[weiping2007]

is organic fruit or vegetable bad for our health?

[Yggdrasil]

(I moved this from the organic chemistry forum because it's not directly related to organic chemistry).

The difference between organic produce and non-organic produce is that organic produce is grown under a certain set of standards which guarantee that the produce is not genetically modified and that it is not grown with pesticides (these are the two main criteria I know of, there may be more).

I don't think that there's much difference between the two health-wise.  All genetically modified plants are tested by the government as are any pesticides which are used on the plants.  Thoroughly washing the produce before consumption should remove any amount of pesticide that may be dangerous.

Some say that organic produce is of higher quality which may be true (since some fancier brands try to make everything they sell organic).

[constant thinker]

I thought you could use pesticides as long as it was organic pesticide. By organic I mean natural pesticide produced from organisms.

[Yggdrasil]

Yes.

[Sam (NG)]

Interestingly enough you can also use Sodium Nitrite as a preservative on organic products in this country.  it is known as an "Organic Approved Additive".  Despite the fact that it could cause formation of N-nitroso compounds in the stomach.

[Yggdrasil]

Despite what marketing would have you believe "organic" is not synonymous with healthy.  All it means that the products are made using products produced "naturally" from living organisms instead synthetically.  So, things like cyanide (from wild almonds) or ricin (a toxin in castor beans) are organic too.

[Dan]

Yeah, my girlfriend is doing a masters in environmental technology  and was telling me about this a while ago. You can use arsenic too.
It bothers me that, to the layperson, synthetic chemicals are generally assumed to be inhenently bad, whereas anything natural is inherently good.

[constant thinker]

I <3 synthetic chemicals (yes I made a heart with a < and a 3).

Great for cleaning things.
Great for keeping people alive (some antibiotics if not all).
Also help keeps water microorganism free, and to clean it.

[Ψ×Ψ]

I <3 synthetic chemicals (yes I made a heart with a < and a 3).

Great for cleaning things.
Great for keeping people alive (some antibiotics if not all).
Also help keeps water microorganism free, and to clean it.

And where would you be without plastic?  Or Teflon?  Or adhesives? 

[constant thinker]

And where would you be without plastic?  Or Teflon?  Or adhesives? 

I was going to include those, but at the time I thought, "They don't really have much to do with food." Come to think of it now though, they do have a lot to do with food and health(care).

[Ψ×Ψ]

OH.  We were talking about food?  Oops!   

[Donaldson Tan]

This is 'organic' chemistry. Haha..