Organic Food: The Importance from Public Health Perspective

Abstract

Non organic food and chemical intake has been associated with a variety of infections and disorders, notably cancer, digestive dysfunction, headaches, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), prenatal deformities, a compromised immune system and early mortality. Organic foods are pesticide-free and it is beneficial for overall health. Organic farming initiated 1000 years ago, once mediaeval farmers began cultivating along riverbeds based on natural resources. Organic food and food products are the finest healthy food which can be consumed without causing harm to body, soil nutrients, environment, or biodiversity. This approach quickly is becoming well-known because of its significance and importance from a public health perspective covering 20 to 30 % of India's entire agricultural area. Organic farming is an ideal type of agriculture when compared to chemical-based agriculture, since it reserves integrity of soil and environment while also providing high-quality agricultural products for a healthy lifestyle such as fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, and other foods. People nowadays are increasingly concerned about the nutritional quality of their diet. There is a need to do more research and analysis to rationalise and justify the value of organic food and food products, which are more nutritious and healthy compared to nonorganic or conventional foods. The comparative aspects of organic vs nonorganic farming along with biodiversity and environmental benefits of organic farming have been focused in this study. The present study also focused on the promotion of organic food consumption and its benefits from a public health perspective in the current scenario. The scope of organic food can be converted into revenue generation for better and healthier tomorrow.

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*Corresponding author: E-mail: jayeshpawar.edu@gmail.com;
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International
34(29B): 28-37, 2022; Article no.JPRI.85232
ISSN: 2456-9119
(Past name: British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Past ISSN: 2231-2919,
NLM ID: 101631759)
Organic Food: The Importance from Public Health
Perspective
Jayesh Pawar a*, Vishnu Choudhari b, Ganesh Choudhari b, Prajakta Wagh b,
Girish More c and Vanisree Ramanathan a
a School of Public Health, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune-411038, India.
b School of Pharmacy, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune-411038, India.
c Shree Swami Samarth Krushi Vikas va Sanshodhan Charitable Trust, Dindori-422202, Nashik, India.
Authors’ contributions
This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. All authors read and approved the final
manuscript.
Article Information
DOI: 10.9734/JPRI/2022/v34i29B36055
Open Peer Review History:
This journal follows the Advanced Open Peer Review policy. Identity of the Reviewers, Editor(s) and additional Reviewers, peer
review comments, different versions of the manuscript, comments of the editors, etc are available here:
https://www.sdiarticle5.com/review-history/85232
Received 20 January 2022
Accepted 30 March 2022
Published 08 April 2022
ABSTRACT
Non organic food and chemical intake has been associated with a variety of infections and
disorders, notably cancer, digestive dysfunction, headaches, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder), prenatal deformities, a compromised immune system and early mortality. Organic foods
are pesticide-free and it is beneficial for overall health. Organic farming initiated 1000 years ago,
once mediaeval farmers began cultivating along riverbeds based on natural resources. Organic
food and food products are the finest healthy food which can be consumed without causing
harm to body, soil nutrients, environment, or biodiversity. This approach quickly is becoming well-
known because of its significance and importance from a public health perspective covering 20 to
30 % of India's entire agricultural area. Organic farming is an ideal type of agriculture when
compared to chemical-based agriculture, since it reserves integrity of soil and environment while
also providing high-quality agricultural products for a healthy lifestyle such as fruits, vegetables,
grains, pulses, and other foods. People nowadays are increasingly concerned about the
nutritional quality of their diet. There is a need to do more research and analysis to rationalise and
justify the value of organic food and food products, which are more nutritious and healthy
compared to nonorganic or conventional foods. The comparative aspects of organic vs nonorganic
farming along with biodiversity and environmental benefits of organic farming have been
focused in this study. The present study also focused on the promotion of organic food
Review Article

Pawar et al.; JPRI, 34(29B): 28-37, 2022; Article no.JPRI.85232
29
consumption and its benefits from a public health perspective in the current scenario. The
scope of organic food can be converted into revenue generation for better and healthier
tomorrow.
Keywords: Organic food; organic farming; public health; nonorganic food.
1. INTRODUCTION
Organic foods are grown using agricultural
techniques which meet traditional farming
criteria. Lord North Bourne originated the phrase
"organic farming" in the year 1839. Organic
farming is characterised by the activities which
recycle resources, create natural equilibrium,
and protect biodiversity. Certain pesticides and
fertilisers can be prohibited in organic farming
procedures according to the guidelines of
regulatory bodies which control and regulate the
organic food products. The regulatory bodies
recommend that radiation exposure, industrial
solvents and artificial food supplements should
not be used in the processing of organic food.
