Information, News and Views From Kombu Online...

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Last update: 24th June 2008

Kylie Kwong on Organic Food in Australia

BEYOND the kitchen and television, the kindly Kwong feels a great big obligation to the world.

The lady, whose next book will be on organic food within Australia, says: "The organic movement and its sustainability is my passion. I think it’s important because of climate change. High-profile food people, I feel, have a responsibility to give out the right messages to the public about food. It’s a lot more than having a restaurant serving food, having a cookbook or a TV show.

"I ask myself, ‘What contribution can I make to the planet? When I’m on my death bed, what do I want people to remember me for?’ It’s not being famous but making a positive contribution to the way people eat. That’s why Jamie Oliver is so brilliant. He’s outside of himself. It’s not all about him. It’s about a wider, bigger picture."

And Kylie Kwong certainly has the means and will to be a part of that picture.

SOURCE: Malaysian Star Online. Click for full article

Dieting in decline as healthier foods take spotlight

Eating "better for you" foods rather than dieting appears to be the weapon of choice against the battle of the bulge, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research firm.

NPD reports that the percentage of American adults on a diet has decreased by 10 percentage points since 1990, while the percentage of Americans eating healthier foods has increased. "While dieting for both women and men remain huge markets, they are not growing markets," says Harry Balzer, Vice President of The NPD Group, and author of Eating Patterns in America. "The desire to lose weight really was a 90s trend. Today consumers appear to be making healthier food choices."

NPD’s National Eating Trends data finds that at least once in a two-week period, over 70 percent of Americans are consuming reduced fat foods, and over half of them are eating reduced calorie, whole grain or fortified foods. In addition to these foods, other "better for you" foods consumed include diet, light, reduced cholesterol, reduced sodium, caffeine free, sugar free, fortified, organic, and low carb varieties. The average American, according to National Eating Trends, has at least two "better for you" products a day.

The growth in popularity of organic food was identified by the study, with 21.8% of consumers having bought organic products in the past fortnight - markedly higher than figures of five years ago.

Healthy eating to consumers today tends to boil down to basic mathematics, says Balzer, who has been tracking consumers’ food consumption behavior for 30 years. "A generation ago it was about subtracting bad things from your diet, but today healthy eating is more a matter of addition and subtraction," he suggests.

SOURCE: AusFoodNews. Click for full article

First Tafe course in organics

Tafe Tasmania is about to offer Australia's first industry-specific qualification in organics.

The course was developed over two years largely because of rapid growth in Australia's organics industry, and will teach everything from how to grow organic food to training more people to work in the industry.

Mark Geeves from Tafe Tasmania says they've had lots of people sign up.

"I think it's probably because there's so much more interest in organics," he says.

"There's lots of stuff coming out now about GM crops and food additives, so people become very passionate about eating properly and eating clean food."

SOURCE: ABC

Despite Economic Dip, Organic Food Sales Soar

If there's a recession, organic food doesn't know it. (US Article)

Even in a down economy, green consumers have shown a willingness to pay more for organic, natural or environmentally-friendly products, per a study released last week by the Natural Marketing Institute and The Nielsen Co. (which is parent to Brandweek).

The Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (or LOHAS) consumers are top spenders in many consumer packaged goods categories.

"They are less price sensitive, and also have more fully integrated LOHAS products into their lifestyle and are less likely to go back," said Gwynne Rogers, business director at NMI, Harleysville, Pa.

About 20% of Americans make up this segment of buyers. These highly desirable consumers tend to spend 10% more in warehouse clubs as well as buy more cereal, jelly, pasta, produce, soup and ready-to-serve prepared food than "non-green" consumers.

Products labeled organic represented $4.4 billion in sales for the 52 weeks ended April 19 (excluding Wal-Mart), per The Nielsen Company. Mintel, Chicago, forecasts sales will grow to $6.8 billion by 2012.

Small brands are seeing big growth. Ian's Natural Food's grows 45% annually, per the company. Nature's Path Foods, meanwhile, grew 30% in the first half of this year and will launch 15 new products by year's end.

Natures Path products are stocked at Kombu online.

