Pesticides are part of a much larger conversation about sustainability. Should we be using them? What are the tradeoffs when it comes to our environment and food safety?

Sustainability is the principle of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. For food, sustainability includes a wide range of factors such as water use, animal well-being, worker care and soil conservation. Learn more about Optimizing Sustainability.

In this series about sustainability, we’ve been looking at the tradeoffs with various food production practices. We reached out to experts to learn about the sustainability tradeoffs related to pesticides.

“Pesticide” is a general term that covers three broad areas of crop production, explains Jeff Graybill, an Extension Educator in Agronomy at Penn State University. “Insecticides control worms, bugs and other insects that can easily consume crops in the field or grains and food in storage. Herbicides will control and prevent weeds from overcoming the crop and lowering the harvest. And fungicides prevent and control diseases which attack our crops,” he said.

Tim Durham teaches agronomy and agricultural sciences at Ferrum College. He’s also part of his family’s fifth-generation vegetable farm on Long Island, New York.

“Since cropping is our livelihood, we’re motivated to protect our investment … we’re constantly evaluating new markets, crops and production systems. We pride ourselves on staying nimble when it comes to pest management,” Dr. Durham said.

What are the different types of crop protection and why are they used?

Chemical sprays are one method used to manage weeds and insects, but there are several approaches.

“Many farmers in the U.S. practice integrated pest management (IPM). This means that farmers use a variety of methods to grow and protect the crop and will only choose chemical control when it is the better option. Other IPM tools include things like crop rotation, better plant genetics (disease and insect resistance) and natural predators,” Graybill said.

Most farms use a combination of practices to protect crops from weeds and insects, Dr. Durham said.

“We use knowledge about pests to exploit their vulnerabilities. This can include a spray – an informed one – but it also draws from a versatile toolbox of alternative approaches, any of which can be mixed and matched to optimize the effect,” he said.

Some additional, non-chemical options include:

• Biological: The use of “good” bug and microbe mercenaries to hunt pests.
• Cultural: Make the environment less hospitable for pests.
• Physical/Mechanical: Exclude troublemakers when possible, or grind them up with a disk or plow when they’re in a vulnerable life stage in the soil.
• Genetic: Use plant varieties that just aren’t appealing to pests.
• Regulatory: Coordinate with trade partners to make sure only clean produce (no pest stowaways) cone in, also quarantine when necessary.

What would happen if farmers didn’t use crop protection? 

Pests – weeds, insects and fungus – are the greatest threat to growing any crop. Without pesticides, some crops could not be grown on a large scale, so our diets would not be as diverse. According to Dr. Durham, without pesticides, fruits and vegetables would be stunted, riddled with injuries and contaminated with microbes, contributing to food waste.

Without crop protection, food would also be more expensive as more of it would be lost to pests. According to Crop Life International, even with the use of modern crop protection products, 20 to 40 percent of potential food production is lost every year to pests.

“Pesticides provide some measure of predictability in the otherwise unpredictable world of farming, helping to stabilize commodity prices and keeping prices low in the grocery aisle. It’s one reason we spend a tiny fraction of our disposable income on food,” Dr. Durham said.

How do pesticides affect the environment?

 There are tradeoffs to using pesticides, to using organic methods or to using nothing at all. Proper pesticide use can help protect part of the environment.

“They allow us to maximize production on the smallest footprint of land. This is called ‘land sparing.’ If we decided to forego pesticides, we’d need to appropriate a much larger chunk of land to do the same job and land that happens to be the most biodiverse and at-risk,” Dr. Durham said.

Efficiently using farmland – growing more food on less land – also protects forests and wildlife habitats from being cultivated. For instance, farmers who do not use herbicides to manage weeds in their crops can instead use tillage, which increases soil erosion and contaminates water sources.

“Fungicides and bactericides can make food safer to eat by reducing toxin levels,” Dr. Durham said. “How? Microbes occupy wounds made by pests. In the process, they produce dangerous toxins. It’s their biology – and also potentially. double jeopardy for consumers.”

“Chemical weed, disease and insect products often require much less time, equipment and energy than traditional production practices; thereby generating a lower carbon footprint and environmental benefits,” Graybill said.

But using chemical pesticides does involve some risk. The compounds are designed to kill a living organism such as a microbe, weed or insect, so they need to be used responsibly, Graybill said.

