Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier?
Authors: Charles Benbrook
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2013)

Letters19 February 2013Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier?Charles Benbrook, PhDCharles Benbrook, PhDFrom Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00017 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Smith-Spangler and colleagues (1) chose the frequency of residues in conventional versus organic food as their basic metric to assess pesticide-related health benefits of organic food. This choice was inappropriate: Frequency of residues does not indicate risk. Pesticide dietary risk is a function of many factors, including the number and levels of residues and pesticide toxicity.An appropriate assessment would use the extensive, high-quality data on pesticide residues in organic and conventional food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Data Program (2). These publicly accessible data allow comparisons of residue frequency, levels, and chronic risks. Using ...References1. Smith-Spangler C, Brandeau ML, Hunter GE, Bavinger JC, Pearson M, Eschbach PJ, et al. Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives?: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157:348-66. [PMID: 22944875] LinkGoogle Scholar2. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pesticide Data Program. Accessed at www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateC&navID=PesticideDataProgram&rightNav1=PesticideDataProgram&topNav=&leftNav=ScienceandLaboratories&page=PesticideDataProgram on 14 January 2013. Google Scholar3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. Accessed at www.epa.gov/opp00001/regulating/laws/fqpa/ on 14 January 2013. Google Scholar4. Bellinger DC. A strategy for comparing the contributions of environmental chemicals and other risk factors to neurodevelopment of children. Environ Health Perspect. 2012;120:501-7. [PMID: 22182676] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Looft T, Johnson TA, Allen HK, Bayles DO, Alt DP, Stedtfeld RD, et al. In-feed antibiotic effects on the swine intestinal microbiome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012;109:1691-6. [PMID: 22307632] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.Disclosures: Employment: The Organic Center, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University; Other: Dr. Benbrook served as the chief scientist of The Organic Center, a nonprofit organization focusing on the health benefits of organic food and farming, from 2005 to June 2012. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAre Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives? Crystal Smith-Spangler , Margaret L. Brandeau , Grace E. Hunter , J. Clay Bavinger , Maren Pearson , Paul J. Eschbach , Vandana Sundaram , Hau Liu , Patricia Schirmer , Christopher Stave , Ingram Olkin , and Dena M. Bravata Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier? Donald R. Davis Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier? Crystal Smith-Spangler , Margaret L. Brandeau , Ingram Olkin , and Dena M. Bravata Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier? Kirsten Brandt Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier? Preston K. Andrews Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier? Sari Lisa Davison Metrics 19 February 2013Volume 158, Issue 4Page: 296-297KeywordsAntibioticsFoodScientistsToxicity ePublished: 19 February 2013 Issue Published: 19 February 2013 CopyrightCopyright © 2013 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...