SOURCE: Brandweek

The Real Cost of Cheap Food

Sometimes shoppers are confused by the differences in price between food grown organically and food grown conventionally. Usually organic loses the price war argument in comparison to what is called "conventional" food. Of course, we are all mostly aware that organic means grown and processed without chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, toxic pesticides, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic manipulation.

But, what does "conventional" mean? Is food called "conventional" grown and processed with chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, toxic pesticides, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic manipulation? Yes it is. And, this is one reason why the price war argument should be reframed. Instead of comparing the price of organic food with "conventional" foods (which sounds so normal and safe), let's compare organic food prices to the food price of toxic or poisonous food, which is what "conventional" food is.

The vegetables, fruits and grains that grocers and agribusiness giants label "conventional" are actually loaded with systemic chemicals, which you cannot wash off. The meat is laced with hormones, antibiotics, prions and multiple resistant bacteria that are difficult or impossible to cook out of beef, lamb, chicken or pork.

Clearly, something in our food system has gone terribly amiss since a majority of the food is loaded with poisonous pesticides, laced with antibiotics and hormones and infused with genetically modified growth hormones or genes from rats, bacteria, viruses and antibiotics and then -- through some bizarre logic -- labeled "conventional." Once one realizes how toxic "conventional" food is, it doesn't look that cheap.

MORE at Alternet

Tasmania look toward organic growth

Growth in the Australian organics industry has been strong in recent years and Tasmanian Government is now looking toward the organic farming industry to improve food production sustainability.

The Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water, David Llewellyn, opened the ‘Organic Conversion and Expansion ­- Steps to Sustainable Success’ conference in Launceston on Wednesday and pledged his support to organic farming. "Tasmania has a natural, clean, green image, and Tasmanian organic products rate highly in quality against other national and international products," said Mr Llewellyn.

Mr Llewellyn stressed that the organic industry was well placed in the marketing of its products to the world, but urged that Tasmania continue the push to satisfy consumer demand for regular supply and consistent quality. "The Tasmanian organic industry is worth around $20 million, with the national market at $400-$500 million," said Mr Llewellyn. "In most sectors there’s been a pleasing growth, estimated at 25 per cent."

"Conferences like this greatly help farmers considering organic conversion. The quality of the event’s local and national speakers will further assist farmers."

Mr Llewellyn said the Organic Coalition of Tasmania, which convened the conference with the Department of Primary Industries and Water, has a key role to play in the future growth of the industry along with the Organic Federation of Australia."The Organic Coalition has already shown leadership in fostering partnerships between the industry and Government," said Mr Llewellyn. "The support from the national peak body, the Organic Federation of Australia, shows that Tasmania is well placed for organic and biodynamic industry growth."

Australian consumers have slowly been increasing their interest in organic food products, with Don Fraser, consultant to organic retail success story Macro Wholefoods Market, claiming interest in organic food is being driven by parents. "Consumer concern over food origins and ingredients has parents looking for certified organic alternatives," he said in a statement released by the Biological Farmers of Australia.

SOURCE: Aus Food News

Leave it to the experts? Who's addressing additives and preservatives in schools?

Kathleen Daalmeyer, food intolerance educator from The Food Intolerance Network says the link between what gets served at lunch-time, the overall well-being of children, and student behaviour and performance is becoming a subject under intense scrutiny in many Australian schools. Preservatives and additives she says play a critical part in the mix.

"The Food Intolerance Network is finalising a report on trials conducted in three NSW schools and the results are startling.

"Basically, children given additive-free meals over a period of two weeks showed significant measurable improvement in three key areas: health, academic performance and behaviour".

Mrs. Dallmeyer says there is evidence children on low additive diets are less likely to cause conflict.

"There was an estimated sixty percent improvement in behaviour reported by teachers with regards to conflict in the classroom and the playground".

And - students’ ability to listen and absorb information was also increased. She says the news could have significant implications for educators.

"Particularly when you consider there is a trend of decreasing academic excellence and escalating levels of behavioural problems in schools".

Principals and staff associated with the trials have enthusiastically advocated the results.

