Organic Food

Some people don’t want to eat food that has been sprayed with pesticides. Nor do they want genetically modified food (see Genetically Modified Foods). What’s the alternative? Organic food. For a food to be certified as organic by the government, it must be grown without artificial pesticides and fertilizers. Milk, meat, poultry and eggs are designated as organic if they are not treated with hormones or antibiotics. (Hormones make animals larger; antibiotics keep them disease-free.) In addition, food can’t be labeled organic if it is genetically altered or irradiated (processed with radiation to kill harmful germs). Organic foods are often more expensive than regular foods, but some people think the more natural products are worth the extra money.