Some crop protection chemicals have a negative impact on beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies. The agricultural industry is researching ways to reduce the negative impact. Some of the older, more toxic compounds have been banned and replaced by newer ones that are more targeted to specific species.

Learn more about pesticides and the environment.

As we evaluate tradeoffs in this series, we see that pesticides can have environmental risks because they kill certain plants and insects. Crop protectants also benefit the environment by reducing the amount of land, water and fertilizer needed to grow crops, which protects wildlife areas and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Is my food safe from pesticide residues? 

 Pesticides are regulated in the United States to be sure that they are as safe as possible for people and the environment.

“The United States has an extensive regulatory system, and whether it’s household chemicals or agricultural herbicides and insecticides, all chemicals go through extensive toxicology testing to look at the benefits and the risks of the product. This is especially true of pesticides used on food crops,” Graybill said “Since these chemicals are designed to kill a specific weed or pest, they must be respected, so when looking at human and animal health implications, regulatory agencies have very stringent standards.”

All foods, whether they are grown with conventional farming or organic methods, are regulated and safe. Even those on the Dirty Dozen are well below the acceptable threshold for residues. This Food Safety Calculator shows how much food a person can consume without experiencing adverse effects of pesticides.

“Any pesticide that comes to market must be approved and certified by the EPA, USDA and FDA. Toxicology data is peer-reviewed and is combed over very intensely. The government agencies then make a determination if there are any negative impacts and whether those negative impacts are outweighed by the good that the chemical will do,” Graybill said in a previous post on Best Food Facts.

Learn more about pesticides and food safety.

What are alternative methods of crop protection? 

Organic methods are often considered more natural. USDA certified organic foods are produced in compliance with National Organic Program (NOP) standards

Organic does not mean that foods are pesticide free.

“It means only that the product was produced according to the standards of the NOP. While organic growers are commonly committed to using limited to no pesticides, they can—and often do—use pesticides allowed under the NOP standards,” said Dr. Paul Vincelli, Extension Professor and Provost’s Distinguished Service Professor, University of Kentucky.

Often conventional – or non-organic – farming involves using natural practices, Dr. Durham said.

“Organics suggests that old standbys like crop rotation and fallowing (field resting) are somehow organic exclusives, when they’re clearly not. Some practices never go out of style. Conventional growers use them regularly, melding the old with the new,” he said.

Following all regulations, using pesticides according to the label and also using integrated pest management can reduce the risks of pesticide use.

“Farmers proudly eat what we grow. We have full confidence in our practices and food safety,” Dr. Durham said.

Various types of pesticides are used to protect crops from weeds, insects and microbes. The decision to use chemicals, non-chemical methods or a combination of both approaches results in tradeoffs that can affect food affordability, food waste, land use and carbon footprint.

Learn more about Optimizing Sustainability.

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To gain some insight into the difference between pesticide-free and organic, we reached out to Dr. Paul Vincelli, Extension Professor and Provost’s Distinguished Service Professor, University of Kentucky.

 What does it mean to be pesticide-free? What about organic?

Dr. Vincelli: “’Pesticide-free’ is not a strictly defined term, but it might be used to refer to crops that were not treated with any synthetic (human-made) pesticides. Pesticides are substances for controlling insects, weeds, or disease-causing organisms. ‘Organic’ commonly refers to ‘certified organic:’ agricultural products certified to have been produced in compliance with the National Organic Program (NOP) of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.”

The NOP is responsible for creating national standards for organically produced agricultural products. If a product meets their standards, they will receive the USDA organic seal; however, it should be noted that these regulations do not address food safety or nutritional value.

In order to meet the USDA organic standards, a product must contain the following criteria:

• Produced without excluded methods, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge
• Produced per the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
• Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program – authorized certifying agent, following all USDA organic regulations

If something is organic, doesn’t that mean that it is pesticide-free?

Dr. Vincelli: “No. It means only that the product was produced according to the standards of the NOP. While organic growers are commonly committed to using limited to no pesticides, they can—and often do—use pesticides allowed under the NOP standards.”