"We averaged six detentions a week" reported Lawrie Renshall, Principal of Nana Glen Public school, when trials were first conducted in December last year. "In the second week of the food trial we did not have one child on detention".

Mrs. Daalmeyer says principals and teaching staff are actively looking for answers but that those in charge of food standards in Australia did not act on behavioural evidence: "They’re there to help manufacturers get their product into markets".

She says the Network shares concerns that the current push to reduce the fat, salt and sugar levels in schools is happening at the expense of essential additive/ preservative management and that many parents were not aware of excessive levels of harmful additives in ‘health branded’ foods.

"For example, there can be more sulphites in just one dried apricot than is the recommended acceptable daily intake of a four-year-old child - dried fruit or health bars can be particularly high in additives. Low sugar diet foods and beverages are also a concern because of high levels of aspartame or artificial sweetening".

She says artificial colours are the most unnecessary of artificial additives and have links to reduced learning ability and hyperactivity, and that flavour enhancers were also a big problem.

"Parents should avoid anything with flavour enhancers - all of the 600 numbers" she says.

SOURCE: BFA

Which way leads to food for all?

Food prices are increasing at an alarming rate, with an average family's shopping now costing an extra £750 a year. At the same time, a global food shortage looms on the horizon.

Karl Barton, farm manager, Goodwood Organic Farm

"To my mind, there's one big advantage of organic: it's sustainable.

That just about sums up the whole system. With fossil fuels running out, the price of oil rising so quickly and all the other problems we have, we have to start looking at a sustainable way to manage our food. And by sustainable I mean allowing the soil to keep producing crops over and over again.

People have been using chemicals in farming for 70 years now and the damage is phenomenal. In the 1930s and 1940s chemicals were going to save the world and produce huge crops, but in the 1990s we realised it was poisoning the soil, the atmosphere and causing cancers.

In 2001, when I first came to Goodwood it had been chemically farmed for 30 years and it was barren. Now, we are completely self-sustaining. If you cut my farm off from the rest of the country, if you put a fence around it, I can continue as I am, bar the fuel for my tractor. But I could even grow that and carry on.
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When you talk about GM, you can't do that. You are doing what nature never intended, splitting genes and so on - and for what? So you can harvest strawberries in December? Or people talk about feeding the world with crop increases, but no one has actually shown that working. GM crops haven't out-yielded traditional crops in any way. So even if people are saying they can, they don't have the scientific evidence to back it up.

Also, are we looking at repeating the same cycle with GM as we saw with chemicals? What are we going to be saying about GM in 50 years?

You are also looking at the seeds to feed the world being supplied by a few companies who control everything - and that becomes very dangerous. At the moment, we can get our seeds from anywhere but when you start going down the road of specialist seeds, where do you source them from?

The most powerful thing any one company can have is control of our food supply and GM technology gives companies exactly that control.

It isn't a question of "Can organic be the solution?" It is the only solution. Fertilisers and pesticides are going to double in price and then where do we go for our food source? So we turn to GM - but that is just another man-made item to try to feed people when we already know nature can work with us and feed us.

To feed the nations, we need to look at feeding small areas. At the moment, everything is produced everywhere and that costs fuel, time and transport. We need to look at having 80% of everything produced within the county and the other 20%, the specialist items we can't grow here, we can import. This way we can save fuel and time and protect the atmosphere.

Source: Brighton Argus, UK

Solution In Our Backyard?

NZPA - American author Michael Pollan believes part of the solution to the oncoming food crisis looming throughout the world could be found in our own backyards.

Pollan, 53, a professor of journalism at the University of California, is the author of five books including the bestsellers, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto and The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals .

In New Zealand to attend the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival last week, Pollan's recent work deals with the practices of the meat industry, with a particular eye on trends in American agriculture.

For someone with Pollan's interest and expertise, it's not surprising he planned to visit several farms in the region for some first-hand experience of what is happening within our farming sector.

"I've been writing about grass-based agriculture in the US and you guys are so good at it, so I was kinda curious to visit some dairy farms here.

"I want to get a little more flavour for what's going on here."

In particular, Pollan says he is interested in how different countries handle the problem of turning land into food.

