Organic foods: what you need to know

The big question on whether to buy organic can be quite the dilemma, considering it is often more expensive than non-organic options, and sometimes you might not be too familiar with the associated benefits. Well, we have this covered for you with some of the reasons you should think about going organic…

What does 'organic' mean?

The word 'organic' is a legal term, meaning all organic farmers, growers and processors must register with an official certification body and be inspected at least once a year. Organic farmers don't only think about the effects of their farming practices on their soil, crops and livestock, but also the quality of the food they produce, the local community and long-term impact on the environment. 

 It takes two to three years for a farmer to get certified organic. Many changes need to be made when converting from conventional practices to organic ones and Organic Certification Bodies can help with this process.  If all UK farming was organically grown, the use of pesticides in the UK would drop by 98%, made up of the not insignificant amount of 17.000 tonnes of pesticides used per year.

Why should I buy organic?

• Organic farmers work with the existing ecosystems instead of against them, making sure they increase soil fertility, don't pollute waterways and don't disrupt ecosystems. You can safely say it is a lot better for the environment to buy organic produce.

• Many of the pesticides used in conventional farming are not only poisonous for pests, but the chemicals used remain on the foods we consume, harming us human beings as well. Organic farmers only use natural methods to control pests and don't allow synthetic pesticides and herbicides, meaning that eating organic foods will be healthier for your body.

• Organic produce is often fresher as they don't contain preservatives to make them last longer. This means the produce you buy will still contain loads of the nutrients and vitamins the moment you buy them. Fresh produce can lose up to 30% of it's nutrients in the three days after harvesting. Organic meats and milks are richer in nutrients than non-organic meats and milks.

• By buying organic produce you will be supporting those hard working people who are keeping us alive and healthy.  

Where can you get organic foods?

Most supermarkets sell organic produce and packaged foods. The UK has very strict labelling rules for organic produce so all the consumer has to do is look at the labels. All products have a way of showing that they are certified organic, most fruits and vegetables will have logos on their packaging or any other kind of label, for example a sticker. All labels have to state the code number the producers have received from one of the government approved Organic Control Bodies.

There are eight Control Bodies approved by the UK government where food and beverage producers can certify their organic products. These are: Organic Farmers & Growers, OF&G Scotland, Organic Trust, Soil Association, Organic Food Federation, Irish Organic Association, Biodynamic Association and Quality Welsh Food Certification. Please see their logos at the bottom of this article.

 All pre-packaged organic foods sold within the EU must also contain the EU Organic Logo on top of the Certification Body logo. This shows the consumer that at least 95% of the ingredients in their packaged foods are organic.   

Once certified, us consumers can safely rely on the company to be organic in all operations during production, from the manufacturer to packaging, storage and sales.

Word by Anne McCully

Sources:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-xpm-2013-07-10-chi-most-produce-loses-30-percent-of-nutrients-three-days-after-harvest-20130710-story.html  

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/organic-food-labelling-rules 

https://www.soilassociation.org/certification/food-drink/what-is-organic-certification/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/organic-certification-list-of-uk-approved-organic-control-bodies/approved-uk-organic-control-bodies  

https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2012/07/02/EU-organic-logo-now-compulsory  

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/organic-farming-how-to-get-certification-and-apply-for-funding  

https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/farming/organic-farming/becoming-organic-farmer_en