Some Consumers Confuse Local with Organic Food

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The number of people buying fresh local and organic foods has skyrocketed in the last few years. However, people are still confusing the terms “local” and “organic” foods, or are unsure of what they are actually buying altogether. The organic food industry actually spent millions of dollars promoting organic food, only to not offer enough distinction between organic and local, causing confusion in both. In a study the University of Florida, 17% of people thought organic and local were interchangeable when discussing food.

They also discuss in this article the benefits and pitfalls of both local and organic farming. Organic foods are not grown with synthetic pesticides, but may have a larger environmental footprint because they may have to be shipped in from far away. Local foods do not leave as large a footprint on the environment, however may have been grown with synthetic pesticides. The purpose of this research is not to say organic foods are better, but to educate the public to allow them to take a correctly educated choice.


I think that dietitians frequently meet people who eat “only organic foods”. These people go to farmers markets and local health food stores and assume the food there is always organic. We are food experts need to be able to educate our patients on local and organic foods in order to allow them to make an educated decision that makes suits their lifestyle choices and beliefs.

Some Consumers Confuse Local With Organic Food. (2014, June 9). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/news/060914_news.shtml.
-JT

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