"You know we're eating from your land in America these days, there are a lot of New Zealand lamb, beef and some milk coming over."

When asked if he thinks that is a good or bad thing, Pollan says it's complicated.

"It's not that simple.

"When you can produce food more sustainably than we can, it's a good thing.

"But we're trying to build up our own grass-based meat agriculture.

"It's still quite small and still quite expensive and you can undercut it but that's because your scale is so much greater."

While it's important to build up local agriculture and the ability to feed yourself Pollan says he does not describe himself as a "local boy".

"I don't think that's the answer to all our problems -- to eat locally.

"I also don't think food miles are the only criteria to apply to food.

"It's one factor, but how you produce the food is just as important if you're concerned about carbon.

"Using grass to produce meat is a lot better than using grain, which is what we do for the most part in the US."

Pollan admits his most recent books would not have been well received 10 years ago in America, but says the interest in the food issues he tackles is not just because it is a trendy subject.

" We're reaching a critical point in the food economy, in America and worldwide.

"The industrial food system which gave us a lot of cheap food for a long time is proving to be unsustainable in many ways.

"We've had a series of food scares and food scandals that have made people curious where there food is from."

Pollan says every time there is an outbreak or scare like mad cow disease "we pull back the curtain on how our food is being produced industrially".

"People are shocked and often disgusted by what they see and they begin to look for alternatives."

Those alternatives are now becoming big business, such as organic food and farmers markets, which are growing as they cross more into mainstream markets.

"These alternatives are rising and are in front of people now , people faced choices that they didn't face before -- whether to eat industrially or to eat another way."

Demand for organic food in particular in the United States is growing very quickly, Pollan says,

"One of the reasons we're buying organic milk powder from you is that the demand is so great.

"So no, I think we're talking about something bigger than a trend."

Pollan believes in 10 years' time, the world will see a very different food landscape.

"There will still be industrial food, it will still be massed produced but there will be much larger organic market place, much larger grass based food chain, much larger food economy.

"I don't think these things are going away."

SOURCE / More Information

Monsanto Climate of Fear

We avoid stocking any genetically modified products in Kombu. One of the key proponents of GM Foods is Monsanto. The following is from interview by democracynow.org with James Steele, who recently published an excellent article in Vanity Fair on Monsanto's corporate practices:

'Pilot Grove is in the midst of one of <Actinic:Variable Name = 'the'/> great soybean growing areas. And Monsanto has been targeting farmers and a seed co-op in that area over the last few years, accusing them of patent infringements. ... They've targeted many farmers there, and upwards of two dozen, the last time I looked at things, had settled with the company, had not gone to court, had just reached some confidential agreement.

'But the co-op, the seed co-op that is sort of the pivotal unit in that county, did not agree to a settlement. They felt, how in the world can we agree to this? We -- farmers bring us seeds. We don't know whether these are traditional seeds or whether these are genetically modified seeds. They're basically saying, 'You want us to be a policeman of our customers.' So they resisted, and they're in court over this.

'But as a result of this, Monsanto has unleashed the full weight of its investigative forces in this little county. No less than seventeen surveillance videos by private investigators have been made of farmers in and around this town. I mean, this was eye-opening to us, the idea that a company is out there videotaping farmers, apparently, in their fields, coming out of stores. I'm not exactly sure where some of these videos were taken, but the court record refers to those. And these are part of the evidence that they gather to then confront farmers and say, "Look, you need to settle. You need to come clean. You're infringing on our patent. It's time to really make an agreement with us."'

Kombu will be co-promoting a Film Night on Monsanto in early June in Bellingen.

Source: Democracy Now

Organic IS Better For You!

Collated into one dense document on the evidence of the benefits of organic, the US Organic Centre’s State of Science Review: Nutritional Superiority of Organic Food, published March 2008, summarises 97 studies, including 40 new studies, from the past six years - all proof that organic foods have a higher comparative nutritional value to conventional.

The team heading up the review used cross-study comparison to evaluate and link differences in the nutrient content of organic and non-organic food over time.

They reported organically grown plant-based foods deliver more essential nutrients per calories consumed.