Have you wondered what a pesticide is? According to Dr. Vincelli, there are three categories of substances that act to kill pests:

1. Synthetic pesticides. These are pesticides created by humans. This includes substances that may be designed to mimic natural substances. These are applied to the plant in some way: as a spray, a seed treatment, etc.
2. Natural pesticides applied to plants. These are pesticides made from natural substances. An example would be copper-based pesticides. Copper is mined by humans, but the copper-based active ingredient has not been created by human design. Another example would be pesticides made from naturally occurring bacteria found in the soil. These naturally occurring substances can be toxic to pests, such as spider mites, mosquitoes, ants, fruit flies and others. Spinosad is such a compound and some spinosad products are approved for use in organic agriculture.  Pesticides in this category are applied to the plant in some way, much like synthetic pesticides.
3. Natural, internal pesticides. These are natural chemicals synthesized internally by the living plant to defend itself against pest/disease attack. Plants are figuratively assaulted constantly by microorganisms and insects that want to consume the plant’s tissues. Since plants can’t run away to escape these attacks, they must defend themselves through chemicals. Plants are rather remarkable chemists, and defense against attack is a big reason for this.

“When people say the word, ‘pesticide,’ they almost always are thinking of category #1,” said Dr. Vincelli. “Some of the substances in category #2 are approved for use by organic producers. Even though they are natural, they are toxic to target pests—and sometimes to non-target organisms also, including humans. But since these substances are natural, many people mistakenly believe that they cannot be pesticides, but they are, because they kill or disrupt pests. A common assumption about natural substances—pesticides or not—is that, since they are natural, they must be safe. It is an easy assumption to make. I often find myself making the same assumption. However, it is an invalid assumption. The world is full of many natural substances that are hazardous to our health at some dose, even at doses we might consume.”

Dr. Vincelli continued to explain that substances in category #3 “’fly under the radar’ of public consciousness.”

Sometimes we have some scientific knowledge of the human risks of eating natural, internally produced chemical pesticides, but commonly we don’t know much about how they might impact human health,” explained Dr. Vincelli. “I am not saying we should be worried about eating plants and plant products, because of these natural, internal pesticides. To the contrary, a healthy diet includes eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, regardless of the possible presence of low amounts of natural, internal pesticidal chemicals. But these are in our food, naturally, and it is interesting to ponder how little we know about these natural pesticides in our diet and how much more there is to learn about eating for optimal health.”

Alright, we’ve received several reader questions about this. Is organic food safer to consume than conventionally produced food?

Dr. Vincelli: “Simple answer: I purchase and eat both conventional foods and organic foods. This is because I am generally impressed with the rigor of the regulatory process for pesticides. Most of the time our federal review and approval of pesticides by EPA is impressive and designed to protect public health while maintaining agricultural productivity. In my 35+ years of working with pesticides, I recall only one instance in which I thought the federal government was not adequately protecting public health through conservative decision-making about a pesticide.  That was a recent example.  But almost always, our government does an excellent job of vigorously assuring the safety of pesticides on and in our foods.”

Summary

Foods that are labeled “pesticide free” and “organic” represent different ways in which the food was grown. Pesticides include a variety of substances, some of which occur naturally and some of which may be used on organic food. Foods in the United States are tested and vigorously regulated to make sure they are safe to eat.

Other articles in this series:

Are Pesticides Needed to Grow Food?

Are Pesticides Safe for Food Consumption?

Are Pesticides Safe for the Environment? 

The post What’s the Difference Between Pesticide Free and Organic? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

CNN states that the study offers a “possible explanation” for the relationship between organic food and cancer risk stems from the reduction of contaminants during the growing phase.

To gain a better understanding of this study, we collaborated with Dr. Ruth MacDonald at Iowa State University.

Should people be concerned about eating non-organic food?

Dr. MacDonald: “Commercially grown foods are safe and consumers should not be concerned about eating non-organic foods. The pesticides used in commercial foods are tested for safety by the FDA and must be used within specific guidelines by growers. The FDA records pesticide residues in the food supply regularly through the FDA Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program and these reports are available on the FDA website. For the great majority of foods, the amount of chemical residue is magnitudes lower than the established safety levels.”

What your thoughts or takeaways on this study?

Dr. MacDonald: “The study was a survey of 70,000 people living in France who were asked to record their food intake and then to provide information about whether they typically consumed organic foods. The participants were followed for four and a half years and any cases of cancer that occurred during that time were recorded. They study found that the overall cancer risk was 25% lower in people who reported the highest consumption of organic foods. Whereas this is a well-designed study, several aspects limit the ability to make generalizations about the role of organic food specifically in preventing cancer. Further research is needed to determine.”

