More expensive, but healthier, kinder to animals and the environment, and even tastier: that is what organic is often associated with. Yet critics repeatedly speak out against organic food and its supposed advantages. In the third part of our series “Nutrition myths uncovered” we want to take a closer look at organic for you. What does organic actually mean, and is it really better?
What does organic mean?
Let us start with the basics. Foods are described as organic when they come from organic farming. How they are produced is firmly laid down by law. Products from certified organic cultivation must not be genetically modified and are grown without the use of synthetic chemical pesticides, artificial fertiliser or sewage sludge.
Furthermore, for animal products the animals must be kept in a manner appropriate to their species and must not be treated with antibiotics and growth hormones. The products are not treated with radiation and contain fewer food additives than conventional foods, but may nevertheless contain up to 5% ingredients that were not organically produced.
In addition, an organic farm is meant to function largely as a closed system, so that the natural interrelationships of the ecosystem are used and promoted. Animal excrement, for example, is used as high-quality fertiliser in the form of manure, slurry or liquid manure. It is collected, stored and returned to the cultivated land with as little loss as possible.
Environmental protection through organic farming
In conventional farming, harmful nitrate often gets into the soil through over-fertilisation with nitrogen or through animal slurry. This then pollutes groundwater and surface water. In organic farming, by contrast, no mineral fertilisers may be used, and only as many animals may be kept as produce slurry that covers the nutrient requirement of the farm’s own land. Organic cultivation also promotes humus formation and biodiversity in the soil. The result is a significantly lower burden on the environment, and the soil remains considerably more fertile.
Pesticides are used in agriculture to protect plants against insects, fungi and weeds. Around 270 active substances are approved for conventional farming in Germany. However, wind and rain can spread the pesticides beyond the field, where they can cause immense damage by impoverishing plant life and thus depriving animals and insects of their food source. Organic farmers may not use synthetic chemical pesticides, but they can fall back on natural, biodegradable agents. These are natural, but can be just as harmful. Copper, a traditional pesticide, may be used in organic farming. It too can accumulate in the soil and harm soil fertility and microorganisms there.
Another important element of organic cultivation is the preservation of biodiversity, i.e. the variety of species. In conventional farming, often only one particular crop such as wheat is grown on an area. This means, however, that the same nutrients are withdrawn from the soil again and again and the food supply for animals shrinks. In the long term this leads to declining animal populations. By doing without pesticides and keeping fertiliser levels low, organic farming promotes the diversity of animals and plants.
Animal welfare in organic husbandry
The aim of organic farming is species-appropriate animal husbandry. This is regulated by special statutory guidelines. There are strict regulations on how animals must be kept, where the feed comes from and how many animals may be kept on a given area.
Typical interventions such as attaching rubber rings to the tails of sheep, docking tails, clipping teeth, trimming beaks and dehorning may also not be carried out routinely in organic animal husbandry. However, special permits allow these interventions to be carried out on organic farms too. Reasons for such a permit include improving hygiene conditions or safety.
Another much-discussed topic is the space allowance. A fattening pig on an organic farm has 1.3 m2 of indoor space and 1 m2 of outdoor run, whereas conventional husbandry prescribes only 0.75 m2 of indoor space. An outdoor run is not mandatory in conventional husbandry. The situation is similar for other animals such as chicks and hens. Animal welfare campaigners criticise that these marginal increases in space are not sufficient to speak of species-appropriate husbandry. On 3 March 2020 the regulatory committee of the EU member states adopted the animal husbandry rules that supplement the new regulation. Nevertheless, these provisions were not changed when the regulation was revised.
The lasting improvement of animal health in organic farming is also an important aspect. Scientific studies found that in only 35% of the cases examined organic husbandry showed health benefits for the animals. Animal welfare therefore still needs a great deal of improvement in organic farming too, and is mostly not what consumers imagine and hope for the animal.
Is organic healthier and tastier?
Many people associate organic food with being healthier. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. In some respects organically produced foods seem to have the advantage, for example in their vitamin C content or in the unsaturated fatty acids of organic milk and meat. However, conventional milk appears to contain more iodine, and vegetables a higher amino acid content. That said, these differences are not something consumers need to pay attention to, as they are only very small. Furthermore, nutrient levels fluctuate strongly anyway depending on many natural factors, such as the growing region.
As far as pesticide residues are concerned, you do not need to worry with conventional products. They are strictly monitored and regularly checked by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. In the last investigation, from 2015, 93% were within the legally prescribed limits and 53% did not even have measurable residues. Nevertheless, organic foods perform better than conventional ones in terms of residue levels. That is only logical, since they are treated with far fewer pesticides.
Last but not least, the question: does organic taste better? Stiftung Warentest, the German consumer organisation, carried out a series of neutral tastings in which only taste was tested. Its conclusion was: “Organic mostly does not perform better than other goods. There is no such thing as an organic taste.”
Organic farming therefore protects the environment and contributes to plant and species diversity. Although organic has set itself the goal of keeping farm animals in a species-appropriate way, the conditions, while better than in conventional farming, are still far from sufficient. In terms of health or taste, organic does not seem to offer any advantages. In the end, then, you have to decide for yourself whether buying organic is worth it to you.