Organic food producers should not use synthetic
fertilisers and pesticides [1]. Organic farming is
carried out at the grass-root level which
conserves the soil's biological and restorative
potential, with good growth nourishment. It helps
to produce nutrient-rich and disease-resistant
food [2]. Organic production is a type of
biological farming that supports and improves
diversification, the life cycle, and soil microbial
properties [3]. Nowadays, organic food is getting
more demand because people are more
cautious about their health and aware about
harmful effects of nonorganic food on health.
2. WHAT IS NON-ORGANIC FOOD?
Non-organic food includes fruits, vegetables, and
meats that have been farmed using synthetic
pesticides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilisers.
It also covers meat products that have been
genetically or molecularly changed by the
manufacturers.
Non-organic foods are produced via non-organic
cultivation, which allows farmers to cross-breed
crops to create high-quality fruits and
vegetables. They are, however, permitted to do
so within the confines of the government's
approved limits.
2.1 Disadvantages of Non organic Food
Non organic food may include hazardous
chemicals such as preservatives which are used
to extend shelf life of products cause’s side
effects. Pesticides in quite amount are being
used to cultivate non-organic food. These
pesticides can contribute to the high risk of
certain types of cancer as an example
leukaemia, prostate, lungs, breast, skin, etc. It
may also increase the amount of bacteria
resistant to antibiotics.
Pesticides from inorganic agriculture can
contribute to increased contamination levels in
the environment. Non-organic food intake over
time can lead to endocrine dysfunction and
neurotoxicity. Arsenic is naturally found in small
amounts in soil. It's carcinogenic in some ways.
Underground water containing arsenic can come
in contact with non-organic substances; can
cause serious harm to humans. Fig. 1 shows the
diagrammatic representation of disadvantages of
non-organic food [4,5,6].
Fig. 1. Disadvantages of non organic food

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2.2 Harmful Effects of Non-organic Food
Produced by using Chemical
Fertilisers and Pesticides
Pesticide production started in India in 1852 with
the development of a facility near the BHC plant
near Calcutta. Today India is Asia's 2nd largest
producer of pesticides after China and ranks
12th globally. Pesticide poisoning kills about 1
million people per year and causes life-long
illnesses around the world [7].
Non organic food which is produced by using
chemical fertilisers’ impact human health such
as immunological suppression, reduced intellect
and reproductive deformities are becoming more
common as a result of minimal dosage
exposures. It also creates digestive dysfunction,
headaches, ADHD (Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder), prenatal deformities,
early mortality and cancer [7]. A very important
observation is noted about Non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma that there is reduction of Non-
Hodgkin’s lymphoma risk in the people who
regularly consume organic food as compared to
those who never consume organic food [8].
Pesticides control pests grown with crops;
however, it causes a variety of health problems
as it contains organophosphorus.
Organophosphorus is related to several health
complications such as developmental
complications considering ADHD (Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), autism, and
increased frequency of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma,
multiple myeloma, and premature birth [8].
Organic food promotes a healthier lifestyle and
prevents diseases particularly for the children
who might be exposed to pesticides and toxins
during their physical, mental and overall
development period. The fertilisers like nitrites
react with tertiary amines creating nitrosamines,
it is carcinogenic and mutagenic also causes
gastrointestinal disease and leukaemia [9].
The Journal of Pediatrics published a study that
revealed that pregnant mothers' exposure to
pesticides had adverse effects on their children's
intelligence and neurobehavioral development,
in addition to ADHD (Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder).
In one study, MRIs (Magnetic Resonance
Imaging) were used to measure structural brain
growth in children and it was found that children
whose mothers consume more
organophosphates, common compounds in
pesticides, have thinner gray matter [10].
2.3 Impact of Genetically Modified Crops
(GMO) and its Food on Health
GMOs are genetically modified organisms with
changed genetic material which used to produce
GMO food. GMO food causes poor brain growth,
necrosis and digestive disorders. It is not good
for your health to eat GMO foods. A genetically
modified crop has a negative impact on our body
and affects our vital organs. It also affects soil,
water ecosystem and environment [11].
2.4 Biodiversity Loss Due to Modified
Farming Practices
The biodiversity loss is alarming from the food
security and human health point of view.
