Writer: Bryant Tan
The labels organic and inorganic have always been tossed. Merriam Webster dictionary describes organic as “involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides. organic stores.” But, does organic equate to pesticide free?
Inorganic foods are thought of as nutritionally deficient compared to their organic counterparts, but that is not true. Inorganic foods can also have the same nutritional value as organic foods. GMOs can be used on food with equal nutritional value to provide benefits like resistance to browning after being cut, which prevents food waste[1]. In some cases, inorganic foods can be healthier than organic foods. The FDA states that “Some GMO plants have actually been modified to improve their nutritional value. GMO soybeans [have] healthier oils that can be used to replace oils that contain trans fat”[2].
Processed foods are also perceived as terrible due to their relation to GMOs when they aren’t bad. According to Harvard’s graduate news, “GMO-DNA was completely indistinguishable from traditional DNA, and thus, is no more likely to transfer to or be toxic to a human.”[3]. GMO’s are also necessary for foods like bananas to continue reproducing. So, to have a sustainable food source, we need to use GMO’s. But, this effort is stunted due to the misinformation of GMOs. According to the Mark Lynas’s research article, it found that out of 535 articles, 47 of the articles about GMO’s contained misinformation in human health and pesticides, which is almost 10% of the articles[4]. Because of the misinformation, many false myths have influenced people to believe that inorganic food is awful when there is actually slight to no difference.
Regardless, taking organic foods is still a valid option, but it is not the definite option. While there are some studies that show organic foods to be better, a vast amount of studies also show that there is little to no difference. Since many U.S. citizens have inadequate intake of nutrients, cheap, inorganic, and nutritious foods like golden rice can help fulfill your dietary needs[5]. So, while some may stigmatize inorganic food, it is a viable alternative that is cost effective and nutrient-filled.
- https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond#:~:text=A%20few%20varieties%20of%20GMO,think%20brown%20apples%20are%20spoiled
- https://www.fda.gov/media/135280/download#:~:text=Do%20GMOs%20affect%20your%20health,oils%20that%20contain%20trans%20fats
- https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/will-gmos-hurt-my-body/
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645698.2022.2140568