Organic plant-based foods were 25% more nutrient-dense than conventional alternatives in 75% of matched pair comparisons between organic and non-organic items.

Organic foods within matched pairs were nutritionally superior (in the majority of cases). Organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious stated the reports key findings.

For More Information GO Here

Farmer Goes Organic

WHEN Killarney farmer Paul Graham could no longer stand the thought of supplying other families' food he would not serve his own two children, Blake and Claudia, he transformed his operation into an organic haven.

This year, Mr Graham and his wife Sue have gained certification from Biological Farmers of Australia for their entire property Forest Lodge.

The pair are at the forefront of a shift towards organics, selling their fruit, vegetables, lamb and beef in Warwick at Oh So Natural, in Toowoomba at Mr Organics and throughout Brisbane.

Percy's Fruit Market owner Percy Pugliese is another in the region who sees organic produce as the way of the future.

"We have always stocked organic fruit and veggies but now we have got a full range of organics," he said.

Mr Graham said although there was much, more work involved in organic production, the outcome was far superior.

"To be certified they come and do soil and foliage tests every 12 months to make sure there are no harsh chemicals and no artificial fertilisers used," he said.

"The crop is definitely tastier, and the colour is better."

Mr Graham said the decision to turn to organic produce was not only a business but a health decision.

"They are just a lot better for you... I believe good food means good health," he said.

"I was getting headaches and my skin was very itchy when I was using chemicals.

"If it was good enough to kill a moth then it was good enough to kill anything."

"Organic farms also soak up a lot more greenhouse gases." he said.

Mr Pugliese said he first made a conscious effort to promote organic food when his wife Glenis was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"We decided we needed to look at our diets more closely," he said.

Mr Pugliese said organics had started to become more popular because of this change in people's attitudes.

"You hear all the time now studies conducted on how organic is much better for you and not only that, it tastes better," he said.

SOURCE: Warwick Daily News

Organic Food Prices Closing The Gap

SURGING wheat prices could be expected to be a grind for Kialla Pure Foods, the Darling Downs company making chemical-free products from wheat and other cereal crops.

But Quentin Kennedy, whose family and another own KPF at Greenmount, says high prices are working to close the gap between end-prices of organic cereals products and their conventional rivals.

KPF is one of Australia's largest dedicated organic cereal grain producers. No chemicals are used from crop growing through to milling and processing into bulk supplies sold to food companies, and into KPF-brand products sold at Coles and organic food stores.

Mr Kennedy says high wheat prices have raised KPF's input costs and curbed growth as some marginal organic product buyers have gone back to conventional products.

"But we have also seen massive increases in prices of conventional products in the past year. That's evened up the market a little.

Kombu Wholefoods stocks a number of Kialla products.

SOURCE: Brisbane Courier Mail

Organic Milk Great Source of Vitamins and Antioxidants

ORGANIC MILK has been found to be a valuable dietary source of vitamins and antioxidants, almost next in effectiveness to fruits and vegetables.

Higher vitamins and nutrients in organic milk

A recent research conducted by the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences and the University of Newcastle has revealed that organic milk is 50 per cent higher in the alpha tocopherol compound of Vitamin E, 75 percent higher in beta carotene, which is used by our bodies to convert to vitamin A, and has almost three times higher antioxidants (lutein and zeaxanthine) than non organic cow milk.

The report also stated that organic milk contains higher levels of omega three essential fatty acids. This is mainly because organic cows are not only pastured grazed, but are also fed with more quantity of red clover than conventional cows. Red clover contains large amount of omega three which ultimately reaches us through the organic milk.

Another research from the University of Liverpool showed that organic milk contains 68 per cent more omega three essential fatty acids. Omega three deficiencies has been the major cause of various health problems such as heart disease, inflammations (in skin diseases such as eczema), cancer, arthritis, etc.

Powerful antioxidants in organic milk

Both beta-carotene and Alpha tocopherol, the most active of vitamin E compounds, function as powerful antioxidants. While the former helps reduce the risk of developing cancer, the other counters the harm caused by free radicals, which cause ageing. Beta-carotene is useful for strong eyesight, greater resistance to infections, good skin, bone growth, tooth development, reproduction and gene expression. Major studies have found that these nutrients don’t have much value, if taken as supplements, instead of directly from food items.