Modifications in farming practices during the last
century have had an adverse effect on
agricultural ecosystems. Organically maintained
farmland has 30 percent higher species
richness than non-organically maintained
farmland [12].
3. VEDIC HISTORY OF ORGANIC
FARMING
There are Vedic texts that describe the concept
of organic farming such as Krishi Parashar,
Brihat Samhita, Manusmriti, etc. In those books
organic agriculture is completely described. This
technology uses cow dung, urine, plant extracts,
and natural products. It uses
biological/mechanical pest control methods and
green manure techniques. There are cows
roaming around the field, and their dung fertilizes
the soil which is already rich. After this, seeds
are sprayed directly onto the ground without
ploughing or tillage. There are several methods
mentioned in Vedic texts for transplantation,
irrigation, seed treatment, reduced tillage,
vermicomposting, crop rotation, etc. [13].
4. WHAT IS ORGANIC FOOD?
Organic foods are cultivated and handled in a
unique way from nonorganic food products.
According to the USDA, organic foods promote
the utilisation of sustainable energy supply and
the preservation of water and soil in order to
increase ecological sustainability for future
generations. Before a product can be marked as
organic, it must be prepared without use of most

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standard pesticides, artificial intergradient
fertilisers, or wastewater slurry. Companies that
manage or prepare organic food must be
validated by a Government-approved certifier
before it reaches local supermarket or restaurant
to ensure that the farmer is obeying all of the
essential requirements laid down by USDA for
organic standards [14].
4.1 Why Organic Food is better than
Conventional Food
It is seen that organic food has better nutritional
content in contrast to food produced
conventionally. Organic foods have been
reported to have lower nitrate content than
conventionally cultivated foods in certain studies.
As excessive intake of nitrates in diet has a
higher incidence of causing gastrointestinal
cancer and in newborn babies it causes
methemoglobinemia. Green leafy vegetables like
spinach, lettuce, and chard have more vitamin C
content if they are produced by organic farming
as compared to conventionally [15]. Other
researches have shown that organic food has
more total phenols than conventionally cultivated
food, suggesting that antioxidant activities may
provide health advantages [16]. It was found that
organic milk contains higher levels of estradiol
and progesterone than conventional milk.
Organic milk contains more antioxidant and
polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, according to
some investigations. It is really vital to
remember, however, that the diet plays an
important role in determining the composition of
milk. The amount varies depending on the
season and whether the farm uses high inputs or
low inputs [17,18].
There is a broad spectrum of toxic effects
associated with pesticides, from accidental
poisoning to subtle subclinical outcomes over
long periods. Pesticides containing
organophosphates are widely farming, and
poisoning is a regular occurrence. There are no
or fewer pesticides in organic foods than those in
conventional foods, and eating organic foods
reduces exposure to pesticides [19].
Antibiotic agents are commonly supplied to
animals at nontherapeutic dosages for the
purpose of enhancing growth and increasing
yields in conventional animal management. This
non-therapeutic usage encourages the growth of
drug-resistant microorganisms in animals, which
subsequently infect the intestines of people who
live near farms where this is done [20]. Human
infection produced by antibiotic-resistant
microorganisms has also been shown to transmit
via the food supply chain according to some
studies. Since organic farming restricts
the utility of antibiotics for non-therapeutic
purposes, it may help to reduce the risk of
human infection caused by drug-resistant
microbes [21].
The question of whether organic farming
methods have a lower environmental effect, can
be similarly effective, and are not more costly
than conventional ones is a hot topic in the
organic debate. Many people assume that
organic farming is better for the environment
since it is less damaging to the environment,
does not utilise or release chemicals and
pesticides in the field or in nature, which can
harm soil, water, and nearby terrestrial and
marine biodiversity [22]. Organic farming
consumes less fossil fuel utilization and also
pollutes the environment less with pesticides and
herbicides [23]. Furthermore, due to crop
rotation strategies, organic farms are considered
to be more sustainable than conventional farms
with respect to various ecosystems, including
plants, insects, and animals [24]. The Fig. 2
provides the short summary of the above
description.
5. NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF ORGANIC
FOOD
Even though good medical evidence is lacking,
organic food is assumed to have a higher
nutritional content, the majority of study is
observational, and clinical investigations on its
health benefits are lacking. Antioxidants,
phenolic compounds, vitamins A, C, and E,
potassium, phosphate, and nitrates, among
other nutrients, are abundant in organic foods.
