What Are the Dangers of Organic Vegetables?

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What Are the Dangers of Organic Vegetables?

Many people feel that eating organic vegetables is better for their health than consuming the traditional variety. The Mayo Clinic says that organic foods must have the United States Department of Agriculture seal identifying them as organic and that vegetables grown organically are grown with natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost. While there are restrictions on these types of fertilizers, the Royal Society of Chemistry says that fears are raised about eating organic vegetables because of the use of raw manure and the potential for the presence of harmful bacteria. When buying organic, the Mayo Clinic recommends washing vegetables thoroughly to reduce the dangers associated with eating them.

Bacteria

The University of California's Perishable Handling Quarterly publication cites information that states that using raw animal manure can result in vegetables that are contaminated with illness-causing pathogens, such as E. coli and salmonella. The USDA says that there are guidelines in place that restrict the use of raw manure, but that doesn't always stop farmers from using it. This is why people are advised to wash their organic vegetables well before eating them.

Harmful Fungi

According to Stuart , director of the Gaia Organics Research Institute, the lack of pesticide use by organic farmers leaves their crops open to more damage by insects and rodents. This damage can lead to the introduction of fungi into the vegetables that produces toxins that are harmful to a person's health. Some of these toxins are carcinogenic, meaning that they are cancer causing. says that soap and water or a small amount of hydrogen peroxide can effectively rid traditional produce of pesticides. In addition, these fungal infections can often be more hazardous to a person's health than ingesting the pesticides would be.

Environmental Impact

Environmental expert Rob ston, writing in The Independent, says that organic farming often uses more energy than does farming traditional vegetables, such tomatoes. This is because organic tomatoes require the use of more land, which also increases the amount of energy needed to grow them. According to ston, tomatoes grown in a greenhouse emit more carbon dioxide into the air. Many other organic vegetables require additional land usage, which uses resources and increases the carbon footprint.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/166391-what-are-the-dangers-of-organic-vegetables/?utm_source=julynewsletter & utm_medium=email & utm_campaign=100706