What is organic food examples. What are organic foods
Every year there are more and more people who buy organic products. But dealing with organic labeling is not so easy. In addition, some manufacturers sculpt eco-labels for every second can of cucumbers. We'll tell you which foods are considered organic and why organic and farmed tomatoes are not the same thing.
Some argue that the labels Bio, Eco and Organic are a marketing dummy, while others sweep all cans with green badges from store shelves. The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.
What are organic foods
We already wrote : they can only be produced in ecologically clean areas without the use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hormones and GMOs. In general, the whole point of organic agriculture is to integrate into the ecosystem, and not to subjugate it to humans.
Instead of mineral fertilizers on organic farms, manure and compost are used, pests are fought with the help of insects and birds, and weeds are harvested by hand. Antibiotics, feed with hormones and genetic engineering are prohibited in animal husbandry.
Organic in the world
You can't just buy an Organic certificate. Every manufacturer that claims this title is tested for compliance with organic standards. A commission comes to the farm to study the soil, check the living conditions of the animals, the quality of the seed and harvesting equipment. In addition, the inspector can selectively poll employees for knowledge and understanding of organic standards. In laboratories already finished products checked on hundreds of points - from tests for the absence of heavy metals and ending with taste. Organic certification is valid for only one year, which means that the manufacturer must pass this global audit every 12 months.
The standards for such certification can be either private or public. But so far, only 87 countries have legally prescribed standards for organic products. For example, in the markets of the USA and Canada, the NOD standard (National Organic Program) is in force, in the European Union - the EU standard, in the Swiss markets - BIOSUISSE ORGANIC, and in Japan - the JAS eco-standard.
USDA Organic Seal is an American organic program that tests products against NOD organic standards.
Euro Leaf- sign of a unified certification system for food products produced in the European Union. To enter the European organic market, you must fulfill the requirements of the EU directives , 889/08 and only then receive this marking. Many Russian companies receive such a certificate in order to somehow confirm their status as a manufacturer of organic products.
For 37 years of existence Bio suisse from an association of Swiss farmers it has grown into a large organization with about 6,000 farmers as members.
JAS- certification according to Japanese organic standards.
Bio-Siegel is another organic label popular in the EU. This mark was introduced in Germany in 2011, it means that the product is at least 95% organic.
Organic in Russia
In Russia, the law on the production of organic products will be adopted in the near future - it is already under consideration in the State Duma. Nevertheless, the absence of a law does not stop Russian farmers, and those who want to produce organic products officially undergo international certification. That is why some organic products Russian production you can see signs for USDA, Euro Leaf and others. In addition, those who choose international certification systems can supply products to international markets without any problems.
Russia also has its own voluntary certification system, which was developed by the "Leaf of Life". The certification system and the standards themselves are the same as in the EU, but the sanitary and epidemiological standards of Russia are also taken into account here.
In addition, GOSTs have been in effect in the country since the beginning of 2017 and ... Both of these standards are fully compliant with European organic agriculture and IFOAMH (International Federation of Organic Agriculture) regulations. Compliance with these GOSTs testifies to the good faith of the manufacturer.
What is greenwashing
In addition to organic labels, Russian-made products are labeled "farm", "natural" and "environmentally friendly". These are perhaps the most popular forms of greenwashing, or "green marketing".Greenwashing is one of the marketing options where a product or service is positioned as green.
Farm product
In fact, this inscription does not carry any information, except that this product was produced on a farm. And yet, many fall for this trick - after all, it seems logical to use natural methods of production on a tiny farm. But in nothing is said about how to grow and care for plants and livestock on the farm.
In reality, farms often use and mineral fertilizers, and antibiotics on a scale comparable to large agricultural complexes. Farmers take this step in order to reduce costs and reduce risks.
Environmentally friendly product
All products that hit the supermarket shelves have been tested for environmental safety and are environmentally friendly a priori. According to on the food products it is forbidden to write "environmentally friendly product": everything that such an inscription does - distracts and misleads the consumer.
Natural product
This means that the product was grown in nature, and not in a laboratory. But this does not exclude the use of chemicals, antibiotics and hormones.
General statements, non-existent markings, the prefixes "bio", "eco" and "organic" are also true greenwashing signals. According to
On April 3, the State Duma adopted in the first reading the law on organic agriculture, which began to be developed back in 2012. We hope that in the near future, after discussion and amendments before the second reading, the long-awaited law will be finally adopted.
