Why ORGANIC FOODS: A Look at Food Safety Risks

Prepared by: Sara Mahmoud Submitted to: Date:

OUTLINE
Growth of organic food industry Organic food regulations and standards Comparisons of organic and conventional foods:
Pesticide residues Nutritional composition Natural toxins Microbiological contamination

Summary and conclusions

ORGANIC FOOD INDUSTRY GROWING RAPIDLY

U.S. Organic Food Sales 1997-2005

15 Sales 10 ($Bil) 5 0 1997 1999 2001 Year 2003 2005

Source: Whole Foods Market, 2005

Why do consumers choose organic foods?

Perceived health and nutrition benefits
Avoidance of pesticides (70%) Freshness (68%) Health and nutrition (67%) Avoidance of genetically modified foods (55%)

Willing to pay typical 10% to 40% price premiums

ORGANIC FOODS:
Not just fresh fruits and vegetables anymore
256 341 1758 667 2140 Dairy Breads and Grains Beverages 1360 Fruits and Vegetables Snack Foods 1940 5369 Packaged/Prepared Foods Sauces/Condiments Meat/Fish/Poultry

Organic Food Sales by Category, 2005 ($Mil)

ORGANIC REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES

Systems based on minimal use of offfarm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony. Ecological production systems that promote and enhance biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.

ORGANIC REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES

Prohibited in organic production:
Synthetic pesticides Growth hormones Antibiotics Genetically modified crops Irradiation Chemical fertilizers Sewage sludge

ORGANIC REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES

Synthetic materials only allowed if they are on the National List of Allowed and Approved Substances Typically naturally-occurring Some EPA-approved pesticides are allowed in organic production (i.e. sulfur, chrysanthemum extracts)

ORGANIC REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES

Conversion from conventional to organic agriculture takes time Fields cannot be certified for organic production until 3 years have elapsed since last use of prohibited substances Animal herds - must be fed 80% organic feeds for 9 months and then 100% organic feeds for another 3 months

ORGANIC SEAL

ORGANIC SEAL USES

Products containing only organically produced ingredients may use seal and be labeled 100% organic Products containing at least 95% organically produced ingredients may use seal and be labeled organic Products that contain at least 70% organic ingredients can be labeled made with organic ingredients but cannot use USDA seal

WHAT ARE THE RISKS FROM PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOODS?

NO ADVERSE EFFECTS ARE OBSERVED

Food safety priorities of FDA and WHO

1. Microbiological contamination
2. Nutritional imbalance 3. Environmental contaminants 4. Naturally-occurring toxins 5. Pesticide residues

6. Food additives

NUTRITION DIFFERENCES
Very little research directly comparing nutritional value of organic vs. conventional foods There is some limited evidence suggesting that organic foods have higher nutrient levels than conventional foods Worthington (2001) analyzed results from 41 comparative studies

WORTHINGTON CONCLUSIONS
Organic foods had higher levels of vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium and beta-carotene than conventional foods Nitrate levels were lower in organics relative to conventional foods

Food safety priorities of FDA and WHO

1. Microbiological contamination
2. Nutritional imbalance 3. Environmental contaminants 4. Naturally-occurring toxins 5. Pesticide residues

6. Food additives

MICROBIOLOGICAL RISKS
US Estimates - 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, including 320,000 cases of hospitalization and 5,000 deaths Is organic food more or less safe than conventional food in terms of microbiological safety? More manure use in organics, but more stringent regulation of manure in organic agriculture

MICROBIOLOGICAL RISKS
Mukherjee et al (2004) Compared 476 organic food samples and 129 conventional food samples for various microorganism contamination levels

MUKHERJEE FINDINGS (generic E. coli contamination)

Conventional produce - 1.6% of samples positive Certified organic produce - 4.3% of samples positive Noncertified organic produce - 11.4% of samples positive Statistically, certified organic and conventional had no significant difference; contamination of noncertified organic produce was significantly higher than on conventional or certified organic

SUMMARY
Organic foods have lower pesticide residue and nitrate levels than convention foods Polyphenolics are higher in organics in some cases Naturally occurring toxins may be higher in organics in some cases There is concern about the microbiological safety of organic produce if it is not handled properly TRADEOFFS!

HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE?
Differences in chemical/microbiological compositions of foods do not necessarily imply health differences Need to know the magnitude of the differences and whether the magnitude is of significance