Lutein and zeaxanthine antioxidants, which are vitamins in the vitamin A category, help prevent cataracts, macular degeneration (deteriorating eye sight as we age) and atherosclerosis (when the blood vessels block up). Women get 17.5 per cent of the required intake of vitamin E and men 14 percent by drinking a pint of organic milk a day. A pint of milk also provides the same quantity of beta-carotene as a portion of some vegetables such as Brussels sprouts.

Benefits from meeting organic requirements

Grass or grain, feed for organic farm cows has to be grown without pesticides. Cows reared in organic farms and fed on a rich diet of forage, fresh grass and clover, develop to become healthier. It is mandatory for United State Development Agriculture (USDA) organic labeled milk to come from cows that has not been treated with bovine growth hormone (BGH) to increase milk production.

Another vital requirement for organic cows is that they must have access to pastures. Studies have found that organic milk has more Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). CLA promotes metabolic rate, immunity to diseases and muscle growth, and at the same time, brings down abdominal fat, cholesterol, and allergic reactions. Cows that are grazed on pastures have been found to produce 500 per cent more CLA in its milk than cows that are fed fodder. There has been increased in the interest of organic milk after recent research on animals showed that CLA is beneficial in cancer treatment.

Non-organic cows

The research found no additional nutritional benefits in non-organic cows. Such cows are fed on a cheaper diet, high in energy rich concentrates to increase milk yields. Non-organic farmers also freely use GM cattle feed, urea and solvent extracted feeds and waste from food factories

Source: Merinews

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Children Leading Drive for Organic Food

Children are a big reason for the growth in popularity of organic goods, say major organic industry members.

"A substantial amount - up to a third of our organic category is estimated to be consumed by a person under eight," says Rick Carmont, brand category manager with the world’s leading dairy exporter, Fonterra.

BFA spokesperson and nutritionist Shane Heaton says he is not surprised parents are more likely to purchase organic.

"Children are more vulnerable to food toxins than adults they have a larger intake of food per kilo of body weight and immature organs and detoxification and immune systems," he says. "And a study released last year found young children exposed to certain preservatives and food colours are more prone to hyperactive tendencies (1)"

Mr. Carmont says young children also are an influencing factor in many farmers’ decision to convert to organic production.

"Particularly where a farming family’s child has health or allergy problems," he says.

Ulli Spranz, owner of bio-dynamic dairy B-d. Farm Paris Creek says she and her husband changed professions to run a chemical free property when they started a family nearly thirty years ago.

"We wanted to provide a safe environment, manage a sustainable system, and provide families with access to quality food," says Mrs. Spranz.

She says Paris Creek dairy products are a favourite with young customers and growing families.

"Children seem to choose natural products if given the choice from an early age. The most common feedback we get from parents is that their children love the taste."

Paris Creek products are available at Kombu...With their delicious cheese coming soon!

SOURCE: BFA / University of Southampton

Organic Food and Irradiation

A new study claiming that irradiation is the safest method of reducing the risk of foodborne diseases such as E. coli in fruit and vegetables has raised contention.

A report presented by U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists last week said irradiation may be the best way to remove pathogens inside fruits and vegetables for improved food safety.

Irradiation is a processing technique that exposes food to electron beams, X-rays or gamma rays, producing a similar effect to pasteurisation, cooking or other forms of heat treatment.

It aims to disrupt the genetic material of living cells and is used in conventional food production to kill bacteria that cause poisoning, such as salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli; as well as to delay fruit ripening and help stop vegetables such as potatoes and onions from sprouting.

Irradiation is prohibited in organic food production. This represents another distinct benefit to consumers seeking un-tampered and low-risk foods, if conventional processors increase systematic use of the method.

Irradiation has been recognised as a controversial food safety technique and many regulators and members of the public remain wary on how its potential affect on human health:

The US Center for Food Safety has said that irradiation produces unique substances in food that may have toxic effects. Only 10 EU member states approve irradiation facilities to process foods.