The researchers pointed out this is one study and the research findings are absolute. “At the current stage of research, the relationship between organic food consumption and cancer risk is still unclear,” Dr. Jorge E. Chavarro and his colleague wrote in the commentary.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, Dr. MacDonald said that the most important aspect is to consume a wide variety of foods that meet the nutritional needs at each stage of life.

“Both commercially produced and organic foods can be part of a healthy diet,” said MacDonald. “A product that is labeled organic might not be the healthiest choice if it is high in calories and low in nutrients. It is always best to read the nutrition facts panel to determine the healthfulness of a food product and not to just rely on words such as organic or natural.”

Both organic and commercially produced foods are safe to eat. Whatever you choose, it is important to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet to lead a healthy life. If your fruits and vegetables are organic or not, always wash your fresh produce before consuming it.

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The Environmental Working Group released its annual report of what it calls the Dirty Dozen this week. The list ranks fruits and vegetables by the amount of pesticide residue detected. Pesticide on food? It sounds like something to worry about, but experts advise looking at the facts, such as the very small amount of pesticide found.

“Foods on the Dirty Dozen list pose no risks to consumers due to the extremely low levels of pesticides actually detected on those foods,” said Dr. Carl Winter, a Best Food Facts expert who was quoted in the Washington Post.

EWG advises consumers to only buy organic types of produces that it lists on the Dirty Dozen. Their advice, however, has had serious unintended consequences. A study by the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago found that confusion about the list has caused shoppers to buy less of all types of fruits and vegetables.

One possible reason is because organic produce often costs more. As Dr. Ruth MacDonald has shared with Best Food Facts, “There is a widely held thought that conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables are loaded with pesticide and herbicide (chemical) residue. This is simply not supported by facts. The FDA and USDA routinely monitor the food supply for chemical residues and post results on their websites.”

Best Food Facts dietitians agree wholeheartedly with this from EWG: “Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is essential no matter how they’re grown.” The advice from dietitians is to wash all fruits and veggies under running tap water, then eat up – two to three cups of each per day.

Originally published March 10, 2017

_{“Harvest time: local farmers sell organic produce at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market” by University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment is licensed under CC BY.}

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Many labels and food marketing terms are closely regulated by the government and require a rigorous certification process. Other terms, however, are not regulated andsubject to many interpretations. We chatted with registered dietitian and Maryland soybean farmer Jennie Schmidt to find out more about how to decipher food labeling.

How do you navigate labels found at the grocery store, farmers market or other places you are buying food?

Jennie Schmidt: “It’s important to pay attention to nutrition facts instead of marketing information because a lot of that information doesn’t mean anything. You should think about your own personal health concerns and take an individualized approach to buying food that fits within those concerns. Also, remember that eating healthy means moderation in the selection of the types of food you eat – it’s all about balance. It’s important to not eliminate the variety and choice but to think about moderation in everything.

“When you are at a farmer’s market, be sure to talk to the farmers and ask them questions. If you are looking for something local, be sure to ask because the produce may or may not have come from their farm depending on the regulations in the area.”

What does a perfect label look like to you?

Schmidt: “Way less information! I would only include the nutrition facts and ingredients and remove everything else.

“I would also make it so it connects the consumer to the farmer that produced the food if possible. For example, for the company that manufactures the tomatoes we grow, every time they change the label they feature a new family photo of one of the growers. This shows that the food is grown by people and that industrialization doesn’t make a food bad.”

What are your thoughts on GMO labeling?

Schmidt: “It’s very confusing why people are so concerned with wanting to know what foods are GMO because often they are not well-informed of what it actually means. It also just adds another thing to the already-crowded food label. From a farming perspective, IF we label GMOs then we should also label all plant-breeding processes.”

A law was passed by Congress last year that will require  food companies to disclose which products have genetically modified ingredients and they will have a range of options of how they will make that disclosure. This includes text on a food product label, a QR code, or directing consumers to a phone number or website with more information. 

What about all the buzzwords and marketing terms that are being discussed in the media and on labels? How do you decipher what is true or not?

