ORGANIC, NON-ORGANIC, GMO AND PROCESSED FOOD. WHAT THE...

When exploring the world of food in relation to our health and well being it can get a bit complicated. Originally this was an article about organic food vs non-organic food but quickly got confusing, throw in GMO and processed foods and it suddenly seems more confusing again. Now maybe I've been under a rock but I really thought this was not a question anymore. I've had a pretty simple motto for myself and that is either you want chemicals in your food or you don't? THAT makes sense in my simple life and that is that.

I try to go for organic and natural products as much as I can. What i hadn't thought about was processed food having organic ingredients and where it fits in plus can it get labelled organic and where does Genetically Modified Food fit into the picture, Can it be organic? Is there a nutritional difference? What about dairy and meat? This stuff hurts my brain.

So the more I dived into my query the more I realised there is a lot of misinformation . It's even harder to find the truth when its being hidden by clever companies and media who will twist the truth or make studies that lean to a particular outcome of data and statistics or just flat out lie because they want you to buy whatever it is they are selling or even just outdated articles that bought into a sales campaign by big companies to sway your beliefs and give them money. One minute there's a study saying one thing, next minute there's a study for the opposite. Yet the whole study was set up to prove one outcome. I think the big companies rely on most people not bothering to check the information, but to just accept it as truth, in fact i think they COUNT on it. You do really have to dig to find the truth in this world we live in. Why is this so hard, who runs this circus?

Anyway i digress here because that really gets up my nose! Moving on, I decided to simplify this a bit because I can not be the only one who finds this down right confusing and overlapping because there is a lot of "information" but not many studies and research to prove anything. I really dislike it when we are misled and deceived intentionally just to make money when the cost is our health, which is not something big companies should have a right to be playing with. Sometimes a little common sense can bust through the lies. I don't doubt as I try to make sense of this and simplify the lot it will snowball at some point. That was how this article began in the first place.

I figure a few definitions might be the best place to start to simplify this topic and a few relevant questions that seem to lead me down the slippery slope of deception and confusion.

Definition of Processed food

Processed foods are any foods that have been modified from their original fresh or whole state.

Why foods are processed

Food can be processed for lots of reasons including; safety (like pasteurisation of milk), to extend the shelf life, increase the nutrient content (added vitamins and minerals), or to enhance the flavour profile, texture or appearance (sweeteners, salt, colours or other additives).

Basic ways foods are processed

Freezing, canning,drying, preserving and fermentation are forms of processing.

Add to that the adding of additives and preservatives, cooking under high pressures and at an industrial scale, methods such as frying, hydrogenation, purification, heat treating and chemical modification are also done to processed food.

I have to admit i did not expect to see the freezing of food on the list.

Definition of GMO foods

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined 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. (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/food-genetically-modified)

Are GMO foods Organic?

GM Foods are not allowed in organic products.

GM ingredients are estimated to be in 70% of processed items on the shelves Which I have to say blew my mind! I had no idea it was that high. There is an amazing amount of information on this for Australia at this site.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand is responsible for recommending the approval of GM foods. What you can do is actually check the current GM applications and approvals here

It is good to see this information is actually available.

GMO foods are imported into Aus and they are even in Australian made products. Vegetables and fruit grown in Australia are fine though, for now anyway.

They are also in imported food products too.

The Gene Technology Regulator approves the testing, growing, transport and import of GM crops. Details on past and current GM crop trials are here.

Highly refined GMO ingredients in Australia do not need to get labelled. So a bottle of canola oil made from 100% GM canola does not give a hint of it on the label. That is the law, for now.

Additives and processing aids that contain GM also escape labelling.

Food from animals fed with GM feed such as milk, meat, eggs, fish and honey do not have to be labelled.

Buying organic or grass fed animal products is the only way to guarantee non-GM feed.

Australia currently has 3 GMO crops approved for use

Cotton cottonseed oil is also used in a wide range of foods including spreads and oils.

The left over pesticide producing cotton trash has been fed to animals. (That can't be good for them)

Canola seeds are used to make oil used in margarine,cooking oils, salad oils and edible oil blends. After the oil is extracted, the by-product is a protein-rich meal, which

is used to feed livestock.

Safflower oil extracted from the seeds is intended for use in industrial oil production and animal feed. It is not intended for human consumption.

There are currently experimental field plantings in Australia of GM banana, barley, ryegrass, mustard, sugarcane and wheat. No doubt when enough time has passed they will sneak these crops in to our main food. Common sense says why would they bother growing it otherwise?

