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Aaron Lim
WRT 105
Adrian Arellano
October 23, 2013
Organic food vs. GM food: The war over misinformation
Wait dont eat that! It has chemicals, toxins, and foreign genes.
Its been genetically modified, making it unnatural and therefore
dangerous. You should stick to organic foods; theyre better for the
environment, healthier, and more nutritious for you. Such is the
popular belief among many Americans today; but how many of these
claims are true? Two authors and activists argue opposite sides of this
story. Professor of philosophy at the University of AlabamaBirmingham, Gregory Pence promotes genetically modified (GM) foods
in his essay Organic or Genetically Modified Food Which is Better? On
the other side sits British journalist Tanya Maxted-Frost who, in her
essay The Benefits of Organic Food, argues that organic foods are
superior to GM foods, and that nonorganic foods need to be removed
from our diets. When pitted directly against one another I maintain that
the argument supporting GM foods is more convincing due to a lack of
strong supporting evidence and a multitude of faulty data within the
argument supporting organic foods.
It is no secret that many of the foods we consume have come
into contact with several artificial sprays and powders meant to ward

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off insects or promote growth. Maxted-Frost points out that these
chemicals, specifically those from artificial fertilizers, leach into
groundwater, lakes, and streams. Their lack of biodegradability leads
to persistent contamination of the environment and people, as many of
these chemicals wind up stored in our fat cells by way of the food we
eat and the water we drink. Exposure to these chemicals is particularly
bad because many of them are linked to diseases like Alzheimers and
Parkinsons (Maxted-Frost 125). She argues that organic foods are a
much cleaner and safer alternative to GM foods. I could not imagine
that Pence would argue that prolonged exposer to artificial chemicals is
beneficial to health. He does, however, challenge organic foods
superiority to GM foods by showing that organic foods can be just as
dangerous. To do this, he uses the example of rotenone.
Rotenone is a natural insect repellent created internally by
tropical plants like jewel vine, derris, and the hoary pea (Pence 118).
Because rotenone evolved naturally in a plant it has become
acceptable to use on organic crops. Scientists at Emory University in
Atlanta found that rotenone injected in mice gave the mice Parkinsonlike symptoms (Pence 118). Pence does not argue that GM foods are
safer than organic foods. He simply points out the nave assumption
that a natural pesticide bottled and mass produced is somehow safer
than plants to which a few genes have been added (Pence 118). He
shows that, like all crops, organic crops must be sprayed with insect

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repellents that have similar negative health effects as GM foods that
create their own insect repellent. So although we cannot say GM foods
are necessarily the safest, we can say organic foods are no better.
Maxted-Frost furthers her argument by stating that because GM
foods contain many chemicals, GM foods are responsible for causing
some cancers and degenerative diseases. She promotes organic foods
by citing the successful Gerson therapy (Maxted-Frost 128), a strict
regimen of specific foods (one type being organic), supplements, and
edemas that is said by proponents to treat cancer and other
degenerative diseases. I cannot support or deny the link between
artificial fertilizers and cancer rates, however I can state that the
Gerson therapy does not work. According to the National Cancer
Institute (NCI), Gersons clinical documentation from the 1930s is made
up of anecdotal reports and unsystematic conversations with patients
over mail or phone. A study done between 1983 and 1984 by Gerson
was also reviewed, and was found to lack meaningful data. Another
1990 study regarding the Gerson method again yielded no results. The
NCI concluded by stating, The data that are available are not
sufficient to warrant claims that the Gerson therapy is effective as an
adjuvant to other cancer therapies or as a cure (USA). Therefore we
can refute Maxted-Frosts claim that organic foods can treat cancer.
Eating healthy may induce positive mental and physical effects in

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general, however there is no direct link between a diet based purely in
organic foods and the regression of cancer.
Again, we see that although Maxted-Frosts claims about the
negative effects of GM foods are valid, her assertion that organic foods
lack these negative effects, and are therefore superior to GM foods, is
false. However, Maxted-Frost is not yet ready to throw in the towel. She
argues that organic foods trump GM foods because organic foods are
grown as naturally as possible (Maxted-Frost 126) (i.e. not having
hydrogenated fats, modified starches, artificial flavorings, colorings,
sweeteners, nor preservatives). Pence counters by showing how being
natural is not always best, using Bt corn as an example.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) occurs naturally in soils around the
world, and thus is considered natural enough to use on organic crops.
It is known to harm monarch butterflies, but is still used to kill the
European Borer (a close relative of the monarch that destroys corn
crops). Bt corn has the gene to naturally produce Bt, while organic
crops must be continually sprayed with Bt. Pence notes that if we spray
Bt on corn until it is absorbed into the cells that is organic, but if we
insert the Bt gene into corn so it can produce Bt on its own it is
suddenly dangerous because it has been genetically modified. I see
this as a valid point. Both organic and GM foods contain Bt; only the
method by which they acquire it is different. However, when it comes
to what we eat, it is the final product that matters. And regardless of

