Organic Food: The Importance from Public Health Perspective

Non organic food and chemical intake has been associated with a variety of infections and disorders, notably cancer, digestive dysfunction, headaches, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), prenatal deformities, a compromised immune system and early mortality. Organic foods are pesticide-free and it is beneficial for overall health. Organic farming initiated 1000 years ago, once mediaeval farmers began cultivating along riverbeds based on natural resources. Organic food and food products are the finest healthy food which can be consumed without causing harm to body, soil nutrients, environment, or biodiversity. This approach quickly is becoming wellknown because of its significance and importance from a public health perspective covering 20 to 30 % of India's entire agricultural area. Organic farming is an ideal type of agriculture when compared to chemical-based agriculture, since it reserves integrity of soil and environment while also providing high-quality agricultural products for a healthy lifestyle such as fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, and other foods. People nowadays are increasingly concerned about the nutritional quality of their diet. There is a need to do more research and analysis to rationalise and justify the value of organic food and food products, which are more nutritious and healthy compared to nonorganic or conventional foods. The comparative aspects of organic vs nonorganic farming along with biodiversity and environmental benefits of organic farming have been focused in this study. The present study also focused on the promotion of organic food Review Article Pawar et al.; JPRI, 34(29B): 28-37, 2022; Article no.JPRI.85232 29 consumption and its benefits from a public health perspective in the current scenario. The scope of organic food can be converted into revenue generation for better and healthier tomorrow.


INTRODUCTION
Organic foods are grown using agricultural techniques which meet traditional farming criteria. Lord North Bourne originated the phrase "organic farming" in the year 1839. Organic farming is characterised by the activities which recycle resources, create natural equilibrium, and protect biodiversity. Certain pesticides and fertilisers can be prohibited in organic farming procedures according to the guidelines of regulatory bodies which control and regulate the organic food products. The regulatory bodies recommend that radiation exposure, industrial solvents and artificial food supplements should not be used in the processing of organic food. Organic food producers should not use synthetic fertilisers and pesticides [1]. Organic farming is carried out at the grass-root level which conserves the soil's biological and restorative potential, with good growth nourishment. It helps to produce nutrient-rich and disease-resistant food [2]. Organic production is a type of biological farming that supports and improves diversification, the life cycle, and soil microbial properties [3]. Nowadays, organic food is getting more demand because people are more cautious about their health and aware about harmful effects of nonorganic food on health.

WHAT IS NON-ORGANIC FOOD?
Non-organic food includes fruits, vegetables, and meats that have been farmed using synthetic pesticides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilisers.
It also covers meat products that have been genetically or molecularly changed by the manufacturers.
Non-organic foods are produced via non-organic cultivation, which allows farmers to cross-breed crops to create high-quality fruits and vegetables. They are, however, permitted to do so within the confines of the government's approved limits.

Disadvantages of Non organic Food
Non organic food may include hazardous chemicals such as preservatives which are used to extend shelf life of products cause's side effects. Pesticides in quite amount are being used to cultivate non-organic food. These pesticides can contribute to the high risk of certain types of cancer as an example leukaemia, prostate, lungs, breast, skin, etc. It may also increase the amount of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Pesticides from inorganic agriculture can contribute to increased contamination levels in the environment. Non-organic food intake over time can lead to endocrine dysfunction and neurotoxicity. Arsenic is naturally found in small amounts in soil. It's carcinogenic in some ways. Underground water containing arsenic can come in contact with non-organic substances; can cause serious harm to humans. Fig. 1 shows the diagrammatic representation of disadvantages of non-organic food [4,5,6].