Omega-3, fatty acids, and alpha linoleic acid
(ALA) levels are reported to be higher in organic
products. Vitamin C, iron, magnesium,
phosphorus, and nitrate were all found to be in
higher concentrations, according to Worthington.
In addition, organic foods have been claimed to
contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and
alpha linoleic acid (ALA). According to
Worthington, organically cultivated vegetables
have higher amounts of vitamin C, iron,
magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as fewer
protein levels, lower nitrate content, and fewer
heavy metals. Natural dairy items have higher
concentrations of protein, ALA, total omega-3
fatty acid, cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic

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Fig. 2. Merits of organic food in diet over conventional food
acid, trans-11 vaccenic acid, eicosapentaenoic
acid, and docosapentanoic acid, but lower
concentrations of linked linolenic acid isomers
(CLA) and trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) than
standard dairy items, according to a recent meta
CLA has been proven in animal models to have
anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-
diabetic, and immunological properties that
overlap. There is a common assumption that it
alters bone mass composition. Rumenic acid,
the most common isomer of CLA, and TVA
levels were significantly higher in mothers who
ate an organic lunch. Recent findings in systemic
review shows that according to the results of a
Vreek and his colleagues, organically grown
wheat flour contains lower levels of protein,
calcium, manganese, and iron. Protein
digestibility improved dramatically when
potassium, zinc, and molybdenum
concentrations were increased. The chemical
content of organic yellow plums was compared
to that of commercial yellow plums by Lombardi-
Boccia et al. The researchers identified only little
variations in macronutrient levels, but significant
variations in antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin
C, vitamin E, carotene, and phenolic acid.
Surprisingly, the levels varied depending on the
type of organic farming; the antioxidant effect of
organically farmed food is a considerable
nutritional benefit. Consuming foods with high
amounts of extra nitrates is harmful to one's
health, whereas organic foods have fewer
nitrates than processed goods [25]. Organic
farming promotes environmental safety and
helps to ensure the long-term stability of
environmental risks such soil pollution. Despite
the fact that this pesticide has been outlawed for
several years, it has been found in almost all
waters, humans, and animals around the world.
An organic food production system conserves
fossil- fuel energy [11]. The vast majority of
agricultural and animal goods are provided by a
limited number of massive facilities and industrial
sites which barely resembles farms, also more
small rural farmers have been displaced
because they are unable to support themselves
financially [26].
6. HEALTH BENEFITS OF ORGANIC
FOOD
6.1 Antioxidant content
Antioxidant content has been shown to contain a
beneficial impact in a number of scientific
studies, particularly those found in organic foods,
because organic foods are independent of
foreign chemicals which usually react with
vitamins, organic compounds, and minerals,
reducing the necessary significant impact of
antioxidants in food. Antioxidants produced from
organic food have a good effect on heart
disease, cancer, visual problems, premature
ageing, and cognitive dysfunction. Organic crops
have greater antioxidant activity, ranging from 18
to 69 percent higher concentrations of a variety
of distinct antioxidants, which is already related
to a lower chance of illness including
cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease,
as well as specific malignancies [27].
6.2 Boost Immune System
Organic food contains increased levels of
vitamins and minerals, which aid in the
strengthening of the human immune system
[3].

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6.3 Improved Heart Condition
The amount of CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid)
detected in animal products rises when they
graze on natural grass. Natural grass absorbs
solar energy through photosynthesis, which is
then turned into organic CLA by herbivorous
feed. CLA is a cardiac fatty acid that has the
ability to protect the circulatory system and is
present in greater amounts in animal meats and
dairy products [28].
6.4 Sperm Count and Fertility
The researchers studied sperm health and
organic farming in Danish. They compared
organic food consumers with nonorganic food
consumers and noticed that there was higher
sperm cell count in organic food consumers than
nonorganic food consumer [29].
6.5 Safety Aspects of Organic Food
As per a survey conducted, 70% of people
preferred organic food in order to prevent
harmful effects of pesticides. Pesticide residue
levels in organic food tend to be lower than in
commercial nonorganic food. Nitrate level in
organic food is lower. Organic food consumers
get protection from exposure to
organophosphorus which can create many
health problems [8].
Most of the other hazardous fertilisers and
pesticides that we started using years ago to
protect our food and increase its shelf life were
approved until enough research proved that they
were harmful. The majority of these substances
have been confirmed to cause cancer and other
chronic health problems. Initially,
concerns were focused on cancer-causing
substances; however, these carcinogens were
linked to other major health problems such as
Alzheimer's disease and prenatal defects
[25].
