Contents
What Is Organic Food?
Organic vs. Nonorganic: Understanding the Issues
Organic Produce
Organic Grains
Organic Beans, Nuts, and Oils
Organic Dairy Products, Eggs, and Soy Products
Organic Meat
Organic Fish
Organic Processed Foods
Organic Coffee
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Organic Processed Foods
Processed foods are packaged food products that have been precooked, sterilized, dehydrated, refrigerated, or preserved to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Health Considerations
- Pesticide residues: Conventionally processed foods such as baby foods have been shown to contain various pesticide residues—some from the produce they contain, and some from airborne sources. Organic baby foods may contain fewer residues, but they are still susceptible to airborne residues.
- Synthetic processing aids: Processing aids are items that are added to food products during production but removed before packaging. They are not listed on labels. The NOP allows a variety of processing aids in organic processed foods, including several synthetic ones. There are no known health risks associated with consuming approved processing aids, but if you’re uncomfortable with not knowing everything that your are consuming, consider avoiding processed foods.
Environmental Considerations
The environmental impact of a processed food product depends largely on the ingredients it contains—produce, dairy products, meat, fish, and so on. If the environmental concerns discussed in previous sections trouble you, keep in mind that the same issues surround processed foods.
Recommendations
- If you’re interested in organic processed foods: Relatively few organic processed foods are 100% organic; the majority of them contain only 70% organic ingredients. Given the higher prices of organic processed foods, it’s possible that you’ll end up paying more money for relatively few organic ingredients.
- If health issues are your main concern: Because of the marginal health benefits of organic processed foods, your decision to purchase them should hinge on your dedication to larger organic food principles.
Where to Buy Organic Processed Foods
- Supermarkets
- Health food and natural food stores
- Food cooperatives
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