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Heart problem: York academics study cardiac rehab shortfall

February 24, 2005

The last few years have seen significantly increased interest in organic food, that is, food grown using those husbandry principles and techniques that predated the introduction of modern agrochemicals and intensive farming methods. These husbandry principles are now applied with the benefit of modern scientific understanding and technologies to give a more sustainable system of food production. However organic food production in the developed world is still dependent on fossil fuels for production, transport and processing.

Organic food is a small but growing sector of the food industry with an identity defined and protected by law. Its existence provides an element of consumer choice.

The production of organic food requires the same involvement of professional food scientists and technologists and is subject to the same requirements of good manufacturing practice and food safety as the rest of the food industry, but is also subject to specific additional legal requirements regarding cultivation, composition and labelling.

Organic food is likely to contain lower residues of agricultural chemicals than its nonorganic
counterpart.

The use of animal waste as fertiliser, whether in producing organic or non-organic food, needs to be properly managed, but even so it may pose a risk of contamination with pathogenic micro-organisms, and consequent food poisoning from foods which are to be consumed without adequate, or any, cooking. In particular, fruit and salad vegetables, whether organic or non-organic, for consumption without cooking, should be thoroughly washed with potable water before consumption, and the public should be advised to do so by display notices and on consumer pre-packs.

Institute of Food Science & Technology