Organic agriculture in the spotlight
Video:
Organic agriculture under the spotlight following recent deadly 'German organic bean sprout' E.coli outbreak.
Interview with Dominic Dyer, Chief Executive of the Crop Protection Association (UK). First aired on BBC World Service, 'The World Today' 30th June 2011.
There is no evidence that certified organic products are more likely to be contaminated by E. coli. All food—whether non-organic or organic—is susceptible to E.coli. For example recent EU research shows that food borne diseases occur less frequently in organic livestock.
The recent E. coli outbreak was traced to seeds used for sprouting. They can, like any other seeds, carry dormant pathogens whether on the surface or internally. There is no treatment, whether in an organic or non-organic system, that can guarantee to remove them from seeds or sprouts. The answer lies in controlling the risks throughout the food chain from field to fork. Consumer safety is the aim of all of organic producers. Certified organic growers and processors not only are inspected by independent certifiers in order to qualify for organic certification, but they also follow strict guidelines for safe and hygienic food production. As with all food producers, they must be in compliance with food safety laws.
There is no evidence to show that if organic standards allowed irradiation 'lives will be saved' as Dominic claims in a recent article in New Scientist magazine. EU organic regulations do not allow irradiation because it does not fit with organic principles which state that processing methods should guarantee that the integrity and vital qualities of the product are maintained through all stages of the production chain. There is also a lack of long term studies into the potential health impacts of irradiated food.
Irradiation is only permitted for seven food categories and is not permitted in some non-organic foods such as dairy, as it causes the flavour to change, and some fruits, as it causes tissue softening. Other adverse affects of radiation are possible - it can kill irradiation plant workers if safeguards are not followed and radiation of cat food in Australia has been banned due to cat deaths after they had eaten irradiated cat food. It is also impossible to tell if food has been irradiated beyond the maximum dose permitted.
As the UK Food Standards Agency confirms on its website "Decades of research have shown that irradiation of food is safe and effective way to kill bacteria in foods and extend its shelf life. Food irradiation has been examined thoroughly by joint committees of the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the European Community Sceitnfic Committee for Food, the United States Food and Drug Administration and by a House of Lords Committee."
As I pointed out in my New Scientist article, risk mangement within the food chain can only go so far to to reduce the risk of pathogen survival in crops such as bean sprouts. If we are to avoid another tragic e-coli outbreak similar to what we have seen in Germany, both the organic and conventional food industry must look again at the benefits of food irradiation
Lives will be saved in the future if irradation is more widely used throughout the food chain. A 99.9% success rate in killing e-coli and other deadly pathogens is a margin of safety which all consumers deserve, regardless of the fact if they are eating organic or non organic foods
Dominic Dyer
Chief Executive
Crop Protection Association
6 July 2011