All About Organic Produce Food Safety

Opponents of organic produce farming point to cases of illness outbreaks to question the foods safety. Is organic produce food safety a real issue? Is it more susceptible to outbreaks than conventionally farmed produce?

Organic Produce and Fungus

Fusarium fungi, also known as corn ear rot, can form carcinogens. many nations have regulated these specific carcinogens in corn products. There is some debate as to whether organically raised corn can sufficiently fight off fungi attacks.

Journalist John J. Miller's article "The Organic Myth" points out that the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency found large doses of toxic fumonisins in cornmeal. When tested, six brands of organic cornmeal were found to have the toxin, while 20 out of 24 conventionally farmed products were "unquestionably safe to eat."

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Food Protection that tested 60 samples of corn grown in Spain, found that "The organic farming system, with well-balanced crop rotation, tillage, and compost fertilization, produced corn that was less likely to be contaminated with Fusarium species".

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations performed an extensive literature review in 2000 and found that "it cannot be concluded that organic farming leads to an increased risk of mycotoxin contamination."

Organic Produce and E-coli

The widely publicized 2006 E-coli outbreak is often blamed on organic spinach from California. According to a USA Today article, Natural Selection Foods was the company that packaged and distributed much of the offending spinach. The company stated that through manufacturing codes the outbreak was traced to their non-organic spinach.

E-coli and salmonella have can originate from any farm, no matter how many chemicals are added to the plants. The bacteria generally reach the farms through animal waste, and exposure to sewage.

My Take on Produce Food Safety

Eating any produce is not risk free, and there is no guarantee that organic produce bought in a grocery store is safer than non-organic. Good handling and storage practices are necessary for either organic or conventionally grown produce food safety. I don't trust a label to ensure that these practices have been followed. I also don't trust that all the pesticides and herbicides on conventional produce are not toxic. Remember DDT?

I like knowing where my produce comes from. Growing my own produce is consistent with my goal of self-sufficiency, and that way I know the handling practices.

More to Come

This is the first of a series of articles upcoming articles concerning organic produce and organic foods. Look for discussions such as is organic produce healthier, is organic farming really better for the environment, genetically modified crops and the sustainability of organic farming for humans and the environment.

The Organic Myth : http://www.heymiller.com/2010/06/the-organic-myth/

Journal of Food Protection: http://archivo.ecodes.org/boletin_SP/julio08/natural.pdf

FAO: http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/x4983e.htm#c

USA today: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-09-17-spinach_x.htm