In Australia, food can only be irradiated if there is no other safe method available. Any irradiated food must go through a strict safety assessment by Food Standards Australia New Zealand and, if approved, must be labelled with a statement that the food has been treated with ionising radiation.

To date, in Australia and New Zealand, only herbs and spices, herbal teas and some tropical fruits have been approved to be irradiated (breadfruit, carambola, custard apple, litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, papaya and rambutan).

Despite this, "the (study) research is likely to be of interest to (conventional) fresh produce growers and retailers," according to Food production Daily.

According to the study, washing produce with ordinary water has no effect on reducing pathogens such as E. coli.

FSANZ state irradiation should not take the place of good hygienic practices and good manufacturing practices (GMP), which would normally prevent the growth of pathogenic strains of bacteria.

Dr. Andrew Monk, BFA Standards Chair, agrees, and says there is no future for irradiation in organic.

"We absolutely prohibit irradiation under the Australian Organic Standard, for the very reason that the public, scientific and regulatory communities are divided on its impact on both food safety and food quality outcomes."

"It is an un-necessary technique that acts as a band-aid solution to possible poor practice in the food industry."

"Good manufacturing practice and quality healthy food in the first instance can always be sufficient."

SOURCE: BFA

Honey Is Good For You!

New research from the US suggests that naturally occurring honey may ease coughs and respiratory illnesses in children more effectively than over the counter medicines.
While honey has been used for thousands of years to treat wounds and ailments, scientists have only recently begun to explain the precise effects of the natural sweetener's antiseptic and antibacterial qualities on human health.
Several scientific reports linking honey to health have been published in the last few years, including research suggesting that taking honey in combination with calcium supplements could help boost bone strength.

Furthermore, Spanish scientists said in February that bees that feed on honeydew produce honey with double the amount of antioxidants.

Research such as this has helped boost honey consumption around the world, with sales increasing 14 per cent between 2004 and 2006, according to market analysts Mintel.
In international terms China is currently by far the largest honey-producing nation in the world, with around a 40 per cent slice of the market, while the next biggest producers are the US, Argentina and Ukraine.
Certified organic honey is often reported to be tastier and have greater health benefits, in meeting strict guidelines in terms of sources of bees, foraging areas, internal feeding, health care, extraction, storage and others.

The Australian Organic Standard 2006 (BFA) includes requirements such as apiary locations must "not be located within a 5 km radius of pollution sources which may cause contamination of honey by returning foraging bees". Also, pasteurisation is prohibited and certified honey heated to over 45 degrees Celsius cannot be "labelled “aw or pure honey due to heat denaturing of enzymes."

Source: BFA

Australian Organic Lamb

Valued at US $27 billion in 2004, the organic sector is the fastest growing food sector in the world, reflecting a growing emphasis on health, environmental sustainability and ethical practices.

"Organic food is largely regarded as a luxury commodity in Australia, but markets in North America and Europe are well established while the Asian market is growing," Mr Hannigan says. "And market research shows that consumers are prepared to pay for products consistent with these values."

"The UK is stepping up its campaign for reducing food miles, but its 11 per cent increase in land conversion to organic production is not sufficient to meet growing demand, which has led to a greater reliance on imported produce.

The meat sector is similarly the fastest growing component of the US organic market, with sales rising by 37 per cent in 2006. "When US lamb prices increase, retailers move from domestic to imported lamb," Mr Hannigan says.

Mr Hannigan says lamb is increasingly becoming part of the Japanese diet and organic meat is "starting to gain popularity", with meat buyers for Jasco, a subsidiary of supermarket chain Aeon, claiming the Japanese organic movement is trailing the rest of the world by three years.

With demand for organic lamb abroad outstripping supply, Mr Hannigan predicts the domestic market will move in the same direction.

Source: Australian Farm Journal / Nuffield

Shifts in America's Food Culture

The United States is changing its mind about what it likes to eat. It's spitting out the mass-produced sludge everyone thought was brilliant a few decades back and is now reaching for locally produced, organic treats.

And treats they are indeed, packed with health benefits that have become a rarity in today's food culture.