In the meantime, we talked with the executive director Oleg Viktorovich Mironenko about how such a protracted process corresponds to world practice, what the law will bring to producers and us, consumers, how doing organic matter changes our worldview.
The adoption of the law on organic agriculture is expected in Russia for more than five years, what happened during this time?
In fact, it all started even earlier. The first discussions of the topic of organic matter took place in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation in 2003 and 2005, but this did not receive further development.
In 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation prepared the first edition of the Law "On the production of environmentally friendly (organic) agricultural products and amendments to the legislative acts of the Russian Federation".
As such, the project was not supported by either the organic community or the authorities. The current version, developed already jointly with the specialists of the National Organic Union, today is the basis of the bill.
The draft law approved by the Duma is a framework one. We proceeded from the European experience in organic lawmaking, where the law is based on standards. For example, “organic product” is defined as a product produced in accordance with a standard.
In Europe, the first, basic, organic standard was developed by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) in 1982. At that time, there were no laws yet - at first it was necessary to agree on how to produce an organic product, how to carry out certification, and so on.
And the first common European standard appeared only in 1991. Then it was improved and for almost 12 years, laws were adopted on its basis by individual countries. The standard that we take as a basis, which is considered the most advanced, was adopted by IFOAM in 2007.
The advantage of the framework law is that it refers to by-laws. Such a law does not have to be rewritten whenever, for example, the standard changes. On the other hand, it will not work until the standards appear. Therefore, we started with their development, and only then went to the adoption of the law.
reference
To date, national standards of the Russian Federation have been developed and put into effect:
- GOST R 56104-2014 Organic food products. Terms and Definitions";
- GOST R 57022-2016 “Organic products. The procedure for conducting voluntary certification of organic production ";
- Interstate standard adopted by the Eurasian Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (EASC);
- GOST 33980-2016 “Organic products. Rules for production, processing, labeling and sale. NEQ CAC / GL32-1999 ".
It's clear with the standards, but who will be in charge of certification, decide whether the product is really organic?
The law says that only certifiers who have been accredited by the National Accreditation Body, that is, by the Russian Accreditation Agency, can certify organic production.
Until 2018, the rules for the accreditation of certifiers of all types of food products were in force, which did not take into account the specific features of organic matter. It took more than a year to develop and introduce the accreditation area "Organic Products" in Rosstandart.
Now the first Russian company, Organic Expert, has been accredited within the framework of this new system. It can be followed by others, both European and Russian. So one of the main basic conditions we created.
And what else has not been prepared from what is prescribed in the law?
Well, for example, a Russian graphic sign, in other words, marking. There is no such sign at the moment. It will take time to develop, agree, and compile a set of rules for applying to product packaging.
True, the Europeans also introduced a single labeling with a great delay - the green leaflet, to which we are already accustomed, was adopted only in 2010.
It turns out that a certified manufacturer will not be able to position its products as "organic"?
We believe that the graphic confirmation of the certificate on the packaging, as well as the law in general, is focused on the buyer. They confirm that the product has been manufactured in accordance with the prescribed rules.
It is important for a manufacturer who decided to undergo certification first of all - what and how they will check, how the final price of the product will be formed, its presentation on store shelves, and so on. Labeling is regarded by manufacturers as an element of marketing rather than as a system of proof of the organic nature of a product.
But for the consumer, the graphic symbol serves as a reference point. The consumer will not read done according to GOST to such and such. Among the many badges and inviting inscriptions, he should see a sign he trusts.
Now the question arose about the creation of a single marking, regardless of whether the product was released in Bashkiria or in St. Petersburg. A code consisting of numbers and letters will be written under the sign. It will allow you to identify the product in the database of organic producers.
In this case, we are not going anywhere from the European experience. By entering this code into the database of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, the consumer will be able to check whether the product has a valid certificate.
We understand that the adoption of the law and the emergence of a single organic label will not immediately bring organic products into the category of those who are unconditionally trusted. It will take 3-4 years before it will be possible to change the opinion of consumers, to build the entire system of inspections and public control.
To speed up this process, we offer our manufacturers to undergo double certification - both European and Russian. So that consumers visually get used to the equality of the two labels.
What else does the law say?
There are a few more important things.
Creation of a unified register of organic producers, where all certifiers will be required to enter data within three days after the issuance of the certificate.
