- Topic: Organic versus non-organic produce in terms of pesticide use
- Abstract: To go organic or not organic; That is the question. The human health effects resulting from consumption of non-organic foods are difficult to study due to the variability in human exposure and susceptibility. The lack of knowledge often results in the spread of misinformation, which can intensify the contention surrounding this issue. Our project begins to explore this issue by reviewing the 2017 report put together by the European Union regarding organic food and farming. Specifically, we paid close attention to personal chemical body load in each of the two scenarios and researched the environmental impact of the different farming practices. Ultimately, our project compares the health benefits and drawbacks of consuming organic and non-organic foods as well as analyzes the environmental implications associated with the different farming practices.
- Stephanie Krail, Class Curator
- Crystal Ybarra, Master of Class and Discussion Leader
- Sam Samon, Presenter 1
- Christine Ghetu, Presenter 2
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Copies of our readings can be found in our Google Drive folder, which can be accessed with this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1bLxt2nyVVf-osPCtPqEh4etNm9MAY-Vs
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Primary manuscript: Mie, et al. 2017. Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture: a comprehensive review
- This review summarises existing evidence on the impact of organic food on human health. It compares organic vs. conventional food production with respect to parameters important to human health and discusses the potential impact of organic management practices with an emphasis on EU conditions. This ties in both topics we will be discussing: organic vs non organic from a human health and environmental perspective.
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Supporting article 1: Michaelidou, 2008. The role of health consciousness, food safety concern and ethical identity on attitudes and intentions towards organic food
- What contributes to people's perception and willingness to buy organic foods? This paper shows that ethical consumers and those concerned about food safety are more likely to develop positive attitude and intention towards organic foods, than health-conscious consumers. This implies that the risk of the pesticides on non-organic foods is not a concern for consumers.
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Supporting article 2: Adam, 2001. Nutritionists question study of organic food
- Nutritionists in the UK are concerned about the legitimacy of a study by the Bristol-based Soil Association, which claimed that there were significant differences in the mineral and vitamin contents of organic and non-organic food.
- Link to Google slides presentation
- The cost of organic food and its accessibility for people of all financial backgrounds.
- Pros and cons of consuming organic food. Are people healthier when they consume less organic foods?
- Synthetic vs natural pesticides. How do you define natural since some pesticides are inspired by natural phenomena? Are natural pesticides safe? What literature gaps exist with this issue?