Organic versus regular—is the benefit worth the price?
Every time you visit the supermarket you have to notice the “organic” signs hanging neatly over fruits and vegetables, and even appearing on the labels of many meats and shelved items. You may also notice that the price of the organic products are a bit higher than the conventional products, but is organic better? Is it really worth the price to buy that label?
Well those questions may be more complicated than you think and getting a “yes” or “no” answer isn’t easy. The whole issue is still being debated by food scientists and experts from various countries and organizations. But regardless, organic foods are here to stay and we need to have some clarity about these products.
Kate Shumaker, local Family Consumer Agent for the Holmes County OSU Extension office, said organic foods are definitely on the increase in most marketplaces.
“According to a 2009 Organic Trade Association survey, the sale of organic food in the U.S. grew by almost 16 percent from 2007 to 2008,” she said. “The overall total for that period was $22.9 billion and represented 3.5 percent of all U.S. food sales.”
For a food to be labeled organic, it must be produced following practices described in the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). Shumaker said although the NOP describes the practices that are required for labeling a product organic, it does not address nutritional benefits or food safety issues.
“Organic foods are usually more expensive than conventional foods because they have a smaller production scale and higher labor costs,” Shumaker explained. “Research also shows consumers are willing to pay a price premium for some organic food products in the marketplace, including certain fruits and vegetables.”
As far as the benefits and costs of organic versus conventional agricultural products, current research is showing both short-and long-term benefits to our population and the planet with organic and other sustainable production systems.
“Some of the documented environmental benefits of organic production include reduced nutrient pollution, improved soil organic matter, lower energy use and reduced pesticide residues in food and water,” Shumaker said. “Whether or not organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventionally produced foods is really the subject of an ongoing debate.”
In a 2009 review entitled Nutritional Quality and Safety of Organic Food, it was reported that organically produced plant products contained more dry matter and some minerals (iron, magnesium) and more antioxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid than conventionally produced plant products. However, another recent systematic review found no evidence of any difference in the nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced food, except for nitrogen, which was significantly higher in conventionally produced crops and the ripeness at harvest, which were significantly higher in organically produced crops. It’s important to note that contaminants were not examined in this systematic review so the presence of pesticide, herbicide or fungicide residue was not considered. Unfortunately, there is not a clear-cut answer as to whether organic is more nutritious. However, it does seem that organic may be better for our environment and may not expose consumers to chemical residue.
“Buying organic products is usually more expensive,” Shumaker said, “but if consumers really want to use organic products and pay less they may consider seasonally available and locally produced organic produce because those are usually comparable in price to conventional produce. Also, consumers and families on a tight budget may purchase organically produced foods through certain community supported agriculture programs. It’s also a good idea when something is in season and priced lower to use storing methods like freezing and canning. You can enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables all year long if you freeze or can, and it is less expensive than buying out of season.”
Remember this when you’re considering conventional or organic: All foods are covered under U.S. food safety laws and regulations, regardless of production method. The main issue between organic and conventional is the possibility of pesticide residue, which, according to USDA data, “pesticide residues on most products are well below government-established thresholds, although typically are lower for organic products.”
Shumaker said the bottom line is encouraging consumers to eat more fruits, vegetables, low-fat and non-fat dairy products and whole grains to help meet recommendations from the food pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines.
“Whether organic, local or conventional, these foods are wholesome and contribute to a healthful diet,” she said. “Research on differences between organic and conventional products is ongoing, but the best method now to compare products is the food label.”
Well those questions may be more complicated than you think and getting a “yes” or “no” answer isn’t easy. The whole issue is still being debated by food scientists and experts from various countries and organizations. But regardless, organic foods are here to stay and we need to have some clarity about these products.
Kate Shumaker, local Family Consumer Agent for the Holmes County OSU Extension office, said organic foods are definitely on the increase in most marketplaces.
“According to a 2009 Organic Trade Association survey, the sale of organic food in the U.S. grew by almost 16 percent from 2007 to 2008,” she said. “The overall total for that period was $22.9 billion and represented 3.5 percent of all U.S. food sales.”
For a food to be labeled organic, it must be produced following practices described in the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). Shumaker said although the NOP describes the practices that are required for labeling a product organic, it does not address nutritional benefits or food safety issues.
“Organic foods are usually more expensive than conventional foods because they have a smaller production scale and higher labor costs,” Shumaker explained. “Research also shows consumers are willing to pay a price premium for some organic food products in the marketplace, including certain fruits and vegetables.”
As far as the benefits and costs of organic versus conventional agricultural products, current research is showing both short-and long-term benefits to our population and the planet with organic and other sustainable production systems.
“Some of the documented environmental benefits of organic production include reduced nutrient pollution, improved soil organic matter, lower energy use and reduced pesticide residues in food and water,” Shumaker said. “Whether or not organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventionally produced foods is really the subject of an ongoing debate.”
In a 2009 review entitled Nutritional Quality and Safety of Organic Food, it was reported that organically produced plant products contained more dry matter and some minerals (iron, magnesium) and more antioxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid than conventionally produced plant products. However, another recent systematic review found no evidence of any difference in the nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced food, except for nitrogen, which was significantly higher in conventionally produced crops and the ripeness at harvest, which were significantly higher in organically produced crops. It’s important to note that contaminants were not examined in this systematic review so the presence of pesticide, herbicide or fungicide residue was not considered. Unfortunately, there is not a clear-cut answer as to whether organic is more nutritious. However, it does seem that organic may be better for our environment and may not expose consumers to chemical residue.
“Buying organic products is usually more expensive,” Shumaker said, “but if consumers really want to use organic products and pay less they may consider seasonally available and locally produced organic produce because those are usually comparable in price to conventional produce. Also, consumers and families on a tight budget may purchase organically produced foods through certain community supported agriculture programs. It’s also a good idea when something is in season and priced lower to use storing methods like freezing and canning. You can enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables all year long if you freeze or can, and it is less expensive than buying out of season.”
Remember this when you’re considering conventional or organic: All foods are covered under U.S. food safety laws and regulations, regardless of production method. The main issue between organic and conventional is the possibility of pesticide residue, which, according to USDA data, “pesticide residues on most products are well below government-established thresholds, although typically are lower for organic products.”
Shumaker said the bottom line is encouraging consumers to eat more fruits, vegetables, low-fat and non-fat dairy products and whole grains to help meet recommendations from the food pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines.
“Whether organic, local or conventional, these foods are wholesome and contribute to a healthful diet,” she said. “Research on differences between organic and conventional products is ongoing, but the best method now to compare products is the food label.”
Published: April 25, 2011