And if the certificate is revoked, they will also have to promptly withdraw data from there. This right is granted only to companies accredited by the Federal Accreditation Agency.
In Europe, registers are kept only at the level of certifiers, there is no single register of certified companies, for example, at the EU level or individual countries. This makes it difficult for consumers to find information about a product.
We hope that the Russian registry will be more transparent and easier from this point of view.
The law launches mechanisms of state support both at the federal and regional levels. Moreover, support should be both at the federal and regional levels. So far, there is no legal basis on the ground to develop such support. All this is spelled out in the law.
Why do you think manufacturers are ready to undergo certification, although this process is long and not cheap?
The high cost of certification is a rather relative thing. For developed companies, when recalculating its cost per unit of output, it turns out to add literally a few kopecks per ruble of costs. Of course, it is more difficult for small and novice farms to decide on this.
In terms of incentives, organic production begins with understanding how your actions affect your surroundings. Although a commercial component cannot be ruled out - consumers are willing to pay more for organic products when they have a clear control system.
We recently received a delegation of students and graduates of German agricultural universities in Moscow. So they, having visited Russian enterprises, believe that the commercial component still prevails in our country. They first understand the need to make agriculture environmentally friendly.
IN European countries, and in Germany in particular, farmers are the main producers of organic products. Are we also very different from the West in this?
Today, yes. Large farms were able to establish not only the cultivation of organic products, but also their processing, and create sales logistics. All this can be traced, checked.
Among Russian farmers, there is still no clear understanding of what organic agriculture is, but a movement in this direction has already begun.
So far, we position the farm product as natural, produced in a certain place, but we cannot say anything about it from the point of view of production technology - what fertilizers are used, how the animals are kept, what they are fed with, and treated.
We understand that for small farms, the transition to organic is associated with high costs - they lose yield, lose milk yield, and, most importantly, it is difficult to promote their products to store shelves.
That is why the state support in the first three years is so important, which we wanted the government to include in the sector support programs.
Already now, many farmers write to us, advising on how to do without chemical fertilizers. We believe that potentially, in the future, farmers can become organic producers, but this requires their cooperation in procurement, logistics, processing. For example, as did the association "Bioferma Kuban".
Now they talk a lot about greenwashing - when unscrupulous manufacturers without thoroughly write on the packaging "eco", "bio", "organic", "100% natural" and other similar inscriptions. Will something change with the adoption of the law?
In the world, the concepts of "eco", "bio", "organic" are equivalent. But in order not to confuse the consumer, only one name is assigned to each country. Maximum two, as, for example, in Germany "eco" and "bio". In the United States, all products are not eco or bio, but only organic.
If I buy products from Germany that say “eco”, mentally I understand that these are organic products.
Everything that is produced according to the standard on which our law is based will be labeled "organic" and the spelling of this word on the packaging in the absence of the appropriate certificate will be prohibited by law and subject to a fine. Other inscriptions are not for us, we are responsible only for "organic".
Why is “organic” fixed in our national standard?
It so happened that other concepts already have their meaning in food. Eco - produced with minimal impact on the environment. The name "bio" refers to dairy products containing live bacteria. For example, biokefir, bioyogurt.
Therefore, at the moment, we only stipulate in the law the name "organic products" and will only tell the consumer about them.
What about the taste, benefits of organic products, can you say something?
Just want to cut off the discussion of such concepts as more tasty-less tasty, more useful-less useful. We do not undertake such evaluation functions. Taste qualities milk depends on what the cow ate. But it does not depend in any way on organic or inorganic nature.
On the other hand, according to scientists, our milk contains more omega-3 acids, since cows do not receive growth stimulants, hence they drink less water and milk becomes more concentrated.
We also do not specifically evaluate the usefulness of organic products, but since their cultivation does not use pesticides and herbicides that accumulate in the body and are excreted in very limited quantities, we can say that organic products are more useful.
In some countries, along with the organic certificate, food products also have an eco certificate. How do they relate to each other?
These are two correct parallel paths. I am not an expert in environmental areas, but we welcome everyone who comes with us - farmers, and the green economy, and environmental movements. All this contributes to the biologization of agriculture.
Organic standards and law govern the production rules. At the same time, prohibiting the use of a number of substances, they combine both consumer health and environmental issues. It's in there. These are separate things, but they are always interconnected.
An optimistic future?
Today, 179 countries of the world are developing organic agriculture, employing more than 2.4 million producers. 89 countries have their own laws on the production and circulation of organic products.
