Organic food has:• Lower levels of contaminants, such as p..

Organic food has:
• Lower levels of contaminants, such as pesticides, antibiotics and
nitrates.
• Higher levels of a variety of essential nutrients.
The UK Food Standards Agency has stated there is no difference between
non-organic and organic food.
However the Agency may have overlooked a study which reviewed 150
research projects comparing organic
and non-organic food.3 This study confirmed that, despite varied
research methods, there is a trend towards
fewer undesirable components or contaminants, and higher desirable
components (such as vitamins) in
organic food compared with non-organic food.
Pesticide residues
The latest annual report on pesticide residues in the UK showed that
about half the fresh fruit and vegetable
samples tested contained pesticide residues.4 Safety has only been
established for individual pesticides in
certain circumstances. The long-term effects of pesticide residues and
the implications of ‘cocktail effects’ on
human health have not been established. The Food Standards Agency
states that ‘pesticide residues should be
as low as is reasonably practical’.5
Pesticide residues may reduce the fertility of humans and animals and
the health of their offspring, as well
as disrupting the chemical communication systems that regulate the
reproductive cycle.6 A 17-year study
carried out at the University of Denmark has shown that women with
higher than average levels of
pesticides such as dieldrin in their bloodstream have double the risk
of breast cancer.7 Dieldrin is an organochlorine
pesticide which is now banned for use in the UK but which, as with
many other pesticides, persists
for many years in the environment and in animal tissues.
The UK government advises consumers that by peeling the skin of fruit
and vegetables they can reduce their
consumption of pesticide residues.8 Although pesticide residues are
occasionally found in organic food
(largely as a result of pesticide spray drift from neighbouring
farms), a diet based on organically produced
food can significantly reduce the amounts of pesticide consumed and
consequently any damaging effects of
these chemicals.9 10 11
A growing body of scientific evidence implicates certain pesticide
groups in a range of damaging health
effects. For example, 45 pesticides are known or suspected hormone
disrupters.12 These compounds have
been found to affect reproduction and the immune system in fish,
alligators, seals, birds and snails.13 There
is increasing concern over the effects of exposure of pregnant women
to these chemicals. The Royal Society
states ‘It is prudent to minimise exposure of humans, especially
pregnant women, to endocrine disrupting
chemicals.’14
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are an essential element of modern medicine, and are used
to reduce the chance of potentially
fatal infections even in routine operations.
In the UK, the House of Lords select committee on science and
technology report in 1998 on antibiotic
resistance concluded that the use of antibiotics in animal feed for
growth promotion should be banned. The
report indicated that ‘there is a continuing threat to human health
from the imprudent use of antibiotics in
animals’, and that ‘we may face the dire prospect of revisiting the
pre-antibiotic era. Misuse and overuse of
antibiotics are now threatening to undo all their early promises and
success in curing disease’.15
Despite the findings of the House of Lords, it has been common for
antibiotics to be used as growth
stimulators and for disease suppression by their routine addition to
the feed of non-organic livestock. This
regular use of antibiotics encourages the emergence of
antibiotic-resistant organisms that pass to humans, via
the meat. This results in some cases of salmonella, and other
microbiological diseases being untreatable by
antibiotics.16
In 1998 the House of Commons agriculture committee recommended tighter
restrictions on their use for
prophylactic purposes.17 Under organic farming standards antibiotic
usage is restricted to the treatment of
illness. Disease is minimised by practising good animal husbandry and
avoiding dense stocking levels.
Organically produced foods have lower levels of antibiotic drug
residues.18

Brilliant! Please let us all on uk.rec.birdwatching know where supplies of
organic birdseed can be got!

"J Smytje" <JSmythe.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:93bmc0l45ibo6njkm20c7tk9fva982e9gs@4ax.com...
> Organic food has:
> . Lower levels of contaminants, such as pesticides, antibiotics and
> nitrates.
> . Higher levels of a variety of essential nutrients.
> The UK Food Standards Agency has stated there is no difference between
> non-organic and organic food.
> However the Agency may have overlooked a study which reviewed 150
> research projects comparing organic
> and non-organic food.3 This study confirmed that, despite varied
> research methods, there is a trend towards
> fewer undesirable components or contaminants, and higher desirable
> components (such as vitamins) in
> organic food compared with non-organic food.
> Pesticide residues
> The latest annual report on pesticide residues in the UK showed that
> about half the fresh fruit and vegetable
> samples tested contained pesticide residues.4 Safety has only been
> established for individual pesticides in
> certain circumstances. The long-term effects of pesticide residues and
> the implications of 'cocktail effects' on
> human health have not been established. The Food Standards Agency
> states that 'pesticide residues should be
> as low as is reasonably practical'.5
> Pesticide residues may reduce the fertility of humans and animals and
> the health of their offspring, as well
> as disrupting the chemical communication systems that regulate the
> reproductive cycle.6 A 17-year study
> carried out at the University of Denmark has shown that women with
> higher than average levels of
> pesticides such as dieldrin in their bloodstream have double the risk
> of breast cancer.7 Dieldrin is an organochlorine
> pesticide which is now banned for use in the UK but which, as with
> many other pesticides, persists
> for many years in the environment and in animal tissues.
> The UK government advises consumers that by peeling the skin of fruit
> and vegetables they can reduce their
> consumption of pesticide residues.8 Although pesticide residues are
> occasionally found in organic food
> (largely as a result of pesticide spray drift from neighbouring
> farms), a diet based on organically produced
> food can significantly reduce the amounts of pesticide consumed and
> consequently any damaging effects of
> these chemicals.9 10 11
> A growing body of scientific evidence implicates certain pesticide
> groups in a range of damaging health
> effects. For example, 45 pesticides are known or suspected hormone
> disrupters.12 These compounds have
> been found to affect reproduction and the immune system in fish,
> alligators, seals, birds and snails.13 There
> is increasing concern over the effects of exposure of pregnant women
> to these chemicals. The Royal Society
> states 'It is prudent to minimise exposure of humans, especially
> pregnant women, to endocrine disrupting
> chemicals.'14
> Antibiotics
> Antibiotics are an essential element of modern medicine, and are used
> to reduce the chance of potentially
> fatal infections even in routine operations.
> In the UK, the House of Lords select committee on science and
> technology report in 1998 on antibiotic
> resistance concluded that the use of antibiotics in animal feed for
> growth promotion should be banned. The
> report indicated that 'there is a continuing threat to human health
> from the imprudent use of antibiotics in
> animals', and that 'we may face the dire prospect of revisiting the
> pre-antibiotic era. Misuse and overuse of
> antibiotics are now threatening to undo all their early promises and
> success in curing disease'.15
> Despite the findings of the House of Lords, it has been common for
> antibiotics to be used as growth
> stimulators and for disease suppression by their routine addition to
> the feed of non-organic livestock. This
> regular use of antibiotics encourages the emergence of
> antibiotic-resistant organisms that pass to humans, via
> the meat. This results in some cases of salmonella, and other
> microbiological diseases being untreatable by
> antibiotics.16
> In 1998 the House of Commons agriculture committee recommended tighter
> restrictions on their use for
> prophylactic purposes.17 Under organic farming standards antibiotic
> usage is restricted to the treatment of
> illness. Disease is minimised by practising good animal husbandry and
> avoiding dense stocking levels.
> Organically produced foods have lower levels of antibiotic drug
> residues.18