Various studies have shown that organic food is one of the main sources of toxins. For example, Ditlevsen, Sandøe & Lassen, (2019) suggest that plants get contaminated by pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella that arise from raw manure applied to the soil these plants are planted. These microorganisms come from the stomachs of animals like cows and sheep and are shed in their manure. The microorganism then transfers to plants itself, for example, microorganisms are normally protected from contaminating plants by the use of sanitizing agents. However, Ditlevsen, Sandøe & Lassen, (2019) have shown that E-coli can sustain the sanitizing agents and pass from manure to contaminate water in the inner tissues of organic lettuces. This study showed that the bacteria entered the edible portions of the plant and when such plants are consumed, toxins are introduced into the body.
MYTH TWO
Food fortification is of great importance to the health of people. This is so because, through food fortification, nutrient gaps in the diet can be filled. During food processing nutrients can be lost in the food. Food fortification is the best way that these lost nutrients can be replaced. Vitamins and minerals can be delivered to a larger portion of the population without requiring behavior change or diet change if food fortification is adopted. For example, widespread deficiencies of iodine and vitamin D were historically seen to cause an increased rate of goiter and rickets in Europe (Gharibzahedi & Jafari, 2017). However, after the introduction of iodized salt since 1922, the rates of iodine in most of the European countries have reduced drastically.
MYTH THREE
GMO foods have a lot of health benefits and are very safe for people to eat. GMO foods are safe because their production involves less use of herbicides and pesticides. Many studies have shown that herbicides and pesticides are the major sources of hazards on croplands. These hazards from herbicides and pesticides are dangerous to human health. However, farmers growing GMO foods don’t need pesticides and herbicides which makes GMO foods very safe for human consumption (Ruth et al., 2016). Also, the nutritious content of GMO foods can be improved. Since the nutritious content can be altered, people can take lower levels of food with higher nutritious content which is good for their health.
MYTH FOUR
Globally, the U.s food supply is known to be the world’s best. Pesticides, GMOs, food additives are all kept under control by the U.S department of agriculture (USDA). For example, the summary of the 2017 pesticide data program (PDP) as established and published by the environmental protection Agency that was published showed that the pesticide residues in the 99% of all the samples tested were below the benchmark levels (Sax, 2015). Also, both domestic and imported foods in the U.S are thoroughly tested by the USDA with a close focus on foods that children and infants consume. Further to this, the EPA conducts a dietary risk assessment to ensure that all foods in the country have pesticides residues are not above the acceptable levels.
Reference
Ditlevsen, K., Sandøe, P., & Lassen, J. (2019). Healthy food is nutritious, but organic food is healthy because it is pure: The negotiation of healthy food choices by Danish consumers of organic food. Food quality and preference, 71, 46-53.
Gharibzahedi, S. M. T., & Jafari, S. M. (2017). The importance of minerals in human nutrition: Bioavailability, food fortification, processing effects, and nanoencapsulation. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 62, 119-132.
Ruth, T. K., Rumble, J. N., Gay, K. D., & Rodriguez, M. T. (2016). The Importance of Source: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Food. Journal of Agricultural Education, 57(3), 145-161.
Sax, J. K. (2015). Dietary supplements are not all safe and not all food: How the low cost of dietary supplements preys on the consumer. American journal of law & medicine, 41(2-3), 374-394.