The annual growth in production is 10-12% per year, and consumption is more than 15%, and, according to forecasts, such rates will continue until 2025.
Now Russia occupies 0.2% of the world market for organic products. However, within the next few years we plan not only to catch up with the leading countries, but also to occupy at least 10% of the world market.
28.06.2015
Nowadays, when the ecology leaves much to be desired, more and more people are thinking about their health, proper nutrition and lifestyle. A special fashion and culture is born, which is based on the achievement of a quality standard of living. An important role in this is played by the food we eat, because our health and longevity depend on them.
Now it is rare to find high-quality goods on the shelves, preservatives are added to almost all products, various additives, dyes, flavors, etc. and there is no benefit from such products. Also, goods labeled "non-GMO" are also not always appropriate, because the fact that they do not contain GMO does not negate the use of chemicals for a rich taste and long storage. Therefore, organic products are becoming more and more in demand.
Organic food concept
Organic products (labeled BIO and ECO) are a relatively new category of goods for our country that are produced without the use of artificial additives, the use of genetic engineering or chemistry. Each production link must be certified at least once a year. This guarantees and confirms the quality of the product, and also marks it with a special sign that can be found on the packaging. Today the market can offer all kinds of food, clothing, drinks, a variety of baby products, cosmetics or medicine with this label.
Organic products do not contain:
- GMO, GM products, their derivatives;
- chemically synthesized preservatives, flavors, colorants, thickeners and stabilizers;
- raw materials of agricultural origin, growing near industrial centers or which are grown with the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemistry, various growth stimulants and hormones.
These products are manufactured without the use of harmful technologies (treatment with phenols, ultrasound, radiation treatment, chemical preservation, atomic fission, gassing, etc.).
In addition to the lack of use in the production of harmful components, organic products have a rich taste and great the nutritional value... Due to the peculiarities of organic farming, the content of vitamins, microelements, useful properties in fruits and vegetables much more than those grown in artificial conditions.
Development history of organic products
As an independent direction, organic farms and lands were formed at the beginning of the 20th century. The founders of the new industry were A. Howard, L. Bromfield and J. Rodale. At the end of the twentieth century, in some European countries, whole "organic hotels" began to appear, ready to offer their customers food, bed linen and many other bio-products. But still, food remains the main category.
In the mid-20th century, representatives of organic farms in Europe began to unite in groups to exchange experiences and jointly develop ideas and concepts. In 1924 the first trademark "Demeter" appears. He is known to this day. In 1967, the first standards were published, and already from the mid-70s, a large number of certifying firms appeared in the USA and Europe.
In our country, organic farming goes back to the 18th century, when A.T. Bolotov developed special principles called "In harmony with nature." In this work, he described farming and its prospects at the time.
The production of the most organic products began in Russia relatively recently. It all happened in the mid-90s of the last century, when the export of nuts and berries from Siberia to Europe began. Nevertheless, at the moment our country lags far behind most developed and even developing (including the CIS) countries. Despite the huge potential, rich and fertile land for farming and growing vegetables and fruits. In our country, we have all the necessary resources to supply, establish and improve the production of organic products, thereby contributing to the health of the nation. Most countries in the world now have their own systems for regulating organic production. This includes not only the requirements for production, but also for the processing, packaging, and storage of products.
Features of the production and certification of organic products
Organic products are obtained only through an organic production method. Agriculture plays a leading role in the organic sector. The production of such products originates from the certification of the land. The land must be certified organic. It is this status that confirms that for at least 3 years GMOs and harmful agrochemistry have not been used on it, and there are no longer any harmful substances in it.
Each link of production is inspected for the absence of the use of genetic engineering or chemical additives. You can recognize organic products by a special trademark or marks (if the product has been certified by several organizations at the same time) on the packaging.
Products made from different ingredients can be called “organic” if they are 95% organically certified. International standards oblige all manufacturers of such products to indicate the origin of all components on the label.
Features of labeling organic products
"Eco", "Bio", "Organic" or "Natural" - such markings can be found on many products that are on the shelves, but do they really meet the necessary quality standards? While in Russia legislation on organic production is still fully regulated, such labeling is often just a well-thought-out marketing ploy. The exception is imported products that are manufactured in accordance with EU standards. Organic products are marked with special signs and symbols, which are placed in the event that the product meets the requirements of the law and its production has the status of organic.