 Schmidt: “It can be overwhelming to keep up with information and make the best choices for your family, which is why going back to the basics and having balance is key. If you have a particular health concern, read the nutrition facts label and try not to pick over every single thing in the food system; nothing will be perfect. Use common sense when you are at the grocery store and remember that all foods can fit into a healthy diet. It’s more about how much and how often you are eating certain foods rather than the food itself. “

We’ve broken down some of the buzzwords you’ll find on labels and in food marketing:

Non-GMO
Non-GMO on the label means that the food does not contain any ingredients that have been genetically modified. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as “organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination.” It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another and/or altered by switching off a particular gene. The American Medical Association (AMA), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and numerous other scientific and medical organizations have all made statements indicating that no clear impacts on human health have been reported or confirmed in professional journals. Bottom line: GMOs are safe.

What Does a GMO Look Like?
Are GMO Foods Less Nutritious?
GMOs: What to Know
How are GMOs created?

Organic
Only the 100 percent organic label guarantees the USDA’s definition of organic. This means meat, eggs and dairy products are raised without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones; produce is grown with fertilizers free of synthetic or sewage components; and no genetically modified organisms are part of the product. Organic identifies the way the food was grown, which is important to some shoppers, but it  doesn’t necessarily imply that a food is more nutritious.

Natural
There is no legal or government-regulated definition of natural. Just because a product is labeled natural doesn’t always mean it is a healthy choice.

Clean Eating
There is no definition of what it means to “eat clean” and different people may view different foods as “clean” and “not clean.” Many health professionals will agree that classifying specific foods as good or bad is overly simplistic and may foster unhealthy eating habits. Without a central definition of what foods are “clean,” it’s best to stick to eating a balanced diet (heavy on the fruits and veggies!).

Processed
Food processing is any deliberate change in a food that occurs before it’s available for us to eat. This includes something as simple as freezing or drying food to preserve it or as complex as formulating a frozen meal with the right balance of nutrients and ingredients.

Gluten-Free
A gluten-free diet is one that avoids the protein gluten found in wheat, barley and rye. For people with celiac disease, gluten allergies and sensitivities, a gluten-free diet is essential. But for most people, avoiding gluten is unnecessary and may cause deficiencies in certain nutrients.

Superfood
There is no legal or scientific definition of what a “superfood” is, but many health professionals consider foods that are very high in nutrients – beyond carbohydrates, fats and proteins – to be superfoods.

Next time you are at the grocery store, don’t be overwhelmed by food jargon. Become informed about food marketing and labeling terms; it will not only help you make healthier choices, but will also help you feel more confident in the food choices you make.

Originally published Aug. 10, 2016.

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Dr. Bruce Chassy, Professor of Food Microbiology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois, said there are no spices that are genetically modified, so the new label is not meaningful in that aspect.

Dr. Chassy

GM spices, if they existed, would be perfectly safe because GM technology is the safest method of breeding crops and GM crops undergo rigorous regulations. In years past, it was a claim FDA would not allow on the label since GM spices don’t exist. The claim implies that competitors’ spices are genetically modified.

Where do spices come from?

Dr. Chassy

Most spices we use to flavor our food are grown outside the United States. In fact, the U.S. imports more than 40 different spices and seven of those — vanilla beans, black and white pepper, capsicum, sesame seed, cinnamon, mustard and oregano — account for more than 75 percent of the total annual value of spice imports. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the top countries where spices are imported from are India, Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico. Food safety risks are generally low.

Are spices safe to consume?

Dr. Chassy

Because we use such small amounts of spices, even if there were toxic poisons, we probably would not consume enough to hurt us. Consumers need to start thinking about dose. No person who eats a lot of spices would be at risk because the levels are thousand-fold below the maximum safe intake level.

Dr. Chassy also suggested considering several factors when deciding to buy spices that are organic or not.

As a food safety expert with over 40 years of experience in the field, I’d much rather eat a GM spice than an organic one. Why? The real risks associated with spices are that they are easily contaminated with bacteria, some of them pathogenic. Hot, humid climates and more primitive conditions conspire to make headaches for spice companies that must put systems in place to assure the spices they sell are safe — which they almost always are. It’s a job for big companies who know their business. I personally would steer clear of organic spices.

Dr. Chassy says the spices he uses most frequently include salt, pepper, cumin, powdered thyme, rosemary and poultry seasoning.

I try to use fresh cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano when available, but will use freeze-dried or just dried leaves. Less often, I use allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander and whatever else a recipe calls for. I try to throw out all my spices once a year, but that’s not safety-related — it’s for freshness.