Harmful Effects of Non-organic Food
Produced by using Chemical

Fertilisers and Pesticides
Pesticide production started in India in 1852 with the development of a facility near the BHC plant near Calcutta. Today India is Asia's 2 nd largest producer of pesticides after China and ranks 12th globally. Pesticide poisoning kills about 1 million people per year and causes life-long illnesses around the world [7].
Non organic food which is produced by using chemical fertilisers' impact human health such as immunological suppression, reduced intellect and reproductive deformities are becoming more common as a result of minimal dosage exposures. It also creates digestive dysfunction, headaches, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), prenatal deformities, early mortality and cancer [7]. A very important observation is noted about Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that there is reduction of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma risk in the people who regularly consume organic food as compared to those who never consume organic food [8].
Pesticides control pests grown with crops; however, it causes a variety of health problems as it contains organophosphorus. Organophosphorus is related to several health complications such as developmental complications considering ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), autism, and increased frequency of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and premature birth [8]. Organic food promotes a healthier lifestyle and prevents diseases particularly for the children who might be exposed to pesticides and toxins during their physical, mental and overall development period. The fertilisers like nitrites react with tertiary amines creating nitrosamines, it is carcinogenic and mutagenic also causes gastrointestinal disease and leukaemia [9].
The Journal of Pediatrics published a study that revealed that pregnant mothers' exposure to pesticides had adverse effects on their children's intelligence and neurobehavioral development, in addition to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
In one study, MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) were used to measure structural brain growth in children and it was found that children whose mothers consume more organophosphates, common compounds in pesticides, have thinner gray matter [10].

Impact of Genetically Modified Crops (GMO) and its Food on Health
GMOs are genetically modified organisms with changed genetic material which used to produce GMO food. GMO food causes poor brain growth, necrosis and digestive disorders. It is not good for your health to eat GMO foods. A genetically modified crop has a negative impact on our body and affects our vital organs. It also affects soil, water ecosystem and environment [11].

Biodiversity Loss Due to Modified Farming Practices
The biodiversity loss is alarming from the food security and human health point of view. Modifications in farming practices during the last century have had an adverse effect on agricultural ecosystems. Organically maintained farmland has 30 percent higher species richness than non-organically maintained farmland [12].

VEDIC HISTORY OF ORGANIC FARMING
There are Vedic texts that describe the concept of organic farming such as Krishi Parashar, Brihat Samhita, Manusmriti, etc. In those books organic agriculture is completely described. This technology uses cow dung, urine, plant extracts, and natural products. It uses biological/mechanical pest control methods and green manure techniques. There are cows roaming around the field, and their dung fertilizes the soil which is already rich. After this, seeds are sprayed directly onto the ground without ploughing or tillage. There are several methods mentioned in Vedic texts for transplantation, irrigation, seed treatment, reduced tillage, vermicomposting, crop rotation, etc. [13].

WHAT IS ORGANIC FOOD?
Organic foods are cultivated and handled in a unique way from nonorganic food products. According to the USDA, organic foods promote the utilisation of sustainable energy supply and the preservation of water and soil in order to increase ecological sustainability for future generations. Before a product can be marked as organic, it must be prepared without use of most standard pesticides, artificial intergradient fertilisers, or wastewater slurry. Companies that manage or prepare organic food must be validated by a Government-approved certifier before it reaches local supermarket or restaurant to ensure that the farmer is obeying all of the essential requirements laid down by USDA for organic standards [14].