Organic production in different countries
Organic farming is practiced in almost every country in the world. In 2006, there were over 30 million hectares dedicated to organic farming. There are more than 700 thousand such farms in the world. The leaders in product manufacturing are the USA, China, Australia, and Argentina.
A quarter of all organic farms in the world (over 7 million hectares) are concentrated in Europe, with an annual growth rate of about 8%. Countries such as Spain, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France together account for more than half of all European lands. They produce vegetables, berries and grains there.
Organic farming in Russia
Despite the fact that the products manufactured in our country are close in their characteristics to the requirements of international organizations, its market share is still insignificant. In 2004, Russia created its own bio-certification body, which made it possible to officially certify products. The interest of the population in ecological and natural food is growing more and more. In view of this, humane farming and the production of natural and tasty products are being revived.
Principles for creating organic products
Organic food is healthy and tasty. They must be produced in accordance with the following principles:
This principle is universal for all crops, countries, production sizes and forms of ownership and is regulated by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Farming Movement).
Organic farming improves soil health and maintains soil fertility. This principle should be taken as a general concept - the health of the entire ecosystem.
Humane farming is based on natural cycles and living ecosystems, it functions in conjunction with them, helping to preserve all the naturalness of the process, integrity and harmony.
Organic farming is based on equitable interaction with the environment, conservative farming practices, a careful and responsible approach to nature protection and health in general.
Price / quality ratio of organic products
Organic products are a special production, the best quality, unconditional benefits and a special price. The cost of such a product can be 20-40% higher. This may be due to additional costs, the need for certification and production specifics. 
Organic production involves additional human and financial costs, since the certification procedure is complex, time consuming and not cheap. And, as a rule, all costs are allocated to a small volume of production. Many of these products have a relatively short shelf life, which increases logistics and storage costs.
However, not all of these products are expensive. Now we can see a tendency towards reaching a new level of sales. Since such products are becoming more and more in demand, manufacturers create their own schemes, options to make them as accessible to the population as possible, so that everyone can put quality products on their table.
More and more often in the media there are recommendations to use for healthy eating exclusively organic products. At the same time, their naturalness, purity from suspicious toxic "chemistry", unsurpassed taste and increased nutritional value are emphasized.
In this article, we will not consider the problems of GMOs and the impact of agriculture on the environment. Let's pay attention only to myths and facts about organic products themselves. MedAboutMe found out if organic food is really safer, tastier and healthier than products grown using the most modern technologies?
Traditionally, in the field of alternative nutrition, as in the field of alternative medicine, confusion reigns. Citizens are offered all the most useful and safe under various tempting names. Sometimes it is not so easy to guess what exactly the people who first launched a particular term on the market meant.
For example, environmentally friendly goods include products (both edible and non-edible) that have been produced, transported, stored and will be disposed of with minimal damage to the environment. That is, a plastic bag is not an eco-product, but a biodegradable paper bag - an eco-product. Human safety is not included in the concept of "environmentally friendly goods".
But the word "organic", as conceived by the authors of the term, should mean exactly the maximum safety for the consumer. Dangerous, from the point of view of lovers of "organic", are synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, various drugs used in agriculture to accelerate growth and prevent diseases, flavorings, preservatives, dyes and other artificial nutritional supplements as well as GMOs. Organic products are also called "bioproducts". When processing them, procedures such as refining and mineralization, which affect the nutritional quality of the products, are also prohibited.
Organic products in Russia
There is no single system for the control and certification of organic products around the world. But in developed countries there are institutions that certify such products and monitor their compliance with the specified standards, and 82 out of 172 countries have relevant legislation.
In our country, the situation is paradoxical. There are organic products in stores, and there are even individual stores selling exclusively such products, and there is even an opinion about the growing demand for "natural food". By at least, 1% of Russians are already ready to constantly consume organic products. And there are no laws that would regulate it. There is neither an official definition of what it is, nor labeling rules - each manufacturer himself determines the "organicness" of his product and notifies buyers in his own way.
But there are certain shifts in this area. At the end of November 2017, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation A. Tkachev, during his speech at a meeting in the Federation Council, announced that the law on "organic matter" was already ready and submitted to experts in the Government. It is possible that in the first quarter of next year the document will be submitted to the State Duma for consideration.
Polls in the United States have shown that 95% of organic lovers buy it precisely because it is produced without pesticides - substances designed to control weeds and pests of agricultural crops.
