Organic Food

organic
           adj: relating or belonging to the class of chemical compounds
                having a carbon basis

Other than salt and water, pretty much all food is organic, making the term both redundant and meaningless.

The movement for “organic” food is a textbook example of the naturalistic fallacy at a social scale.

Similarly to so called fair trade, its claims are difficult to falsify because both the premises and the expected outcomes are so fuzzily and vaguely defined.

The use of words like “fair”, “organic” and “natural” don’t have any rational and scientific purpose and are intended only to elicit emotional responses.

Food Miles

A great way to encourage the growing of food in the least efficient and productive places, ensuring copious waste of resources and increased food prices for everyone (which as usual, mostly harm poor).

Also a great new way to keep poor farmers in developing countries from exporting to the most lucrative markets.

See Also

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! episode 06 of the seventh season.

External Links

• Organic Food Quality - By Steven Novella.
• The Truth About Organic Food - By Zachary Kroger.
• Organic food is no healthier than ordinary food, a large independent review has concluded. - From the BBC.
• Purity of Federal ‘Organic’ Label Is Questioned - When a definition is so meaningless that people can make it mean anything they like, it stops being useful.
• “Organic” Foods: Certification Does Not Protect Consumers - By Stephen Barrett, M.D.