Related Terms

• Agro-toxins, antibiotics, biodynamic, bioengineered, community supported agriculture, CSA, food additives, food coloring, food labeling, free-range, genetically modified food, genetically modified organism, GMO, grass-fed, green labels, growth hormones, herbicides, holistic medicine, hormone-free, ionizing radiation, irradiation, living and raw food diet, living food diet, macrobiotic diet, Max Gerson, National Organic Program, natural food, NOP, nutrition, OFPA, organic, organic farming, Organic Foods Production Act, organophosphates, pesticides, raw food diet, rBGH, recombinant bovine growth hormone, sewage sludge fertilizers, sustainable agriculture, sustainable farming, United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, USDA Organic, USDA organic label, USDA organic seal, vegan, vegan diet, veganism, vegetarian, vegetarian diet, vegetarianism, whole foods.

Background

• One of the first proponents of eating organic food was Max Gerson, MD, who instructed his cancer patients to eat organic fruits and vegetables, starting in the 1920s. Interest in organic food dramatically increased in the 1960s, when several pesticides and fertilizers were found to be toxic to humans or animals. Third-party organic certification was first instituted in the 1970s by the some regional organic farming groups. Growers, consumers, and others in the agricultural industry began pushing for government-defined organic labeling in the 1980s.
• In the 1990s, the U.S. Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), which required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop national standards for organically produced agricultural products to assure consumers that products marketed as organic meet certain standards. The National Organic Program (NOP), part of the USDA's marketing service division, was created to fulfill the Organic Foods Production Act's directives. Neither the OFPA nor the NOP regulations address food safety or nutrition.
• In 2002, the USDA finalized its organic definition and inspection program, which was the most stringent in the world at that time. Since then, a few attempts to relax the guidelines have occurred, primarily in 2003 and 2005.
• According to the Organic Trade Association's 2006 Manufacturer Survey, the U.S. organic industry grew 17% overall to $14.6 billion in consumer sales in 2005: organic foods increased by 16.2% and represented $13.8 billion in consumer sales and non-food organic products increased 32.5% to total $744 million.
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Theory

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Evidence

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Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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