Here it should be clarified. There is such a term in agrochemistry: "organic pesticides". And lovers of "organic" also have such an expression. But they mean completely different things.
- In the first case, we are talking about chemical substances, the bulk of which are organophosphorus compounds, as well as derivatives of aromatic, aliphatic hydrocarbons, etc. They have a selective effect on pests, are effective and economical.
- In the second case, we mean, so to speak, natural, natural, natural pesticides - "not chemistry". The internet is chock-full of recipes for a variety of homemade "organic pesticides" from detergents for dishes and shampoos, kerosene, boric acid, copper sulfate, sulfur, as well as various plants - garlic, basil, citrus fruits, etc.
That is, organic agriculture cannot do without pesticides. We can say for sure that they are not selective and less effective than pesticides, which are created by agrochemists. But the question of the unconditional safety of "natural pesticides" remains controversial, given the improvised means that are used to obtain them. Many folk remedies used for centuries, when carefully studied, turn out to be more dangerous than synthetic pesticides.
For example, the insecticide spinosad, popular with organic farmers in the United States, irritates the skin; lime-sulfur solution used as a fungicide - causes burns; spinosad and copper sulfate kill bees; rotenone, harmful due to its effect on mitochondria, which increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, etc.
There is one more point: due to their low efficiency, “natural pesticides” are used in much larger volumes than point-acting synthetic ones.
Seemingly, no pesticides - clean and environmentally friendly food! But products grown without the use of modern means of protection are more vulnerable to various pathogens.
In the early 2000s, there was an outbreak of diseases caused by E. coli. A significant number of cases were associated with organic products. Studies have shown that Escherichia coli is present in 10% of organic farms and only 2% of conventional farms. Salmonella, albeit in negligible concentrations, has generally been detected only on organic products. Scientists explained this fact by the fact that adherents of "organic" use manure as fertilizers, and various pathogenic microorganisms spread extremely efficiently through it.
Finally, sometimes the question of profit overrules principles and the craving for organic farming. In 2009, European experts published the results of testing for 300 pesticides of various fruits and vegetables. In 25% of tomatoes, apples, peaches and other fruits and vegetables labeled "organic", traces of non-natural pesticides were found.
It is more difficult to grow quality products without effective “chemistry”. Unsurprisingly, farmers do not always comply with bans on more efficient fertilizers and other chemicals. It is especially important to understand this fact in Russia, where so far there are no state control bodies or relevant legislation.
In 2009, the results of a large-scale study of British scientists were published. They analyzed over 160 articles published from 1958 to 2008 comparing organic and conventional foods. No difference was found for 15 key nutrients, including vitamins A and C, calcium, and others. True, it turned out that organic products contain more phosphorus and have, on average, a more acidic pH, and in ordinary products, the level of nitrogen is higher - but none of these indicators is fundamental for human health. That being said, as ironic as it sounds, organic foods, on average, were higher in trans fats and fat in general than regular foods.
Later, other attempts were made to find a fundamental difference between nutritional value"Organic" and conventional products - so far no one has managed to obtain reliable, statistically significant results.
Myth number 4. Organic food tastes better
Two-thirds of the organic food drinkers surveyed believe that organic food tastes better than conventional food. This statement is verified by the simplest experiment of eating conventional and organic foods blindly. Which was done in 2002 and 2009. Alas, in none of the studies, subjects were able to distinguish organic food from regular food.
- It is believed that our ancestors ate exclusively organic foods and thus led an extremely healthy lifestyle. But modern life is filled with "chemistry" and other substances harmful to health, and the transition to organic food is an opportunity to make your diet healthier. However, there is a paradox: for some 60-70 years, the world's population consumed exclusively organic food and lived at the same time, in best case, up to 50-60 years old. Today, products produced using modern agricultural methods (agrochemistry, genetic engineering) are cheap and accessible to all segments of the population, whose average age is close to 80 years.
- Research shows that organic food cannot be said to be tastier, more nutritious, or safer than conventionally grown crops based on scientific evidence.
- Today, organic products occupy a rather narrow niche in the market. Until there is undeniable irrefutable evidence of their advantages over conventional products, they will remain “food for the elite”, for people who want to feel healthier only through labels on the packaging and are ready to pay extra money for it.
All over the world today, the production of organic food is rapidly developing. For example, in Europe, this market grew by 13% in the last year alone. In the future, this trade sector is expected to grow even more.