6.6 Organic Food is Delicious and Tasty
with Characteristic Fragrance
Organic food has a delicious taste which makes
sense because fertile soil and plants produce the
best tasty food. In a series of experimental
studies, consumers who tried organic food
preferred it over processed and synthetic food.
Fruits and vegetables have a much more rich in
vivid flavour [27].
7. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF
ORGANIC FARMING AND ORGANIC
FOOD
Organic farming prevents water pollution:
Organic farmers never use toxic chemical
fertilisers and pesticides to cultivate the crops
and hence, there is no pollution of soil/land and
water as well. It also assists in soil conservation.
The use of toxic chemicals should be reduced to
protect the sustainability of our overall
ecosystem [27].
7.1 Environment Protection
Organic food facts to be considered as these are
more evident, when we think of the environment
aspects. Current nonorganic farming techniques
were previously assumed to be safe, however,
turned out to be incredibly harmful to our health
and make soil infertile. Organic food production
does not use any synthetic chemicals, thus, it
doesn’t pollute the soil and water. It does not
contaminate the soil and water as well, on the
other hand a lot of chemical fertilisers and
pesticides are used in the commercial non
organic farming. Pesticides and artificial
fertilisers have been clinically demonstrated to
be extremely harmful to human health as well as
the environment. The chemical fertilisers and
pesticides harm not only pests but also useful
mammals and birds as well as having a negative
impact on the ecosystem [27].
7.2 Organic Food as a Good Source of
Revenue Generation
Globally, organic food consumption has
increased rapidly in the past two decades, with
the biggest consumers coming from the United
States, Germany, France, and Australia. In India,
cereals, pulses, oil, seeds, spices, fruits,
vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, sugar, honey, milk,
and milk products are some of the most popular
organic items. Food retailers, embassies, five-
star restaurants, and ayurvedic hospitals are the
largest consumers.
Organic food products designed especially for
new-borns and toddlers have a significant
economic potential. Baby cereals, fruits
smoothie, yoghurts, toddler meals, biscuits,
nibbles, and cereal flakes are among the
products that are carefully made, flavoured, and
packaged to meet the demands of children of
various ages. In India, several of such items are

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34
accessible largely via internet purchases.
Organic farming creates greater employment,
resulting in increased revenues [29].
8. BARRIERS IN ORGANIC FOOD
PRODUCTION
a. High standards to get certified as an
organic food: There are stringent guidelines of
regulatory agencies to get certification as an
organic food and organic food products. The
farmers are reluctant to get certification and
follow the process. That’s why most foods aren’t
organic. The organic food producer industries
also do not desire to go with the rigorous
procedures necessary to be certified as organic.
The qualification procedures that food must go
through are designed to ensure that the
customer understands that the food should be
properly cultivated, prepared and maintained
according to the certification criteria. Organic
food manufacturing considerably lowers the
chances of health concerns for the common
people [1].
b. Lack of support from the farming public:
Some farmers are reluctant to organic farming
as they are happy with routine practice of
nonorganic farming and instant results of
chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
c. Unawareness of organic farming: There are
many benefits to organic farming and organic
food but farmers are not really aware of them.
The farmers have confusion about organic
farming due to lack of knowledge and proper
guidelines. There should be proper guidelines
and training on organic farming.
d. Cost of organic food: Organic foods are
substantially more expensive than commercial
nonorganic food due to the extensive methods
involved for organic upbringing and production
initially. Farmers' training, postharvest
management, pesticide-free storage, a
segmented marketing strategy, and large vendor
margins lead to increased manufacturing costs.
The high expense of organic food is seen as a
barrier, however, its one time investment in the
setup of the organic food production. Then, it is
cost effective in later stage and organic food is
very vital from health point of view.
9. FUTURE OF ORGANIC FOOD
Producing organic foods with innovation:
Research is continually being conducted to
produce high quality crops without harmful
chemical additives that are hazardous
to both health and the environment. Organic
farmers are at the forefront of this research.
As it takes a lot of patience to do trial
and error studies on organic farming
from the public health point of view, these
farmers have applied innovative approaches to
replace and eliminate potentially harmful
pesticides.
Strengthening of rare species of food: One of
the main issues in ecological studies is that
we've been steadily losing genuine food species
of good quality, although most people are trying
to come out for the same with organic farming. In
the agricultural sector, it is a major issue to
maintain rare species of crops and vegetables of
good quality. Organic farmers are undertaken to
solve this issue with great pleasure in order to
explore organic food for better public
health perspective. These farmers are
classifying each species and preserving seeds of
rare species for further use and trying to resolve
the issue of rare species getting endangered
[27].
