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Organic Food

Organic food is treated in the same way as all other foods by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA). The same risk management framework for assessing safety and suitability is applied to all food for sale in New Zealand, including organic food and the products used in its production. Organic food must meet the same labelling and composition standards as all other food for sale.

Organic food – what it is

Organic agriculture and food production systems avoid or exclude the use of most synthetic pest control compounds and fertilisers, antibiotics, growth promotants, and food additives derived from non-organic sources, as well as genetic modification and irradiation.

In place of synthetic inputs, organic agriculture and food production systems rely on crop rotations, crop aftermath, manures, off-farm organic wastes, and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity, supply plant nutrients, and control insects, weeds and other pests. In organic animal husbandry, animals are fed with organic feeds, graze on pasture maintained to organic standards and are reared without or with reduced use of antibiotics, growth promotants and other veterinary medicines.

How organic food is different to conventional food

The difference between organic and conventional food lies in the way the food is grown, handled and processed. There is no recognised scientific test to conclusively show that a product is organic.

Sometimes organic produce looks slightly different to more generally available produce of the same type. This is because farmers tend to sow varieties best suited to growing conditions in their chosen agricultural system and to the market where they intend to sell their products.

Organic certification – what it means

To assure consumers that the foods they produce are organic, many organic food producers and manufacturers choose to have their production processes certified organic. Organic certification means that the producer has complied with a set of standards overseen by a certifying organisation. In New Zealand BioGro and AsureQuality are the principal organic certification organisations. Organic certification standards are not food safety standards. Organic food must comply with the same food safety standards that apply to all food for sale in New Zealand.

Nutritional value and safety of organic food

There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that organic food is more or less safe or nutritious than conventionally produced foods.

Nutrition

Some organic fruits, vegetables and dairy products may contain concentrations of specific nutrients at higher or lower levels to conventional foods at harvest or collection. Nutrient levels can be affected by variables such as ripeness, choice of cultivar, distance to market, storage, and exposure to light, as well as how the food is produced. It is recommended that people eat at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit a day, no matter if the vegetables and fruit are organically or conventionally grown.

Chemical residues

The use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, and veterinary medicines is strictly regulated in New Zealand, such that any residues present in food due to the use of these agricultural compounds are at levels that present notional zero risk to consumers. The term ‘notional zero risk’ is used to describe the risk associated with consuming levels of substances below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) which is the level at which a substance can be consumed every day for a whole lifetime without noticeable effect.

The restrictions placed on synthetic inputs in organic production systems mean it is likely organic produce will have lower concentrations of residues of synthetic agricultural compounds than conventional produce. As the use of agricultural compounds in conventional produce are regulated and monitored so that residues pose notional zero risk, there appears to be little benefit gained from further reducing exposure to such compounds through increased consumption of organic produce.

Agricultural compounds permitted for use in certified organic systems under certain conditions are subject to the same risk management requirements as those used in conventional systems.

Micro-organisms

Organic agriculture uses composted manures as fertilisers. Composting is effective in reducing the levels in manures of harmful bacteria such as E. coli 0157.

Organic poultry is particularly susceptible to Campylobacter infection due to the environmental conditions in which organic flocks are raised. Campylobacter can cause acute gastro-intestinal illness in people when eaten. As cooking kills Campylobacter, you should take special care to thoroughly cook all fresh poultry, whether organic or conventional.

Organic food and consumer choice

Consumers make food purchasing decisions based on a variety of considerations. These may include the price and availability of food, health and nutrition considerations, origin, environmental sustainability, corporate responsibility, cultural importance, animal welfare, and labour practices in the production of, and trade in, food.

Specific information relating to food safety and nutrition are mandated in New Zealand food law. The optional provision of other information falls under New Zealand’s consumer protection laws. Organic labelling is an example of optional product information which must, if used, be truthful. If a product is represented as organic, all ingredients used to make the product should be 100% organic.

Organic agriculture

NZFSA is responsible for food safety and suitability. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry considers organic agriculture an option within a range of approaches to sustainable agriculture. For information on sustainability in agriculture and food production see www.maf.govt.nz. NZFSA provides official assurances to export markets that New Zealand organic products meet the organic standards of markets including the EU, the US and Japan.

Animal husbandry practices in organic systems must meet the same minimum standards that apply to conventional animal husbandry. Certified organic livestock farmers who need to treat their animals with veterinary medicines must quarantine them and keep adequate records so treated animals can be traced and monitored to ensure their organic status at slaughter.

Organic food and public health initiatives

NZFSA is applying food standards for the mandatory fortification of leavened bread with folic acid and iodine. Fortification aims to increase folic acid intake in women aged 16-44 years, reducing the number of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects. Fortification with iodine will reduce the prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders in the general population. Organic breads are excluded from the fortification requirements so people who eat organic bread may wish to look for alternative food sources of folic acid and iodine, or discuss supplementation options with their doctor or midwife.

Related links

• Industry - Organics

• NZFSA‘s risk management framework

• NZFSA’s organic food policy

• Sustainable resource use (NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)

Updated March 2009