Organic vs. Non-Organic Foods: Food Scientist Debunks

On the TV program The Doctors, food scientist Erin, known online as the "Food Science Babe," takes on one of the most common beliefs about organic food: that organic farmers don't use pesticides.

What the segment covers

• Why "organic" does not mean "pesticide-free"
• How organic farms use large amounts of natural pesticides, which can be worse for the environment
• Whether there is a meaningful difference in pesticide residues between organic and conventional produce

The evidence

Organic standards allow approved pesticides, mostly natural ones such as copper and sulfur compounds and some plant-derived insecticides. "Natural" doesn't automatically mean safer: copper, for example, can build up in soil. On residues, government testing such as the USDA's Pesticide Data Program consistently finds that the vast majority of both conventional and organic produce is well below safety limits. Eating more fruit and vegetables, organic or not, is far more important for health than the small difference in residues.

Related reading: What Are GMOs?, GMOs: A Landscape of Misinformation and Alternative Medicine Safety.