Why Organic Food is better than Conventional Food
It is seen that organic food has better nutritional content in contrast to food produced conventionally. Organic foods have been reported to have lower nitrate content than conventionally cultivated foods in certain studies.
As excessive intake of nitrates in diet has a higher incidence of causing gastrointestinal cancer and in newborn babies it causes methemoglobinemia. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and chard have more vitamin C content if they are produced by organic farming as compared to conventionally [15]. Other researches have shown that organic food has more total phenols than conventionally cultivated food, suggesting that antioxidant activities may provide health advantages [16]. It was found that organic milk contains higher levels of estradiol and progesterone than conventional milk. Organic milk contains more antioxidant and polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, according to some investigations. It is really vital to remember, however, that the diet plays an important role in determining the composition of milk. The amount varies depending on the season and whether the farm uses high inputs or low inputs [17,18].
There is a broad spectrum of toxic effects associated with pesticides, from accidental poisoning to subtle subclinical outcomes over long periods. Pesticides containing organophosphates are widely farming, and poisoning is a regular occurrence. There are no or fewer pesticides in organic foods than those in conventional foods, and eating organic foods reduces exposure to pesticides [19].
Antibiotic agents are commonly supplied to animals at nontherapeutic dosages for the purpose of enhancing growth and increasing yields in conventional animal management. This non-therapeutic usage encourages the growth of drug-resistant microorganisms in animals, which subsequently infect the intestines of people who live near farms where this is done [20]. Human infection produced by antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has also been shown to transmit via the food supply chain according to some studies. Since organic farming restricts the utility of antibiotics for non-therapeutic purposes, it may help to reduce the risk of human infection caused by drug-resistant microbes [21].
The question of whether organic farming methods have a lower environmental effect, can be similarly effective, and are not more costly than conventional ones is a hot topic in the organic debate. Many people assume that organic farming is better for the environment since it is less damaging to the environment, does not utilise or release chemicals and pesticides in the field or in nature, which can harm soil, water, and nearby terrestrial and marine biodiversity [22]. Organic farming consumes less fossil fuel utilization and also pollutes the environment less with pesticides and herbicides [23]. Furthermore, due to crop rotation strategies, organic farms are considered to be more sustainable than conventional farms with respect to various ecosystems, including plants, insects, and animals [24]. The Fig. 2 provides the short summary of the above description.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF ORGANIC FOOD
Even though good medical evidence is lacking, organic food is assumed to have a higher nutritional content, the majority of study is observational, and clinical investigations on its health benefits are lacking. Antioxidants, phenolic compounds, vitamins A, C, and E, potassium, phosphate, and nitrates, among other nutrients, are abundant in organic foods. Omega-3, fatty acids, and alpha linoleic acid (ALA) levels are reported to be higher in organic products. Vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and nitrate were all found to be in higher concentrations, according to Worthington.
In addition, organic foods have been claimed to contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and alpha linoleic acid (ALA). According to Worthington, organically cultivated vegetables have higher amounts of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as fewer protein levels, lower nitrate content, and fewer heavy metals. Natural dairy items have higher concentrations of protein, ALA, total omega-3 fatty acid, cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic

Fig. 2. Merits of organic food in diet over conventional food
acid, trans-11 vaccenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosapentanoic acid, but lower concentrations of linked linolenic acid isomers (CLA) and trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) than standard dairy items, according to a recent meta CLA has been proven in animal models to have anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, antidiabetic, and immunological properties that overlap. There is a common assumption that it alters bone mass composition. Rumenic acid, the most common isomer of CLA, and TVA levels were significantly higher in mothers who ate an organic lunch. Recent findings in systemic review shows that according to the results of a Vreek and his colleagues, organically grown wheat flour contains lower levels of protein, calcium, manganese, and iron. Protein digestibility improved dramatically when potassium, zinc, and molybdenum concentrations were increased. The chemical content of organic yellow plums was compared to that of commercial yellow plums by Lombardi-Boccia et al. The researchers identified only little variations in macronutrient levels, but significant variations in antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotene, and phenolic acid. Surprisingly, the levels varied depending on the type of organic farming; the antioxidant effect of organically farmed food is a considerable nutritional benefit. Consuming foods with high amounts of extra nitrates is harmful to one's health, whereas organic foods have fewer nitrates than processed goods [25]. Organic farming promotes environmental safety and helps to ensure the long-term stability of environmental risks such soil pollution. Despite the fact that this pesticide has been outlawed for several years, it has been found in almost all waters, humans, and animals around the world.
An organic food production system conserves fossil-fuel energy [11]. The vast majority of agricultural and animal goods are provided by a limited number of massive facilities and industrial sites which barely resembles farms, also more small rural farmers have been displaced because they are unable to support themselves financially [26].

Antioxidant content
Antioxidant content has been shown to contain a beneficial impact in a number of scientific studies, particularly those found in organic foods, because organic foods are independent of foreign chemicals which usually react with vitamins, organic compounds, and minerals, reducing the necessary significant impact of antioxidants in food. Antioxidants produced from organic food have a good effect on heart disease, cancer, visual problems, premature ageing, and cognitive dysfunction . Organic crops have greater antioxidant activity, ranging from 18 to 69 percent higher concentrations of a variety of distinct antioxidants, which is already related to a lower chance of illness including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease, as well as specific malignancies [27].

Boost Immune System
Organic food contains increased levels of vitamins and minerals, which aid in the strengthening of the human immune system [3].