Variety in organic food products: Organic
food grains, wheat, cereals etc. can be
processed into a variety of food products to
make it available for the people in order to get its
vital health benefits for better future endeavors.
Increasing awareness, education, and financial
support is needed to spread the varieties of
organic food products and ultimately organic
farming from the health and environmental
perspectives. It will assist the
farmers to incorporate new innovative ideas to
process food products at reduced prices, as
everyone should get anything in organic form
[27].
Exploration of traditional knowledge and
skills: The ancient Indian vedic literature such
as Rig-Veda, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Ana
Kautilya arthashastra, guides about important
knowledge and skills necessary to make organic
farming practically feasible and produce organic
food for healthy public [30,31]. There numerous
organic inputs are mentioned in aforesaid vedic
literature which promote organic farming and
organic food since ancient times. The ancient
literature also addresses the implementation of
innovative ideas in farming. There is a need of
hour to go through these literatures to explore
knowledge and skills to produce organic food for
a healthier tomorrow [32,33].

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10. IS ORGANIC FOOD REALLY
HEALTHIER?
Organic food is believed to be more healthy than
conventional food because it contains more
bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols,
vitamin C, and carotenoids) and n-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which may
be related to a decrease in metabolic diseases.
Organic food, on the other hand, is lower in
heavy metals and harmful compounds, such as
cadmium (Cd) and pesticides, which have been
linked to immune system dysfunctions and
poisonings in humans. In addition, several
studies show a connection between the health of
organic food consumers and their lifestyles.
Following a healthy nutritional pattern can
reduce the risk of developing metabolic diseases
such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes,
and obesity. Consuming organic foods is
associated with eating more fruits, vegetables,
legumes and wholegrains and less meat.
Organic food has a higher concentration of
dietary fiber that may positively impact the gut
flora and health, lowering the risk of infection.
Many researchers have examined health-related
indicators to determine if organic food intake
affects such indicators as antioxidant activity,
LDL oxidation, sperm quality, and homocysteine.
However, the conclusions are mixed [34].
11. CONCLUSION
Organic food has numerous benefits and
nutritional value from a public health perspective.
According to several researches, organic foods
include more valuable nutrients, like
antioxidants, than their commercially cultivated
equivalents. Pesticides include fungicides,
herbicides and insecticides etc. which are often
utilised in commercial farming, thus the
remnants can be found in our food. The
remnants may create health problems including
allergic reactions. So, organic food is a better
option to the people having allergies to
nonorganic food, chemical and pesticides
remnants or additives.
There are health and environmental issues with
biodiversity loss due to modified farming
practices. It was found that genetically modified
crops and GMO food creates health problems.
Organic farming is more eco-friendly and helps
to maintain biodiversity. It decreases soil and
water pollution along with increases water
holding capacity of soil, improving soil fertility.
Chemical fertiliser and pesticide free farming
saves life of creatures and farm mammals along
with people residing near farms and farm labour
working in the field. Organic crops are cultivated
and handled in a unique way from nonorganic
crops which help to solve health and
environmental issues. According to the USDA,
organic foods promote the utilisation of
sustainable energy supply and the conservation
of soil and water in order to improve ecological
sustainability for upcoming generations.
Organic food is rich in antioxidant content and it
boosts the immune system as well. Tasty and
delicious organic food improves functions of the
cardiovascular system, increases sperm count
and results fertility. Organic food is safe for
health and is a good source of employment and
revenue generation. There are some barriers to
organic farming and production of organic food
such as high standards to get certified as an
organic food, lack of support from the farming
public, lacking of substantial organic farming
guidelines, unawareness of organic farming etc.
Innovative techniques and smart efforts are
required to preserve and strengthen the rare
species of organic food for a better healthy
future. The organic food products can be
prepared in lots of variety to make it available
from a public health perspective. There is a need
to review ancient vedic scriptures and to explore
the traditional knowledge and skills of organic
farming to resolve the major health issues like
cancer, Alzheimer's disease etc. and to save our
environment from a public health perspective for
a better tomorrow.
CONSENT
It is not applicable.
ETHICAL APPROVAL
It is not applicable.
COMPETING INTERESTS
Authors have declared that no competing
interests exist.
REFERENCES
1. National Organic Program Deputy
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