By the way, in different countries In Europe, this food is called differently. For example, the English-speaking population uses the word "organic", the Germans and Scandinavians prefer the prefix "bio-", and the French-speaking countries - "eco-".
What is this food and why is it so popular? Let's figure it out.
Although since childhood the adjective “organic” is inextricably linked with the noun “chemistry”, here everything is just the opposite. Organic food producers grow food raw materials in the old-fashioned way (that is, without the use of chemicals). In addition to the fact that such products are good for health, their production also does not harm nature.
Food grown as of old contains on average 10-50% more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients than products produced using modern technologies. Eco-friendly food strengthens health, raises immunity, and it is especially useful for children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. It has been proven that the breast milk of women who eat "organic" contains more valuable omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, and less pesticides.
It's nice to have a house in the country ...
If you or your relatives live in the countryside, love to cultivate your garden and do not recognize any chemistry, then you should know the taste of organic products. The owners of eco-lands produce their goods in approximately the same way: Colorado beetles are removed from potatoes by hand, they fight pests with the help of birds, other insects and traps, they also cope with weeds on their own, and fertilize the beds exclusively with manure, and not all elements of the periodic table.
The animals from which meat and milk are obtained are raised exclusively in a herd that grazes in the meadow and eats only natural food. And if a ladybug, a chicken or a pig, God forbid, get sick, they will be treated only with phytopreparations, and never with antibiotics. Naturally, hormones and growth stimulants are also prohibited. The meat of poultry and animals that did not know "chemistry" turns out to be less fatty, but more useful and tasty.
However, closeness to nature is not always a guarantee of the naturalness of a product. For example, fish caught from natural reservoirs cannot be considered organic, because the rivers and lakes are mostly polluted, therefore, biological fish should be carried out only in fish farms (where there is always running water and a sufficient amount of algae).
Strict requirements apply not only to raw materials, but also to their processing. In the composition of the finished product marked "bio-" you will not find any preservatives, stabilizers and taste improvers - only natural fillers (juices or particles of berries, herbs and fruits).
Bioproducts can be dried, salted, fermented, dried and boiled, pasteurized, vacuum processed and flash frozen. But sonication, conservation or sterilization - no. Only natural materials that do not interact with the product itself (paper, glass, sheet metal and bioplastics) are allowed as packaging.
Why so expensive?
Requirements for "organic" are regulated by national legislation, so in each state they are different. For example, in the countries of the European Union, as Alberto Volpato, adviser on agriculture of the EU Delegation to Russia, told us, only a product that contains at least 95% of raw materials grown without the use of "chemicals" is recognized as organic.
In addition, the region of production and all ingredients must be indicated on the packaging of such a product. Only if these conditions are met, a leaflet made of stars has the right to flaunt on the label - this is the emblem of "organic" in the EU countries.
To produce "organic" is a very costly business, not only because production requires large investments, but also because it is also necessary to invest in certification.
In the world, the level of prices for "organic" is 10-50% higher than for products produced by conventional industrial methods. But in Russia, such a product is several times more expensive. And you can buy it only in specialized stores or on the Internet.
Don't believe your eyes
In our country, you can easily find products, in the name of which the words "bio-" appear. But this is not a guarantee that "bioyogurt" or "biocheese" is made from milk of cows raised in conditions of complete ecological purity. This is usually just a gimmick of the manufacturer who added beneficial bacteria or some other natural extract to the product. This, of course, will not make yogurt or cheese worse, but, alas, they will not turn into organic food.
Russia does not yet have laws regulating the system of control and certification of organic products. Moreover, even such concepts as "ecological" or "organic" are absent in the legislation, therefore the manufacturer has no right to call his product as such. So far in Russia, only the marks “no pesticides” and “no preservatives” have been legalized.
Nevertheless, it is possible to find domestic goods made from raw materials of improved quality. The Moscow system of voluntary certification "Eco-friendly products", established by the "Union of Consumers of the Russian Federation" and the Department of Nature Management and Environmental Protection of Moscow, has the right to certify them. The certification system works in our country a little differently than in the EU countries: the products are evaluated according to the safety indicators established for food products of young children.
Environmentally friendly in Russia today can be called a product made only from raw materials obtained without the use of growth and fattening stimulants, as well as pesticides, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers, hormonal and veterinary drugs, genetically modified components. The manufacturer is obliged to ensure strict control throughout the entire production chain.