Improved Heart Condition
The amount of CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid) detected in animal products rises when they graze on natural grass. Natural grass absorbs solar energy through photosynthesis, which is then turned into organic CLA by herbivorous feed. CLA is a cardiac fatty acid that has the ability to protect the circulatory system and is present in greater amounts in animal meats and dairy products [28].

Sperm Count and Fertility
The researchers studied sperm health and organic farming in Danish. They compared organic food consumers with nonorganic food consumers and noticed that there was higher sperm cell count in organic food consumers than nonorganic food consumer [29].

Safety Aspects of Organic Food
As per a survey conducted, 70% of people preferred organic food in order to prevent harmful effects of pesticides. Pesticide residue levels in organic food tend to be lower than in commercial nonorganic food. Nitrate level in organic food is lower. Organic food consumers get protection from exposure to organophosphorus which can create many health problems [8].
Most of the other hazardous fertilisers and pesticides that we started using years ago to protect our food and increase its shelf life were approved until enough research proved that they were harmful. The majority of these substances have been confirmed to cause cancer and other chronic health problems. Initially, concerns were focused on cancer-causing substances; however, these carcinogens were linked to other major health problems such as Alzheimer's disease and prenatal defects [25].

Organic Food is Delicious and Tasty with Characteristic Fragrance
Organic food has a delicious taste which makes sense because fertile soil and plants produce the best tasty food. In a series of experimental studies, consumers who tried organic food preferred it over processed and synthetic food. Fruits and vegetables have a much more rich in vivid flavour [27].

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FARMING AND ORGANIC FOOD
Organic farming prevents water pollution: Organic farmers never use toxic chemical fertilisers and pesticides to cultivate the crops and hence, there is no pollution of soil/land and water as well. It also assists in soil conservation. The use of toxic chemicals should be reduced to protect the sustainability of our overall ecosystem [27].

Environment Protection
Organic food facts to be considered as these are more evident, when we think of the environment aspects. Current nonorganic farming techniques were previously assumed to be safe, however, turned out to be incredibly harmful to our health and make soil infertile. Organic food production does not use any synthetic chemicals, thus, it doesn't pollute the soil and water. It does not contaminate the soil and water as well, on the other hand a lot of chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used in the commercial non organic farming. Pesticides and artificial fertilisers have been clinically demonstrated to be extremely harmful to human health as well as the environment. The chemical fertilisers and pesticides harm not only pests but also useful mammals and birds as well as having a negative impact on the ecosystem [27].

Organic Food as a Good Source of Revenue Generation
Globally, organic food consumption has increased rapidly in the past two decades, with the biggest consumers coming from the United States, Germany, France, and Australia. In India, cereals, pulses, oil, seeds, spices, fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, sugar, honey, milk, and milk products are some of the most popular organic items. Food retailers, embassies, fivestar restaurants, and ayurvedic hospitals are the largest consumers.
Organic food products designed especially for new-borns and toddlers have a significant economic potential. Baby cereals, fruits smoothie, yoghurts, toddler meals, biscuits, nibbles, and cereal flakes are among the products that are carefully made, flavoured, and packaged to meet the demands of children of various ages. In India, several of such items are accessible largely via internet purchases. Organic farming creates greater employment, resulting in increased revenues [29].

BARRIERS IN ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTION
a. High standards to get certified as an organic food: There are stringent guidelines of regulatory agencies to get certification as an organic food and organic food products. The farmers are reluctant to get certification and follow the process. That's why most foods aren't organic. The organic food producer industries also do not desire to go with the rigorous procedures necessary to be certified as organic. The qualification procedures that food must go through are designed to ensure that the customer understands that the food should be properly cultivated, prepared and maintained according to the certification criteria. Organic food manufacturing considerably lowers the chances of health concerns for the common people c. Unawareness of organic farming: There are many benefits to organic farming and organic food but farmers are not really aware of them. The farmers have confusion about organic farming due to lack of knowledge and proper guidelines. There should be proper guidelines and training on organic farming. d. Cost of organic food: Organic foods are substantially more expensive than commercial nonorganic food due to the extensive methods involved for organic upbringing and production initially.
Farmers' training, postharvest management, pesticide-free storage, a segmented marketing strategy, and large vendor margins lead to increased manufacturing costs. The high expense of organic food is seen as a barrier, however, its one time investment in the setup of the organic food production. Then, it is cost effective in later stage and organic food is very vital from health point of view.