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method, both products end up with Bt. Pence also points out that
natural is a social constructa judgment at a particular time by a
particular culture (Pence 119). One day, GM foods may be considered
natural.
But what is natural? Comparing these arguments depends
heavily on ones definition of natural. Pence seems to focus on
natural as the idea of being accepted by society. However, MaxtedFrost may mean organic foods are more natural in that they are
grown in more fertile and nutrient-rich soil, making them more
nutritious. Pence counters this point by citing Nobel Prize-winning plant
biologist Norman Borlaug, [T]here is absolutely no research that
shows that organic foods provide better nutrition (Pence 121).
To support Borlaugs claim I found a current, peer-reviewed
journal that reviews several papers on the limited number of studies
focusing on the nutritional benefits of organic foods. The journal,
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, found that
three out of four studies ranging from 2001 to 2009 found that organic
food is anywhere from 10% to 50% more nutritious than nonorganic
food. However, those three studies were not peer reviewed, and failed
to meet the standards of a scientific study. The issues included lack of
data, invalid comparisons, using data that was not statistically
significant, and ignoring unfavorable data. The only paper that was
peer reviewed and met the standards of a scientific study found that

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there was no difference in nutrients nor health effects between organic
and nonorganic foods (Rosen 275). We can safely say that Borlaug is
correct, organic food is no more nutritious than nonorganic food of the
same type (that is comparing an organic carrot to a nonorganic carrot).
Consequently, Maxted-Frost still has yet to prove that organic foods are
superior to GM foods.
Regardless of how we define natural, Maxted-Frost does bring
up a good point about how organic food promotes fertile soil growth
through the use of manure and many different types of crops. She cites
the words of Sir Albert Howard, scientist and organic pioneer, who has
done decades of international research on fertile soil. He says, Soil
fertility is the basis of the public health system of the future (MaxtedFrost 127). I whole-heartedly agree with this statement. Growing GM
food does promote monoculture (growing a limited number of types of
crops), which wears down soil. However, organic farming fertilizes soil
mainly with cow manure, which, although natural, may not be the best
for our health. Manure harbors millions upon millions of E. coli bacteria.
Pence points out that organic farming is laborious, and often utilizes
the efforts of unskilled workers. Any slipups in the regulation process
can lead to an E. coli outbreak, which can be cause hemorrhage colitis,
acute kidney failure, and even death (Pence 117).
So where does this leave us? It seems like I am arguing that
we forget about organic foods completely. That is not my aim.

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Maxted-Frost claims that organic foods are superior to nonorganic
foods, and that we should bring about the demise of nonorganic
farming (Maxted-Frost 127). I disagree, and believe that GM food
technology can produce food of at least equal quality, and with
dietary consequences no worse than those of organic food. I cannot
say that organic foods are inferior to GM foods, however after
examining these two essays it is evident that organic foods are not
superior to GM foods.

References
Maxted-Frost, Tanya. "The Benefits of Organic Food." The Ethics of
Food: A Reader for the 21st Century. Lanham, MD: Rowman &
Littlefield, 2002. 123-27. Print.
Pence, Gregory E. "Organic or Genetically Modified Food Which Is
Better?" The Ethics of Food: A Reader for the 21st Century. Lanham,
MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. 116-22. Print.
Rosen, Joseph D. "A Review of Nutrition Claims Made by Proponents of
Organic Food." Wiley Online Library. Comprehensive Reviews in
Food Science and Food Safety, 2009. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1111/j.15414337.2010.00108.x/asset/j.1541-4337.2010.00108.x.pdf?
v=1&t=hn3zl7kj&s=659b847b05abd1272169495fbd0f63f32de5de8
f>.
USA. National Cancer Institute. Gerson Therapy (PDQ) -. National
Cancer Institute, 8 Oct. 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/gerson/healthprofess
ional/page1/AllPages>.