1. All About… Organic Foods Judy A. Harrison, Ph.D. Professor and Extension Foods Specialist Dept. of Foods and Nutrition The University of Georgia Phone: 706-542-3773 E-mail: judyh@uga.edu

2. Objectives Examine facts about organic foods  Organic statistics  What organic actually means  National Organic Program  Allowable vs. non-allowable substances  How to tell if a product is organic  Labeling requirements for organic foods  To buy or not to buy – that is the question…

3. Increase in sales from $11 billion to over $30 billion in 2013 Still account for only about 4% of all food sales in the U.S.

4. What are organic foods? Grown, produced and processed using methods that: Encourage soil and water conservation Reduce pollution Improve the environment

5. What are organic foods? Crops must be produced: Without synthetic, man-made pesticides Without synthetic, man-made chemical fertilizers Without bioengineered genes

6. What are organic foods? Organic meat, poultry, dairy and eggs must be produced: Without added growth hormones Without antibiotics

7. The standards Administered by USDA’s National Organic Program Regulate how foods are grown, handled and processed Organic certification requires verification by third party audit

8. Exemptions Farmers who sell less than $5,000 of organic products per year do not have to be certified but to sell legally  DO have to follow the NOP standards  DO have to document that they do so

9. True or False? “Organic” means no chemicals can be used.

10. The common myth? No chemicals can be used Answer: False

11. National Organic Program NOP  Reviews all synthetic substances for their use in organic crop and livestock production  Identifies even some naturally occurring substances that are prohibited  Publishes this information in the National List of Allowable and Prohibited Substances in the electronic Code of Federal Regulations  Part 205  http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/NOPPetitione dSubstancesDatabase

12. Example of allowable substances Chlorine compounds such as sodium hypochlorite in bleach  Allowable for use as a disinfectant  In produce production, must rinse surfaces after sanitizing to reach levels found in drinking water ~ 4 parts per million. Peracetic acid Copper sulfate Hydrogen peroxide Ethanol Isopropanol

13. Naturally occurring substances Important to remember: Even these can be toxic at some level Just because a chemical is “natural,” does not mean it is non-toxic or 100% safe

14. Prohibited natural substances Arsenic Lead salts Strychnine

15. How can you tell if a product is organic? Look at the label  On single ingredient foods  the word “organic”  On fresh fruits or vegetables  a small sticker version of the USDA organic seal  OR a sign above the organic display

16. How can you tell if a product is organic? Look at the label  On packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese or other single ingredient foods  The word “organic” may appear  The organic seal may appear

17. What about foods with more than one ingredient? If the label says “100% organic”: It can only contain organic ingredients If the label has the USDA seal: The product is certified organic 95% or more of its ingredients are organic

18. What about foods with more than one ingredient? If only 70% - 95% of the ingredients are organic: The label can say “made with organic” The label can list up to three specific organic ingredients

19. What about foods with more than one ingredient? For foods with less than 70% organic ingredients These ingredients can only be listed in the ingredient list No claim can be made elsewhere on the label

20. What happens if retailers knowingly sell a product labeled “organic” that does not meet these standards? Fines of up to $10,000 per violation

21. More nutritious? Many studies Reviews show a lack of evidence that organic is more nutritious than conventional foods  Nutrient content is affected by soil, growing conditions, maturity at time of harvest, how product is stored and handled  Difficult to compare results  Each study is a “snapshot” in time with different conditions

22. Safer? May reduce exposure to some synthetic, man-made chemicals, but some are allowed Some natural compounds can be toxic at certain levels as well Any product used in conventional crop, livestock or food production must be reviewed and approved for safety prior to use

23. What about antibiotics in milk? All milk, organic or conventional:  Is tested for antibiotics to ensure standards are met  Grade A pasteurized milk ordinance requires that milk contain NO detectable antibiotics when analyzed using approved methods

24. What about antibiotics in milk? If a cow becomes ill:  Treated with the same antibiotics  Organic cows will be removed from the organic herd permanently  Conventional cows will be removed from the herd until the milk tests free of antibiotics  Every truck load is tested

25. What happens if antibiotic residues are detected in milk? The milk is disposed of and not allowed to go to market Farms can lose their permits to ship milk

26. What about hormones in milk? Hormones are naturally present in: Organically produced milk Conventionally produced milk Hormones have sometimes been used conventionally to increase milk production. Use has diminished Consumer demands, not safety Safety has been examined repeatedly over 15 to 20 years Has been reaffirmed to be safe

27. What about hormones in milk? When milk is tested: There is no significant difference in hormone levels in any milk. Our bodies do not have the receptors to absorb bovine growth hormone.

28. “I can’t afford organic milk.” Examine cartons of milk in stores Even many non-organic brands state that their farmers pledge not to use growth hormones. READ THE LABEL!

29. Are organic poultry and meat free from hormones? All living animals have hormones in their bodies All meat and poultry will contain hormones Synthetic hormones are restricted for use in organic livestock production and from use in conventional poultry and pork production Safety is evaluated prior to approval for use and residues are monitored in beef

30. Do I have to buy organic food to have a safe and nutritious diet? For consumers: Buying organic is a personal choice Must decide if it fits their budget

31. Is there a list of certified organic operations? USDA Agriculture Marketing Service maintains a list at: http://apps.ams.usda.gov/nop/ http://apps.ams.usda.gov/nop/ Searchable by operation name, state and crops or livestock grown

32. Judy A. Harrison, Ph. D., Professor and Extension Foods Specialist Dept. of Foods and Nutrition College of Family and Consumer Sciences University of Georgia. 2015 The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. Cooperative Extension, the University of Georgia Colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences, offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, gender or disability. An Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force All About… Organic Foods