Definition of Organic foods

Organic farming is the production of food without the use of synthetic chemicals or genetically modified components

Organic foods are not necessarily completely chemical free, but the pesticide residues will be considerably lower than conventional foods.

In Australia there are two key standards that govern the production, processing and labelling of organic food.

The National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce (for exported foods)

The Australian Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Products (for domestic and imported foods).

The Australian standard (for domestic and imported foods) is not mandated, and certification is voluntary It also states there is no mandatory requirement for certification of organic product sold domestically in Australia.

Organic businesses in Australia can choose to be certified to ensure truth in labelling requirements and promote consumer confidence.

Organic farms are only certified after they have been operating according to organic principles for three years. The use of the word ‘organic’ is not regulated in Australia, so it is important to make sure that products you buy come from certified growers and producers

Organic-certified produce means the food was grown, harvested, stored and transported without the use of synthetic chemicals, irradiation or fumigants

Some naturally occurring pesticides are permitted for use in organic farming.

What About Animal Products

Animals raised using organic methods are treated humanely and with respect. For example, chickens are free range and cows are in paddocks. Animals are also not fed any growth-regulating drugs, steroids, hormones or antibiotics. However, the animals may be treated with vaccines to prevent disease.

What about Grain VS Grass fed? Some beef may be organically certified but that doesn’t mean they grass fed. Organic meat can still be fed on grains but it is organic grains. This is good as far as pesticides go but there are still other issues associated with grain fed meats. Certified organic is also no guarantee of diversity in the pasture. And lets not forget about

meat, dairy and eggs from animals fed GM feedstock.

And of course why have one organization that certifies organic produce when we can have seven! Just to complicate things these organisations can have their own standards in addition to the national standards.

Now is about the time when im researching and investigating the facts and all the confusion begins to set in.

In one sentence the government site is telling me fatty acids are good for me (which are found in saturated fat) and in the next sentence they're advising to stay away from saturated fat. So of course i feel the need to explore this a little bit because it makes no sense.

So I pop on google and of course one of the top results considered to be legit, I read their article and they're telling me i should eat canola oil amongst other things and I quote "Use healthy oils such as olive, canola, and sunflower oil, and small amounts of tub margarine for cooking and flavoring foods"

WHAT THE? THE MIND BOGGLES.

Fortunately, I happened to have researched enough to know that is a bad idea. I also noted that article has not been updated since 2008 so its basically just sitting there in the results misinforming everyone who clicks on it and want a quick answer expecting the truth. If they accept that statement, then they go and adjust their lifestyle on a lie. Sounds dramatic right? But it's true. One lie can can have a big ripple effect in some ones life and in this case their health in particular.

FACT Canola oil becomes easily rancid and foul-smelling when subjected to oxygen and high temperatures. The standard process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans-fatty acids. Canola oil is genetically modified and is highly processed and refined, both of which contribute to major health problems in the body. Artificial trans fats are harmful even in small amounts, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to call for global elimination of artificial trans fats in food.

So while canola oil has been marketed as a health-food oil, low in saturated fats and a source of omega-3 fatty acids, Canola oil is in fact genetically modified, it is also highly processed and refinedboth of which contribute to major health problems in the body.

There you have the shining example why this stuff is in the too hard basket for most people and they just accept what they're told. Anyway enough with the oils, if you find that of interest there is a great article here about it.

Back to the point

Definition of Non-organic foods

Any food that doesn't meet the standard of Organic food.

Inorganic food is any food that has utilized synthetic products, such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, in its production. Genetically modified food is also considered inorganic.

IN SUMMARY

If this article helps just one person ever then my job here is done and as confusing as this food business can get even if it's just knowing the basics of GMO and organic and just being more aware when we visit the supermarket next can be very beneficial to our life. The Dirty Dozen List is worth checking out as well it is released each year by the Environmental Working Group and is a list of 12 foods that have the highest level of pesticides and 15 foods that are the lowest in pesticides, bare in mind this list is for the U.S but it's still a very useful resource. Here in Australia I discovered that we don't have the data to even make a list like this which is very disappointing and anything that I did find was out of date. It is also important to know that the dirty dozen list applies even if the fruit and vegetables are frozen! So on that note I think this is long enough and you can check the Dirty Dozen List here 2021.

ThenThere'sTheTruth