Organic farming and its implications for human health

The European Parliament has brought out a report titled “Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture”,  which details the impact of organic food and organic farming on our health.

The research carried out was not only whether the result of this type of food production is healthier but also which production system is more sustainable.

The agro-ecological perspective on how to prevent and combat pests and diseases in food production reduces exposure to these toxics for both producers and consumers.”

The report analyses the existing scientific tests on the impact of organic food on human health. The research indicates that organic food can reduce the risk of allergic diseases and obesity, although it should be noted that consumers of organic foods tend to have healthier dietary patterns overall.

It should be noted that in organic agriculture the use of pesticides is restricted, a fact to be taken into consideration from the perspective of various epidemiological studies that note the negative effects of certain insecticides on children’s cognitive development.

According to the European Union, these risks can be minimized by regular intake of organic foods, especially during pregnancy, and by introducing non–pesticide plant protection into conventional farming.

According to the few existing studies that have directly investigated the effects of organic foods on human health, the conclusion is that they are beneficial as they provide less risk of childhood allergies, a decrease in overweight and obesity in adults and a lower incidence in Hodgkin´s lymphoma.

The study indicates that consumers of organic foods have comparatively low food exposure to pesticides, which is desirable from a human health point of view.”

Dietary patterns typical of organic food consumers have been associated with a reduced risk of various chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is proven that regular consumers of organic foods have less risk of these diseases compared to people consuming conventionally produced foods.

Several organic foods contain around 50 per cent more omega-3 fats than their conventional counterparts. When comparing the nutrients of organic foods and conventional foods, the following data are obtained:

• Organic foods have higher vitamin C content.
• Organic foods have a higher vitamin E content.
• Organic foods have higher vitamin A content (β-carotene).
• Organic foods have a higher content of phenols, substances that play a very important role in the prevention of diseases such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative or cancer.
• Conventional foods are higher in toxic metals like cadmium.
• Ecological foods of animal origin have higher omega-3 content.
• Conventional foods of animal origin develop antibiotic-resistant bacteria (restricted in organic production). The use of antibiotics in conventional animal husbandry is of concern to the European Parliament and the WHO because they interfere with the treatment of people´s medical conditions and create antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is considered a public health risk.
• On the other hand, epidemiological studies on the effect of agrochemicals such as insecticides and pesticides, which are restricted in organic but not in conventional farming, point out the negative effects of phytosanitary products on the development of children´s cognitive functions (memory, attention, planning, learning, orientation, language, reasoning …) according to their current levels of exposure to these chemicals. These serious risks can be minimized by the consumption of organic food especially during pregnancy and childhood.

Organic Farming and human health

According to the EFSA, in conventional agriculture there are 28 substances categorized as carcinogenic, 2 as mutagenic DNA agents, 28 are toxic to the reproductive system and 5 are endocrine disruptors”.

“Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture” indicates that consumers of organic foods have comparatively low food exposure to pesticides, which is desirable from a human health point of view.

This report points out that there is strong evidence that organic crops have a lower cadmium content than conventional crops due to differences in fertilizer use and soil organic matter, which is very relevant to human health.

This toxic metal is found in greater quantities in conventional crops due to the use of synthetic fertilizers. Cadmium accumulates in the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract, causing all kinds of adverse effects on health. These are:

• Anaemia
• Diarrhea
• Problems during growth
• Bone abnormalities
• Kidney damage
• Discoloration of teeth
• Pulmonary emphysema
• Infertility
• Damage to the central nervous system
• Damage to DNA
• Damage to the immune system
• Cancer development

In addition, cadmium can accumulate in natural ecosystems mainly from rivers and soils where it is absorbed by plants and animals living in these environments and from them pass into the food chain.
Cadmium also causes great harm to the soil microorganisms that benefit soil fertility and earthworms. That is why the use of synthetic fertilizers by conventional agriculture is associated with the impoverishment of soil organic matter and its low fertility.

In the European Union there are 389 substances approved for use in conventional agriculture versus 35 for use in organic farming. According to the EFSA, in conventional agriculture there are 28 substances categorized as carcinogenic, 2 as mutagenic DNA agents, 28 are toxic to the reproductive system and 5 are endocrine disruptors”. All of these substances are currently used in conventional agriculture but not in organic agriculture.

The agro-ecological perspective on how to prevent and combat pests and diseases in food production reduces exposure to these toxics for both producers and consumers thus leading to lower public spending on health problems caused by pesticides from conventional production.

The aim of this research is to open up access to current knowledge about organic food and organic production and how they contribute to the improvement of human and environmental health.”