1. ORGANIC FOODS 101 Dietetic Interns: Ashley & Olivia

2. Trivia Game

3. Which number do organic produce stickers always start with? a. 4 b. 9 c. 8 d. 6 Organic produce stickers always begin with the number 9!

4. Organic produce is grown without the use of any pesticides. A. True B. False Organic farmers still use pesticides. However, they must be derived from natural sources, not synthetically manufactured.

5. Which of these is a not a real fruit? A. Lemato B. Pluot C. Strapple D. Tangelo Strapple! (we made this one up!) Were you aware that the others are GMOs?

6. The first GMO crop to reach our table was: A. Tomato B. Apple C. Corn D. Onion The “Flavr Savr” tomato was grown in California in 1994. They were modified to last longer, so they could tolerate longer periods of transportation.

7. Local and sustainable essentially mean the same thing. a. True b. False False! Local refers to the maximum distance a food can travel and sustainable refers to farming techniques

8. Organic foods are nutritionally superior to conventional foods. A. True B. False False! There are no conclusive studies that prove organic foods are nutritionally superior to their conventional equals.

9. Organic “Food grown and processed without using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.” Still use pesticides Organic pesticides derived from natural sources. Regulated and governed under the “National Organics Program” (NOP), which is enforced and overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Farms must be certified to market their foods as organic. Prohibits use of genetic engineering.

10. Organic Pros reduced intake of synthetic pesticides/fertilizers, move away from monocultures/increased biodiversity Better for soil and environment Cons higher cost Produces less food per acre than conventional higher levels of potential pathogens May find more bugs in produce

11. Organic Terms

12. “Dirty Dozen” What is the dirty dozen? These foods have the highest level of synthetic pesticides Buy organic when you can

13. “Clean Fifteen” What are the “clean fifteen”? These foods have the lowest level of synthetic pesticides No need to buy organic

14. Conventional The opposite of organic Grown using synthetic pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and/or herbicides Typically focuses on producing large quantities at the lowest possible cost Yield for out-of-season foods

15. Conventional – Pros vs. Cons Pros: Generally cheaper than organic foods Produces a higher yield for farmers Able to grow “out of season” foods Cons Pesticide ingestion may be linked to cancers Usually uses same crop over and over again; leads to depletion of nutrients in soil, need for more fertilizers (usually synthetic) Pests may develop immunity to pesticides.

16. Local & Sustainable (food systems) Are local and sustainable practices the same? Refers more to environment than nutrition Sustainable: the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare. This form of agriculture enables us to produce healthful food without compromising future generations' ability to do the same. Local: the total distance a product can be transported and still considered local is less than 400 miles from its origin, OR within the state in which it was produced. (Economic Research Service of USDA) Nutrients may be higher, since produce may be fresher.

17. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) An organism whose genetic material has been altered to create traits that otherwise could not be possible. Involves taking a gene out of one species and putting it into another. Examples lemato; gene from a lemon gets put into a tomato to change the aroma. Sweet potatoes resistant to virus “Super carrots” high in calcium Nuts that lack proteins that cause allergic reactions California Legislation Senate bill 1381 (rejected by senate in 2014) Proposition 37; (rejected by voters in 2012) Would require labels on genetically engineered foods

18. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Pros Longer shelf life Resistant to pests/viruses/bacteria (reduced pesticide use) Better taste Higher nutrient content Greater yields Cons May cause new allergic reactions Environmental concerns Ethical issues

19. What are the top 10 genetically modified food products? 10. Sugar Beets 9. Potatoes 8. Corn 7. Tomatoes 6. Squash 5. Golden Rice 4. Soybeans 3. Oils (cottonseed, canola, rapeseed) 2. Animal Feed 1. Salmon

20. Organic vs. Conventional Foods Which one has more calories per serving ?

21. Organic vs. Conventional is there a difference? VS. 8oz Crystal Farms Low-fat Milk8oz Straus’s Organic Low-fat Milk

22. Organic vs. Conventional is there a difference? VS. 1 tsp Hain’s Organic Sugar 1 tsp C&H Sugar

23. Organic vs. Conventional is there a difference? VS. ½ cup Straus’s Organic Vanilla Ice Cream½ cup Dreyer’s Vanilla Ice Cream

24. Nutritional Differences Nutritional content in organic food vs. conventional food No conclusive research that states organic foods being nutritionally superior to conventional Organic ≠ healthy Packaged foods

25. Produce Stickers Price Look Up (PLU) Codes Used on items that are sold lose or bunched International system Optional Conventional: four digit code. (4139) Organic: five digit code that starts with a 9. (94139) GMO: five digit code, that starts with an 8. (84139)

26. What does this code mean? 94011 4409 84805 3278

27. Message It’s important to eat enough fruits and vegetables whether they are organic or not.

28. Next Class… Grocery Shopping!

29. References http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2012/09/little-evidence-of-health- benefits-from-organic-foods-study-finds.html http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research- report/err97.aspx#.VAZDaMVdV1Y http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/agnic/susag.shtml http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/ http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/organics.htm

30. Other terms you may have heard… “Healthy” – no set definition. The food must be low in fat and saturated fat, limited in sodium and cholesterol, provide at least 10% of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein OR fiber. “Fresh” – food is raw and has not been frozen or exposed to heat. “Natural” – no definition, may not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances.