Explaining the Organic Food
Trend
By: Nicole Grimes
USDA Organic Standards
• No antibiotics
• No growth hormones
• Animals raised on organic feed
• Farmed without pesticides or herbicides
• Farmed without synthetic fertilizers
• Placed on all products
made with 95-100%
organic ingredients
• Products with at least
70% organic
ingredients may state
“Made with Organic
Ingredients”
Pesky Pesticides
Over 400 chemicals are
used to kill pests and
weeds
Pesticides implicated in:
Cancer (Specifically
breast cancer)
Male Infertility
Parkinson’s Disease
Hormones and Antibiotics
• Cause antibacterial
resistance in
humans
• May increase
exposure to
Mad Cow Disease
The USDA states that organic foods are:
“No more Nutritious
than Conventionally
grown foods”
Extra Expense $$$
• Whole Food brand
Organic
applesauce:
$2.99
• Motts Regular
applesauce:
$1.49
Organic Foods you can Skip
• Potato Chips
• Ice Cream
• Product with
processed white
flour
• All other nutrientdeficient food
Organic Foods you can Skip
• All Seafood and Fish
• The USDA has yet to
set standards for
organic seafood and
fish products
• Products labeled as
“organic” can still
contain harmful
contaminants such as
mercury
Organic Foods you can Skip
• Shucked or Peeled
fruits and veggies
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Sweet Corn
• Sweet Peas
Organic Foods Worth Buying
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Meats
Poultry
Eggs
Dairy Products
Organic Foods Worth Buying
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Apples
Grapes
Spinach
Peaches
Pears
Strawberries
Cherries
Raspberries
Blueberries
The Dirty Dozen
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Apples
Peaches
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarine
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes (Imported)
Carrots
Pears
The Clean Fifteen
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Onion
Avocado
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato
National Organic Program www.ams.usda.gov/nop
Carl Winter
foodsafe.ucdavis.edu/music.html