According to Owen Murphy, a CU nutrition instructor, produce that is locally grown and organic tends to contain more nutrients than conventional fruits and veggies.

"Organic means it contains no pesticides, which are toxins and poisons to the body," Murphy said. "Local and organic produce may also have a higher mineral content and contain more antioxidants."

Much of the produce found in grocery stores in this country is significantly devoid of these benefits. Consider the tomato for instance. Most Americans buy their tomatoes at their local Safeway in an effort to obtain the lycopene and Vitamin A it's been advertised as containing. What they probably don't realize, however, is that this tomato has traveled thousands of miles from vine to shelf, and that it's lacking many of the nutritional benefits a tomato should have.

"Organic food is more nutrient dense because it's been grown in soil that is alive, rather than soil that's been depleted by chemicals," said Anne Cure, owner and farmer at Cure Organic Farm in East Boulder.

SOURCE: Campus Press

People prefer organic food because of its good taste

In their early thirties, the Kelkars have a Sunday morning routine that they rigorously adhere to. They head to the nearest supermarket’s ‘organic’ section to buy their week’s supply of fruits, vegetables, pulses, jam, and even pickles.

“Sushant is a health and fitness freak and insists on buying organic food,” says Seema Pathak-Kelkar, who works with 3G Chemicals.

While Sushant likes the taste of organic food and the idea of doing everything he can to stay healthy, Seema has a different reason to go organic. "As a chemical analyst, I know what goes into making pesticides and also how harmful they can be," she says.

Experts agree that organic food is good for health. "There is no doubt that organic food is good," says Dr Richa Anand, executive dietician,

Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai. "And if you have a choice and can afford it, why not choose the healthier option?"

More Information: DNA Mumbai

Alert on tiny 'toxic' food additives

Australian foods could contain additives that might be harmful because of their tiny size, according to a report by the environmental group Friends of the Earth.

Nano-sized particles in food could be more chemically reactive while studies show some to be toxic to cells, says Georgia Miller, a co-author of the report, Out of the Laboratory and Onto our Plates, Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture.

Consumers would be unaware of the presence of nano particles because there is no requirement to label the size of ingredients.

Ms Miller said companies overseas had developed nutritional supplements, flavour and colour additives, and processing materials, that are in the form of very small particles, around 100 nanometres across. In the US and Europe, nano-sized ingredients have been added to some fruit juices, processed meats, diet milkshakes and baby foods.

"It is possible unlabelled nano additives are also found in foods sold in Australia," Ms Miller said. "Yet there is no requirements for manufacturers to do new safety testing of nano ingredients before using them in foods if ingredients have previously been approved for use in larger particle form."

More Information: Sydney Morning Herald

University of Melbourne Report on Organic Food

Independent attitudes such as cost have the biggest impact on why consumers opt for organic fruit and vegetables, according to a new University of Melbourne report.

The report, titled 'An investigation of consumer motivations towards organic food purchases in Australia', lists health consciousness, environmental concerns, knowledge of organic products, availability, convenience and price as all factors that can affect consumer choice.

Dr Angela Paladino from the University of Melbourne's Department of Management and Marketing, prepared the report with honors student Samantha Smith. Dr Paladino says the report highlights just how many factors are considered by shoppers when purchasing organic food. "While many respondents indicated they had a positive attitude towards purchase organic products, they were sometimes unwilling or unable to purchase in accordance with their attitudes.

"Chief among these factors is the consideration of price, with many respondents indicating that they felt organic food was still too expensive."

Of the other factors, health consciousness was found to be one of the significant reasons consumers did purchase, or intended to purchase, organic products. "Those surveyed indicated that where personal health was of a higher priority, they were more likely to consider the purchase of organic food," says Samantha Smith.

In total, one hundred and fifty seven consumers aged between 19 and 30 were surveyed for the report.

While many of those surveyed did indicate a positive attitude toward organic food, Dr Paladino says food marketers have problems in raising awareness of organic products. "Fundamentally, organic food marketers need to reduce consumer confusion towards their product, for example, having just one logo for such produce, and not the several we currently have.

"This will help build a unified industry and enhance consumer perceptions of organic food," agrees Smith.

Source: University of Melbourne