The term “organic” is not new: the beginning of organic farming dates back to the 1940s as a response to the industrialization of agricultural production. Organic food production promotes a sustainable use of natural resources, trying to be respectful with the environment and whose processes must comply with existing national regulations or those of the importing country.
Essentially, organic production respects a series of principles. One of them is the non-use of chemical synthesis products (commonly called “agrochemicals”), frequently used to combat insect pests or fungi. It also includes fertilizers, made up of some nutrients that plants require in large quantities. In order to manage without the use of these inputs, organic producers use other more complex strategies and other products, generally of biological origin.
A second important axis is that of traceability throughout the process. This means that any organic product that is taken from a shelf could be traced “backwards” until it is known where and when it was produced and what was the route it went through until it reached the hands of the consumer. This ensures that any type of contamination can be identified and those batches removed.
Other principles that can be mentioned are animal welfare, for whose productions it has special clauses, related, for example, to the requirement of greater spaces for its development; and the conservation of the soil and the maintenance of biodiversity, for which various agronomic practices are put into play aimed at keeping the soil continuously covered with vegetation and trying to increase the floral diversity.
Finally, we find the non-use of genetically modified organisms that, although they are considered safe in the scientific community, the organic regulations avoid as a precaution.
The principles enunciated are expressed in the organic regulations through recommendations, suggestions and requirements that are developed in the chapters that compose it. It should be clarified that the terms “organic”, “biological” and “ecological” are protected by law and can only appear on a label as long as that product and producer (as well as all those involved, such as the manufacturer and the marketer) have undergone the certification process.
However, there is another term, currently widely heard, which is “agroecological production”. Agroecological production shares its concerns and interests with organic production, but does not have regulations that frame and guarantee its processes. It is more comprehensive and is made up of a series of possible management proposals, although by its nature it also allows a greater participation of the same producer to experiment. Another difference is that it tolerates the use of agrochemicals if necessary, to avoid an extreme situation, and above all as part of a gradual transition from a conventional type of production (with high use of chemical inputs) to an agroecological one ( without use of agrochemicals).
Agroecology is particularly interested, in addition, in the producer’s non-dependence on inputs from outside his farm (agrochemicals are priced at a dollar price, which is not less; they work on a more regenerative type of agriculture, whose processes in themselves are sufficient to have a healthy production and soil) and in an approach in which processed foods are aimed especially at domestic consumption.
The management of an organic or agroecological field is complex, but carried out by good professionals it can be more profitable. The added value that can be obtained from a higher quality product, added to the decrease in dollarized input costs, should be tempting, although it would be interesting to create incentives to make this transition easier and more attractive. Without forgetting that it is very likely that international markets will begin to put restrictions on traces of agrochemicals in food, Argentine production is extremely vulnerable to this change that will come sooner rather than later. Productions that take into account the environment and people are the future.
The food industry has been going through a paradigm shift in relation to the development and production of new foods for some years, due to the fact that consumers are more and more informed and demand that they be healthier, more nutritious, safe, rich and sustainable. This has led to the appearance of new movements associated with food consumption that set the agenda in new company launches, such as plant-based food and beverages, among others.
Are they more nutritious?
Various studies concluded that organic fruits and vegetables tend to have a higher proportion of natural sugars, such as glucose or fructose, and a lower protein content, which in some variety of vegetables achieves a better sensory evaluation. Other studies conclude that meat from organic production (due to pastures) has a better lipid profile, having a lower percentage of saturated fat and a higher ratio between omega 3 and omega 6.
Likewise, plants must produce greater defensive barriers, so much so that several studies show us higher antioxidant values, such as resveratrol from organic wines, anthocyanins from blueberries, beta-carotene from orange fruits or lycopene from organic tomatoes. Also, the fact that there is a greater amount of microorganisms in the soil of organic productions is the reason why several studies indicate a greater presence of some minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and copper in vegetables such as lettuce, tomato and spinach.
However, we would have to analyze and ask ourselves the economic / nutritional cost of the nutrient. This means that if an organic tomato has twice the nutrient of a conventional tomato but is worth three times, it would be more economically / nutritionally convenient to opt for the conventional variety.
In conclusion, organic production is more than a trend. It is a paradigm in itself that proposes a way of generating food that is conscious and respectful of the environment, and that can be very beneficial at an economic level if it is promoted by decision makers in our country and in the world.
Clean label: Consumers are looking for easy-to-understand labels
Consumers increasingly prioritize regional economies and productions, observing a return to “local”. In addition to this, in recent years there has been a trend towards “clean label” foods. Many of the new developments by companies aim to make food with as few ingredients as possible and with raw materials that people know and can understand.
Companies highlight these issues in their packaging through claims, and in this organic and agroecological foods often play a fundamental role for the marketing of many industries.
Consumers’ purchasing decisions are increasingly aware and responsible. Buyers want to know what ingredients are in the products they eat, how they are made and, above all, what effects they have on their health.
Reading the ingredient list has become commonplace. It may not have been done before and people only decided to eat something based on the taste, but this is no longer the case, as now special attention is paid to food labeling and it is expected that it is honest and easily understandable.
The clean label trend stems from a consumer movement that judges mass-produced products (or their ingredients) as “bad” for different reasons. It is not based on research or scientific evidence but is actually completely driven by consumer perceptions.
