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Organic food: Is it really organic?
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Monday, 12 April, 2021, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Priyanka Chavan Yashwant, Arunkumar Anandharaj, Ashish Rawson & N. Baskaran, S. Vignesh
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Organic foods are regarded as high-quality agricultural products that restrict the use of artificial pesticides, fungicides, chemical fertilisers, antibiotics and genetical modifications. Some organic practices of food production are beneficial in improving soil quality crop rotations, inter-cropping, cooperative associations, shelter crops, organic fertilisers and minimum tillage.
Improvement of soil structure and formation as well as improvement of ground water quality is possible by utilising organic fertilisers for example- compost, animal manure and green manure, as it encourages the homeostasis of soil flora and fauna. Decrease in the agrochemical needs due to organic agriculture also helps to reduce requirements of non-renewable energy. Mitigation of the conservatory effect and average rise in earth temperature is possible because of organic agricultural practices due to its ability to isolate carbon in the soil.
Regulations of organic food production do not allow these foods to be processed using irradiation, chemicals, synthetic food additives such as preservatives, artificial dyes. Among different states in India, the largest producer of organically cultivated produce are Madhya Pradesh trailed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan (APEDA, 2019). In terms of commodities, oil seeds are the unique largest group of food crop followed by sugar cane, cereals, millets, tea, coffee, fibre crops, pulses, aromatic plants for medicinal use, spices and condiments.
During 2019-20, certified organic products produced in India was around 2.75 million metric tonnes which includes all varieties of food products (APEDA,2020). However, in recent times, the rising demand for organic food has paved the way for a new type of food fraud in the market. Hence to avoid the nefarious activity, the food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) has categorised food fraud into two broad types such as residual and fraudulent food fraud.
By definition fraud in food system is the purposeful act of altering food products for sale and this includes addition of low quality or prohibited ingredients such as synthetic dyes, misrepresenting or tampering the foods. The budding demand in the marketplace for organic foods has exposed the consumer to a new kind of food fraud (Van Ruthet al., 2020). New kind of food fraud in organic food include use of nature-identical artificial flavours, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, hormones to stimulate plant growth. Nature-identical substances are obtained by synthesis or secluded through chemical processes, which are chemically identical to the substances naturally present in products projected for human consumption. Sometimes, even instrumental analysis can be misleading in differentiating these nature-identical substances. For example, artificial strawberry flavour is obtained by a chemical compound ethylmethylphenylglycidate.
During 2019-20, Authentication Solution Providers' Association (ASPA) reported that 16 per cent of the food samples were tested (1,06,459 samples across India) and they did not meet the quality standards (ASPA). Mainly seven food constituents represented more than half of the recorded frauds namely: olive oil, milk, honey, saffron, orange juice, coffee and apple juice. The current Indian organic market is estimated to be Rs 100,000-120,000 million. Indian organic market has been progressing gradually at a combined yearly growth rate of 25 per cent as compared to 16 per cent global growth rates (ASPA).
Definitions of Organic Food
Following are the definitions of organic food given by different countries.
National programme for organic production (NPOP) Government of India defines organic food as ‘Products grown-up in a system of farming without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with a responsible approach for environment and social dignity, are stated as organic food products (2000)’.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a produce can be called organic, if the product is grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvesting. Barred substances include most artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Emphasising the use of natural sources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations are some main factors to produce organic food. Organic meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products derived from animals that are not injected with antibiotics or development hormones. Organic food is fashioned without using predictable pesticides; fertilisers made with fake ingredients or sewage sludge; bio engineering (1990).
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland states that, Organic food is the product where use of man-made fertilisers, pesticides; growth regulators and livestock feed additives are not allowed. Irradiation and the products formed from or by GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) or utilisation of GMOs are generally prohibited (2013).
Australian Certified Organic Standard (ACO), specifies organic food is one which is free from synthetically produced chemicals or genetically modified components. Organic foods are not undoubtedly wholly chemical free, but the pesticide deposits will be considerably lower than those found in produce manufactured with synthetic chemicals (1987).
Conferring to Choose Canada Organic is a body for organic food of Government of Canada, organic food refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed; organic food is the result of environmental and animal friendly farming methods. (Agriculture and Agri food Canada, 2014).
Organic food and ethics
Production of organic food by the farming system that is implied to the site-specific conditions by integration of cultural, biological and machine-driven practices that are substitute for cycling of resources, promotes ecological balance and conserve biodiversity. In essence, synthetic fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and anything that compromise the biodiversity and symbolic relationship are not allowed. Consequently, organic food requires high time to grow also it demands high investment as it is grown in specific environmental conditions. Additionally, less yields of such crops and poor supply chain further increases the production cost. After investment of raw material, the post-harvest processing and handling of organic food should be done very carefully since these procedures offer ample chances of contamination by chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The high fee for registration, accreditation and certification to become organic food producer are some common hurdles for not adopting organic food business operator or manufacturer. In all subdivisions of the food industry, organic food fraud can be protracted and it can differ depending on the geographical region.
Typically, producers and manufacturers can violate organic food regulation by:
Using artificial fertilisers
Using artificial pesticides, fungicides.
Using adding hormones to stimulate growth
Using alternative substances (e.g., sucrose in organic jaggery)
Facts about organic farming in India
India holds lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agricultural climatic conditions, India has introduced the organic farming policy in the year 2005. Consequently, it is important to know some of the major actualities about organic farming in India.
India is at first position in the organic producers list worldwide and exports 1.35 million metric tonnes of organic foods to New Zealand, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Israel, USA, European Union, Canada, UAE, Vietnam. (NPOP, 2019).
