John Stossel and ABC 's 20/20

How Good is Organic Food?

[ Write John Stossel ]

20/20’s John Stossel

Investigates

Organic produce sales are growing five times faster than the sales of other foods, an indication of their popularity. (ABCNEWS.com/DigitalVision Photo)

Feb. 4 — Organic foods are a hit with millions of Americans. The perception held by the majority of the public is that they’re buying products that are better for them as well as for the environment, so they gladly pay more.

According to an ABCNEWS poll, 45 percent of the public thinks organic foods are more nutritious than those that are not raised organically, while 57 percent think that producing organic foods is better for the environment.

But is organic produce really better? 20/20’s John Stossel did some digging.

How Safe is Organic Produce?

According to Dennis Avery, a former researcher for the Agriculture Department and a leading critic of organic produce, the products are more likely to be infested with bacteria. Manure can be a breeding ground for bacteria such as E. coli that may then make their way onto the produce.

Avery says that it should be those higher concentrations of bacteria, rather than pesticide residue, that should concern us.

"They’ve got us worrying about exactly the wrong thing," he says. "If we’ve got no deaths from pesticides and 5,000 deaths from bacteria, it’s pretty clear to me that we should be worrying now primarily about the nasty new bacteria."

However, because bacteria can be found on both conventional and organic produce, experts recommend that you wash all your produce after you bring it home.

Is it More Nutritious?

Many customers think that organic products have more nutrients than conventional produce. Stoical asked Katherine Di Matteo of the Organic Trade Association, which represents organic growers and retailers, if organic produce is more nutritious. Her only guarantee is that "it’s as nutritious as any other product on the market."

Is it Better for the Environment?

According to Di Matteo, growing organic is healthier for the environment.

Why? Because growers don’t use chemicals.

However, Avery disputes the claim by arguing that organic farmers waste land and resources because they lose so much of their crop to weeds and insects. Avery says it’s today’s conventional farmers who have performed an environment-saving miracle by taking nitrogen to make chemical fertilizer, using pesticides and genetically engineered seeds to feed more people, using less land.

With the information currently available, the decision to buy organic vs. conventional produce remains, more than anything, a personal choice.

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