too far back, since consumers’ environmental awareness and demand for food produced without pesticides started to increase during the 1970s. In response to the growing interest, in 1990 the Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act, setting the guidelines and standards for organic production. The Organic Foods Production Act instructed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop laws and regulations for organic food producers and certifiers, and in 2002, final rules were implemented (“Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education”).

Nutrition

            For consumers, the difference in nutritional content found in organic and conventional foods is considered as the most important reason behind one’s preference and purchase. Based on a study that examined the levels of vitamin C in the organic and inorganic tomatoes, French nutritionist and toxicologist, Gueguen and Pascal, reported that “a trend toward higher levels in some organic fruits and vegetables seems to be confirmed but is not systematic” (414). In the study, out of 43 organic tomatoes, 19 were higher in vitamin C than conventionally grown tomatoes, 18 were equal, and six were lower. In terms of other nutrients, the study suggested that organic vegetables tend to be denser in iron and magnesium, but, when it comes to calcium, potassium, sodium, copper, zinc, or selenium, the nutrition value is the same as with the inorganic vegetables (414). While the differences of nutritional content of organic and inorganic foods is not significantly different, the nutritional findings yet evoked a controversial debate among the consumers as to which one is better.

Food Safety

Because of the different method of production of organic and conventional food in terms of promoting plant growth, questions among the consumers rise regarding the safety of the food intake. According to Dr. Edward Group, a founder of Global Healing Center and the guest writer for Wake Up World, pesticides harm the nervous system of the human body, therefore, consuming food with pesticides gradually poisons our nervous system. In his article, 6 Important Health Benefits of Eating Organic Food, he states, “The way to avoid these poisons is to eat only organic foods” (Group, 2014). On the other hand, a study conducted by the Stanford University concluded that there is no evidence that supports the notion that organic foods are safer or nutrient dense than inorganic foods. Although the researchers discovered that organic foods are 30 percent lower in terms of the risk of pesticide residue, they also found that the inorganic foods are harmless and well within the safety line as well (Watson, 2012).

Cost

            Due to the expensive farming methods and stricter government regulations set for food production, organic foods tend to cost more compared to inorganic foods. Joseph Rosen, a professor of food toxicology at Rutgers University, wrote in his journal, A Review of the Nutrition Claims Made by the Proponents of Organic Food, “Any consumers who buy organic food are wasting their money” and criticizes the organic food industries for their “large financial interest in convincing the public that the food they sell is healthier, tastier, and better for the environment” (Rosen, 2010). Nevertheless, some people still prefer to pay more for an organic label for the sake of their conscience. Dr. Edward Group, a founder of the Global Healing Center, suggests that being “aware of the devastation brought by agribusiness to animals and the environment, [our] conscience suffers” (Group, 2014). He further explains that choosing organic food industries over conventional food industries will help the environment and the way they are produced, therefore, paying more for an organic label will encourage healthy methods of food production.

Taste

            Although people consider food as satisfying their primary physiological needs, taste has become one of the crucial factors people consider when choosing what to eat. I had conducted a survey to see if there is in fact a claimed taste difference between organic and conventional foods. To ensure validity in this survey, 20 participants were randomly chosen regarding their age, ethnicity, and living locations. The participants were fed with a slice of cooked chicken, organic and inorganic, and a slice of apple, organic and inorganic. After, they were asked if they sensed the difference in taste. Based on the survey, most people found no difference regarding the taste factor, as 19 of out the 20 participants reported they could not tell whether what they were eating was organic or not. Thus, this study suggests that taste may largely be a personal, subjective factor rather than an established difference between organic and conventional food products.

Conclusion

To understand the reasoning behind one’s preference and commitment toward either organic or conventionally grown foods, studies show that nutrition, being free from foodborne illnesses and diseases, cost differences of the foods, and the taste preference are factors prevalently taken into consideration. As described in the paper, significant factors that drive one's decision are found to be the food's nutritional content, safety, cost, and taste. Other possible factors that may influence one's decision which were not mentioned in the paper can include: personal beliefs, the time of the year, visual appearance of packaging, one's access to diverse food market, etc. The recent popular debate between organic and conventional, as to whether one is superior over the other, it would be of importance to take into the account the different dimensions one takes in perceiving the difference between the two. In a world where choices are becoming more diverse in the market, consumers as well as merchants should take this diversity into account when making decisions about buying and selling products.

Works Cited

Gueguen, L, and G Pascal. Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition., Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. edited by Benjamin Caballero, 3rd ed., 2013, pp. 413-416. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.

Watson, Stephanie. "Organic food no more nutritious than conventionally grown food." Harvard Health Publishing, 5 Sept. 2012. Accessed 6 Mar. 2018.

Chekima, Brahim. "Narrowing the gap: Factors driving organic food consumption." Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 166, no. 3, 10 Nov. 2017, pp. 1438-47. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.

Group, Edward. "6 Health Benefits of Eating Organic Food." Global Healing Center, 30 Sept. 2013. Accessed 6 Mar. 2018.

Rosen, Joseph D. "A Review of the Nutrition Claims Made by Proponents of Organic Food." Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, vol. 9, no. 3, 29 Apr. 2010. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.

Nationwide, SARE. “History of Organic Farming in the United States.” SARE: Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. Accessed 6 Mar. 2018.

Crinnon, Walter J. “Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer.” Alternative Medicine Review, Apr. 2010. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.

“Organic | Definition of Organic in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/organic. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.

Chang, Kenneth. "Organic Food vs. Conventional Food." The New York Times, 4 Sept. 2012. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.