I’m totally comfortable with giving any of these spices to my family and safety never enters my mind with but one exception. There have been several reported outbreaks of salmonella in fresh cilantro from Mexico, so I watch for outbreak or recall news before I buy cilantro. The fact is that it’s the microbes that can give you foodborne illness that consumers should be aware of. GMOs and tiny residues of pesticides will do no harm.

What about pesticides?

Dr. Chassy

It’s worth noting that in the U.S. at least, the infinitesimal residues of pesticides found in some ingredients pose no threat to human health. The pesticide claims by organic companies are false in two ways: 1) they use pesticides — some more toxic than those used on conventional crops, and 2) there is no rational or scientific reason to be concerned about pesticides.

_{The image “Spices” by Brianna Lehman is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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Buying locally helps support the local economy, and could reduce the amount of energy required to ship food from other areas. In some cases, fruits or vegetables may be fresher if bought locally. But does that mean that locally-grown food is safer?

We asked food system expert Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez for some insight into the safety of local foods.

Does buying locally-produced food ensure that it’s safe?

“Scientific evidence is not conclusive either way regarding the safety of local food,” says Diez-Gonzalez, Department Head and Professor of Food Safety Microbiology in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. “Research is being conducted, but we don’t really know if larger operations are safer than smaller operations that usually sell to farmers’ markets. Right now, we can’t say farmers’ markets are riskier or safer just because the food is locally produced.”

“Farmers’ markets are diverse and vary from place to place. Also, studies are heavily limited by the kind of microbial testing conducted, so the science needs to advance and develop better assessment tools,” says Diez-Gonzalez.

Are smaller farms subject to the same regulations as larger farms?

Currently, small farmers that are likely to sell to farmers’ markets are exempt from most food safety regulations, such as the Food Safety Modernization Act. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a final rule on the food safety act in November 2015 to prevent food problems before they occur.

“If you try to enforce or require the same regulation of small farmers they will go out of business, because they don’t have the resources available,” says Diez-Gonzalez. “Another reason small farmers are exempt from some regulations is that FDA would face significant challenges to enforce any regulations on every small farm. It’s impractical and the impact on local economies could be enormous.”

As a result, food safety oversight and recommendations remain very local. For example, Diez-Gonzalez says the Minnesota Department of Health promoted the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) among small farmers. The state does not have the resources to enforce, so the GAPs are recommendations rather than regulations. That doesn’t mean farmers’ markets aren’t safe, but it does mean consumers should look for best practices when selecting their produce.

What steps can consumers take to ensure the safety of the local produce they purchase?

Follow these tips to check stands for cleanliness, including gloves and clean utensils for food handling, covered garbage cans, coolers for perishables and clean bags. Reusable grocery totes are a popular, eco-friendly way to transport food, but be sure to use separate totes for raw meat and poultry and ready-to-eat foods, such as fresh produce and breads.

“If you go to a farmers’ market and notice containers and the area surrounding the stand don’t look clean and well-kept, you may not want to buy from that stand,” says Diez-Gonzalez.

Are there certain types of locally-grown produce consumers should avoid purchasing?

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) historical data, sprouts, leafy greens and tomatoes present greater risk than some other crops,” says Diez-Gonzalez. “That doesn’t mean these products present a greater risk than the products you find in a grocery store; we don’t know that information yet. Other produce, such as onions, carrots or peppers, have very little food safety problems.”

Regardless of whether you purchase your produce at a farmers’ market, a supermarket or elsewhere, you should wash your produce with water. Diez-Gonzalez says there are mixed opinions on some disinfecting products, but washing with water remains advisable to reduce any contamination on the surface of the produce. Cooking vegetables is another way you can reduce food safety risks.

“The perception right now is that local is good and everything organic or natural is good,” says Diez-Gonzalez. “When it comes to microbial food safety, we are not 100 percent sure. Some of my peers feel that organic food is less safe, but the evidence so far does not support that conclusion.”

Do you shop at local farmers’ markets? What kinds of foods do you purchase there? Let us know in the comments!

 _{The image “Farmers’ Market” by Natalie Maynor is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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Here’s a helpful guide to understanding your egg carton.

(Photo source: United Egg Producers)

Julian date: This is usually found on the short side of the carton and is the number of the day of the year the eggs were packed. The day is written as a number, with Jan. 1 written as 001 and Dec. 31 as 365.

