So why is organic food getting ever more popular? By just putting a label on food saying it’s healthier and safer than regular food would be enough to get people to buy it. Also with all the more and more places opening like Whole Foods Market, Central Market and Fresh Market attract people from everywhere. If consumers believe its better for them and it makes them healthier and maybe even live longer, people would buy it no matter if its more expensive than lets say Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club. Others buy organic foods over conventional because they believe it’s helping the environment or they don’t want to support the practices of agribusiness (Jackson).
Does that mean organic foods are healthier than conventionally grown foods? Is it more nutritious? Why is it more expensive? Supposedly, organic foods are grown without chemicals that can harm the land, water and human health, which in turn is better for one's health and environment. We don't exactly know this for sure and that is why as consumers, we need to get the facts and evidence straight before we shop.
The idea that organic is better for the consumer and the environment is more of a mindset and not the truth. My purpose is to show the people who believe in organic products, that there are just as many down falls as conventional foods. Many people assume that organic foods are healthier, when in fact organic foods are more susceptible to carrying pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella. They also think that because organic farmers use natural pesticides rather than synthetic pesticides, it’s better for the environment. However, organic farmers are able to use a copper solution, which never leaves the soil, to fight fungal disease as where the conventional farmer use pesticides that are biodegradable.
The study did however find that consumption of the organic foods may help reduce exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria as well as pesticide residuals. I was shocked by the results of this study. I believe the majority of people have always believed that organic foods are far healthier than conventional foods. Organic foods generally cost 20% more than the nonorganic varieties. A good question to ask yourself is whether or not it is worth it to pay the extra money for organic foods.
Product Liability Lawsuit Mattel was hit with lead paint class action suit on August 20, 2007.The suit, to be filed in Alameda County Superior Court under California's Proposition 65 law, would force manufacturers and retailers to adopt procedures for inspecting products to make sure they are safe. Barring that, they would be required to warn consumers that the items contained chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. Describe the company and the product safety issue that led to the lawsuit. On August 2, 2007, Mattel's Fisher-Price subsidiary recalled almost one million Chinese-made toys, including Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street toys, because of potential hazards from parts of the toys which were colored using lead-based paint that may have exceeded the US Federal limit of 600 parts per million. On August 14, 2007, Mattel recalled over 18 million products because it was possible that they could pose a danger to children due to the use of strong magnets that may detach.
Most of those factory sites are actually in China, where 85 percent of the fake trees sold in North America originate. Labor standards there don’t adequately protect workers from the dangerous chemicals they are handling. Fake Christmas Trees and Other Health Problems In addition to PVC, fake trees contain lead and other additives designed to make the otherwise rigid PVC more malleable. Unfortunately many of these additives have been linked to liver, kidney, neurological and reproductive system damage in lab studies on animals. The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition warns that fake trees “may shed lead-laced dust, which may cover branches or shower gifts and the floor below the tree.” So heed the advice of the label on your fake tree, which tells you to avoid inhaling or eating any dust or parts that may come loose.
They began to shed light on hormone injected foods and the effects of pesticides on human health and consumers began to listen. As these concerns grew, the USDA increased labeling standards for farmers and issued regulations on organic practices. But farmers also saw the benefit of these trends because of they could make substantially more from the higher prices of organically grown foods. Whole Foods also quickly saw the effects of this social trend and began to gain their own market share in the industry. Despite the economic recession in 2008, Whole foods saw revenues of $8 billion in 2009.
Food additives can affect food positively and negatively. Food additives have become more popular in foods because a large number of societies do not cultivate their own crops. Additives in food are growing in the world because of demanding life styles, no time for “homemade” meals, and just plain and simple laziness. Technology is also a key factor in the production of food additives. Although some people may be against the concept of a food additive, scientists do very thorough testing on each individual additive.
Ethical and moral issues associated with: Genetic Manipulation: Genetic Manipulation such as genetic engineering of foods is highly values amongst some people and seen as salvation as the land they live on cannot sustain productive growth. However some countries see it as a business benefiting Western Countries and refuse to accept such crops. Then there are some who believe the crops they grow and how they are grown is part of their culture and to change that would alter who they are. Some peoplerefuse to eat GM Foods as they are not ‘natural’ or may even cause harm. Truth is, yes bi companies make a lot of money from third world countries who can’t sustain their crop from floods and yes it may not seem like a natural food of source but it is altered in a way in which it is stronger and produces more nutrients for us to receive.
Those standards, which must be met in order for food to be labeled “U.S.D.A. organic,” are fine, but they still fall short of the dreams of early organic farmers of producing the most nutritious food possible in the most ecological way. (Mark Bittman) Edith Davenport and Dr. Susanne Bügel both have different opinions and experiments regarding this controversy. Davenport’s being a personal experiment and Dr. Bügel’s being an experimental project. Experimental research was conducted by Susanne Bügel and colleagues from the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Copehagen tested three different methods to prove the ongoing battle between organic and conventional foods.