ABC's 20/20 Attacks the Organic Food Industry, According to The New Organics Company.

Business Editors, Health/Food Writers

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2000

On Friday, Feb. 4, John Stossel presented ten minutes of information on the subject of food safety and organics.

&uot;On behalf of the Organic Food Industry and the 84 million consumers who eat organics,&uot; says Anthony Zolezzi, president of The New Organics Company, a Boston based multi-category organic food company, &uot;we want to address the key questions Mr. Stossel asked during the segment because we believe his coverage misled the public. We want to give Americans the scientific facts about the nutrition and safety of eating organic food.&uot;

Here are some research-based responses from Dr. Luise Light, nutrition and public health expert:

1. Pesticides poison 110,000 people each year.

&uot;Health risks from pesticides that ABC's `expert' claimed were

non-existent are actually widespread. The National Poison

Control Centers report 110,000 cases annually. In addition to

acute pesticide poisonings, EPA and most health officials agree

that pesticides affect the nervous, endocrine, immune, and

reproductive systems of humans and other living things. They pose

a critical threat to infants, young children, the unborn, and

special groups such as people with AIDS or multiple chemical

sensitivities, who are especially vulnerable to toxic pollutants.

In fact, for them organic foods are lifesavers because they are

grown, processed and handled without synthetic pesticides and

herbicides or chemical additives.

2. Microbes were not screened for pathogens.

The only microbes Professor Doyle found were on bagged salad. He

tested for non-pathogenic E. coli, not the pathogen E coli 0157

or other virulent strains, which are rare. He found E coli only

on 5% of organic samples. E coli is the most ubiquitous microbe 

on the planet. They're in us, on us, around us and on everything.

The only reason a vegetable grown in soil would not have E coli

on it is because it was washed in chlorinated water or treated to

kill off microbes. All vegetables, organic and conventional,

should be washed carefully before preparation, according to both

USDA, CDC, and the FDA.

3. Produce is contaminated when handled.

The Council on Agricultural Sciences and Technology (CAST), the

premier research institute of the conventional agriculture world,

based in Ames, Iowa, says in two reports dating from 1995 &

1996, that &uot;... Any agricultural product can be contaminated.

Bacteria may survive despite aggressive controls at the

processing level, or food may become contaminated during

preparation, cooking, serving or storage.&uot; In other words, a hand

touching the lettuce leaves could have contaminated them.

4. Organic produce is more nutritious.

A new study from the University of Copenhagen reported to the

annual meeting of the UK's soil association last month documented

what numerous other studies have found on both sides of the

Atlantic -- that organic produce have between 20 to 40% higher

levels of vitamins and minerals, and more secondary metabolites

important for chronic disease prevention, putting the lie to the

claim that organic produce is no better for you than conventional

produce.

5. Organic doesn't cost 2 to 3 times as much as conventional

produce.

Usually, it costs no more than 1.5 times. The reason certified

organic produce costs more is because organic farmers go through

a mandatory planning process, use materials on a restricted list,

and get their farming practices verified by an enforcement

agency. What conventional growers can say the same? Certified

organic foods are not only useful for protecting those who ingest

them against unsafe levels of pesticide residues but they provide

nutritional values as good or better than conventional foods.

Additionally, organic foods improve the soil and the biodiversity

of the environment.&uot;

The New Organics Company is prepared to discuss these matters objectively for print and broadcast reporters. In addition, we recommend speaking with a panel of scientists familiar with the extensive scientific literature available on these subjects: Dr. Margaret Mellon, from the Union of Concerned Scientists, Dr. Colin Campbell from Cornell University, Dr. Jay Inkeles, professor of clinical nutrition, UCLA, and Dr. Patricia Griffen, Centers for Disease Control.