Sell by date: Many cartons also have a “sell by” date, although it is not required. This is the date beyond which eggs should not be sold. However, the eggs are still safe to eat for four to five weeks after the Julian (packing) date, even if the sell by date passes before that time.

Plant number: This starts with a P and indicates the facility where the eggs were packaged. Visit USDA to enter the plant number and learn more about the facility.

UEP Certified: The United Egg Producers’ UEP Certified logo can be used on cartons of eggs from farms that follow UEP’s guidelines for hen health and well-being. Participating farms must meet the certification guidelines on 100 percent of their hens as verified through independent, third-party audits.

Cage-Free: These climate-controlled barns have open floor space, accessible perches and enrichments, and hens are allowed to roam freely through sections of the building, exhibiting natural behaviors.

Free-Range: Hens have some access to the outdoors. Due to higher production costs and lower volume per farm, free-range eggs are generally more expensive.

Organic: USDA Certified Organic eggs are produced according to USDA standards that require hens receive only organic feed and have access to the outdoors.

If the carton doesn’t specify, the eggs were most likely produced in conventional cage housing, which consists of stacked rows of cages. It’s in that type of housing where the vast majority of eggs in the United States are produced.

Pasteurized: This term is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and refers to eggs heated in their shells to temperatures just below the coagulation point to eliminate naturally occurring pathogens. Though the supply is somewhat limited, pasteurized eggs can be beneficial for individuals with compromised immune systems.

Hormone Free: Egg-laying hens are never fed hormones. So whether or not the carton says so, all eggs are hormone free.

Safe handling instructions: The Food and Drug Administration requires all cartons of raw, shell eggs to carry the following statement: SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.

One other question we had about egg cartons: Is it safe to reuse them?
The Egg Safety Center recommends that cartons not be used to store eggs again. Even though the eggs are washed and sanitized before being packed in new cartons, there is potential for cross contamination if eggs are stored in them repeatedly.

To learn more about the sustainability of different types of housing systems, visit Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply.

_{The image “Six eggs” by Roger H. Goun is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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Dr. MacDonald reminds us that organic is actually a food production process that has been defined by the USDA based on the principles of reducing the use of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers and raising food animals without antibiotics and growth promotants. Producers who want to use the USDA organic label on their food must be certified and comply with federal regulations just as conventional producers do. Both organic and conventional foods are inspected and growers must follow rules for safe production practices. Both organic and conventional foods are regulated and monitored for safety when it comes to levels of chemicals, pesticides and antibiotics.

Consumers often assume that foods not labeled organic are less nutritious and may even contain harmful chemicals, pesticides and antibiotics. The truth is in the research. There is very little evidence showing significant differences in nutritional value of organic and conventional foods. According to Dr. MacDonald, both are excellent sources of many nutrients and bioactive compounds. Dr. MacDonald says there have been some studies showing differences in some fatty acids or lipid-soluble compounds (e.g. carotenoids), for example, between organic and conventionally-grown crops, but these differences were minor and didn’t have a significant impact on overall nutrient content. Much research has been done to increase omega-3 fatty acids in these products by altering feeding practices, for example. In these studies, minor increases can be achieved but the total impact on nutrient intake is negligible.

So if there’s no difference in nutritional value, does that mean there’s also no difference in taste? Pretty much! Dr. MacDonald tells us that controlled research studies of organic and conventional goods using sensory analysis have been conducted and no differences in perception of taste were found. It’s also important that there are many other factors that influence the quality and taste of foods, such as freshness, storage conditions, variety of the crop or product and, of course, personal preference.

What have we learned here today? Research studies show organic foods do not provide special nutritional or safety benefits and conventional foods are nutritious and healthful. We agree with Dr. MacDonald when she says that “the decision to purchase organic foods is personal and it is great that we have that choice.”

To read more about organic and conventional foods, visit Getting Down and Dirty with Pesticide Residues and the Dirty Dozen.

Originally posted November 15, 2010.

_{Photo: “Organic Garlic” by ilovebutter is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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Click on the infographic below to open a PDF.

chicken_housing_infographic_v2_cs5

CONVENTIONAL CAGE

CAGE-FREE AVIARY

ENRICHED COLONY

_{“Chicken Butts” by Cody and Maureen is licensed under CC BY.}

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