Yet, organic farming is still in a budding stage in India and according to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, about 2.78 million hectares of farmland is underneath organic cultivation as of March 2020. This is about two percent of the total 140.1 million hectares of sown area in India. Sikkim has become the first organic state in the country and all the farmlands in the state are organic certified. Subsequently, Sikkim’s tactic reaches beyond organic food production and has demonstrated truly transformational for the state and its populaces. Implanted design are socio-economic aspects such as market expansion and consumption, cultural aspects as well as education, health, rural development and supportable tourism. The policy executed a phase out for chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and achieved a total ban on sale and use of chemical pesticides in the state.
Apart from Sikkim, few other states have taken the lead in improving organic farming and the top three states in the line-up are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra which accounts for about half the cultivable area under organic farming (APEDA,2019).
Facts about organic food fraud
When a Food Business Operator (FBO) or manufacturer marks a product as organic while it contains non-organic ingredients or where the organic production standards are not adhered in the production process then it raises problems of fraud and mis-labelling occurs. Violations by fraudulent organic certification are punishable with hefty fines and can be reported to the National Organic Programme Online Complaint Portal. Therefore, the food labelled as ‘organic’ is genuinely organic is an ultimate important check point.
Label on organic food (NPOP)
Organic: Any food product which is having a single organic ingredient such as wheat, sugar, millet, etc is labelled as ‘organic’
Certified organic ingredients: Whereas if there are minimum 95 per cent ingredients are organic then it is identified as ‘certified organic ingredients'
Made with organic ingredients: If not less than 70 per cent but less than 95 per cent ingredients are certified organic then it is labelled as ‘made with organic ingredients' with proportion of organic ingredients
Organic in ingredient list: If less than 70 per cent ingredients are of certified organic origin then the ingredients are indicated ‘organic in ingredient list'.
In conversion to organic food: Other types of captions that often mislead consumers are foods labelled as ‘in conversion to organic food' cannot be treated as organic food. Also, consumers should not misunderstand the packaging that claims the produce is ‘natural’ or ‘chemical free’ if the proper certification labelling is not displayed.
Indian market is flooded with new organic products on a daily basis which poses to be healthy and different from normal products (Blacket al., 2016). The variety of claims and choices made by each of these products confuse about the authenticity of their claims and genuineness of these products. The consumers have simple ways of determining whether the product is really organic or not. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry under the Government of India has launched the National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) in the year 2000 to focus on a well-directed development of organic agriculture and quality products. This certification allows manufacturer or producer to use the India Organic logo, which indicates that an organic food product adheres to NPOP standards. It includes policies for the certification and development of organic products and also national standards for those products and processes. The accreditation of programs to be operated by inspection and certification agencies, along with the certification of organic products are designed by NPOP.
Government of India has taken initiatives to protect the rights of consumers and prevent proliferation of fake products under the organic product umbrella.
Difference between organic and natural
There is a lot of difference in existence for a food to be organic or of natural origin. Organic food is regulated by the government and shall follow national standards, whereas ‘natural’ is a marketing term used by companies based on their own definition which allows anyone to use the word ‘natural’ on their products, throwing the consumers in doubt and reaping the benefit of the situation. On the other side, ‘Organic’ is the gold standard term for ‘labels’ which are inspected and overseen by the government officials periodically.
The food product which claims to be an organic must be chemical free, no added preservatives, no pesticides, no antibiotics, heavy metals free, toxin free on label and also must have logo of a certified agency.
Check for the logos
Jaivik Bharat
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced the Jaivik Bharat logo to help customers identify authentic organic food and FSSAI logo License number.
India Organic (NPOP certified)
The product will carry India Organic Logo (NPOP certified). Product will have name and logo of the accredited certification body that is National Programme for Organic Production and a specific accreditation or licence number, besides the logo.
PGS (Participatory Guarantee System)-India Certified Organic Food Products
Besides the above-mentioned logos, the organic product may also carry PGS-India Logo. Product labelled as ‘PGS- Organic’ when single ingredient is meeting with requirements and multi-ingredient product where minimum 95 per cent of ingredients are organic.
If consumers are in doubt after buying food products, the following choices can be considered to check whether the product is genuinely organic or not.
Check with Online Database
FSSAI in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has also developed a web-portal to merge all the information in form of ‘Indian Organic Integrity Data Base', to help consumers towards verifying the authenticity of organic food. Consumers can access information about the producer, the certification system and the readiness of certified organic products through a web portal:
Jaivik Bharat - https://jaivikbharat.fssai.gov.in/
Benefits of organic food
Increases physical activity levels
Reduces stress
Has less impact on the climate
Reduces food packaging and waste
Saves water and lowers energy use and emissions
Food is fresh and ready to harvest
Encourages healthy eating
Food is more nutritious and reduces our consumption of processed foods
Concerning the growing trends in the existing food system towards global integration, economic consolidation, and environmental degradation, scientific societies, group of researchers have instigated their focus on alternative, more sustainable food and agricultural systems. In recent years, the consumer view on the way to safety of conventional food products have evolved and there is an increasing concern over organic food. Now-a-days global market is also changing towards more sustainable way of lifestyle, by replacing synthetic ingredients with natural ones; in such cases organic food can play an essential role towards healthy life. Food safety and fraud control measures can be promoted in order to increase awareness among the consumers. The present article can help the consumers to increase the awareness and knowledge about organic food.
(The authors belong to Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. Associate professor and Head, Department of Technology Dissemination, Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. They can be reached at vignesh@iifpt.edu.in)
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