Producing organic foods with innovation:
Research is continually being conducted to produce high quality crops without harmful chemical additives that are hazardous to both health and the environment. Organic farmers are at the forefront of this research. As it takes a lot of patience to do trial and error studies on organic farming from the public health point of view, these farmers have applied innovative approaches to replace and eliminate potentially harmful pesticides.
Strengthening of rare species of food: One of the main issues in ecological studies is that we've been steadily losing genuine food species of good quality, although most people are trying to come out for the same with organic farming. In the agricultural sector, it is a major issue to maintain rare species of crops and vegetables of good quality. Organic farmers are undertaken to solve this issue with great pleasure in order to explore organic food for better public health perspective. These farmers are classifying each species and preserving seeds of rare species for further use and trying to resolve the issue of rare species getting endangered [27].
Variety in organic food products: Organic food grains, wheat, cereals etc. can be processed into a variety of food products to make it available for the people in order to get its vital health benefits for better future endeavors.
Increasing awareness, education, and financial support is needed to spread the varieties of organic food products and ultimately organic farming from the health and environmental perspectives.
It will assist the farmers to incorporate new innovative ideas to process food products at reduced prices, as everyone should get anything in organic form [27].

Exploration of traditional knowledge and skills:
The ancient Indian vedic literature such as Rig-Veda, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Ana Kautilya arthashastra, guides about important knowledge and skills necessary to make organic farming practically feasible and produce organic food for healthy public [30,31]. There numerous organic inputs are mentioned in aforesaid vedic literature which promote organic farming and organic food since ancient times. The ancient literature also addresses the implementation of innovative ideas in farming. There is a need of hour to go through these literatures to explore knowledge and skills to produce organic food for a healthier tomorrow [32,33].

IS ORGANIC FOOD REALLY HEALTHIER?
Organic food is believed to be more healthy than conventional food because it contains more bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols, vitamin C, and carotenoids) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which may be related to a decrease in metabolic diseases. Organic food, on the other hand, is lower in heavy metals and harmful compounds, such as cadmium (Cd) and pesticides, which have been linked to immune system dysfunctions and poisonings in humans. In addition, several studies show a connection between the health of organic food consumers and their lifestyles. Following a healthy nutritional pattern can reduce the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, and obesity. Consuming organic foods is associated with eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains and less meat. Organic food has a higher concentration of dietary fiber that may positively impact the gut flora and health, lowering the risk of infection. Many researchers have examined health-related indicators to determine if organic food intake affects such indicators as antioxidant activity, LDL oxidation, sperm quality, and homocysteine. However, the conclusions are mixed [34].

CONCLUSION
Organic food has numerous benefits and nutritional value from a public health perspective. According to several researches, organic foods include more valuable nutrients, like antioxidants, than their commercially cultivated equivalents. Pesticides include fungicides, herbicides and insecticides etc. which are often utilised in commercial farming, thus the remnants can be found in our food. The remnants may create health problems including allergic reactions. So, organic food is a better option to the people having allergies to nonorganic food, chemical and pesticides remnants or additives.
There are health and environmental issues with biodiversity loss due to modified farming practices. It was found that genetically modified crops and GMO food creates health problems.
Organic farming is more eco-friendly and helps to maintain biodiversity. It decreases soil and water pollution along with increases water holding capacity of soil, improving soil fertility.
Chemical fertiliser and pesticide free farming saves life of creatures and farm mammals along with people residing near farms and farm labour working in the field. Organic crops are cultivated and handled in a unique way from nonorganic crops which help to solve health and environmental issues. According to the USDA, organic foods promote the utilisation of sustainable energy supply and the conservation of soil and water in order to improve ecological sustainability for upcoming generations.
Organic food is rich in antioxidant content and it boosts the immune system as well. Tasty and delicious organic food improves functions of the cardiovascular system, increases sperm count and results fertility. Organic food is safe for health and is a good source of employment and revenue generation. There are some barriers to organic farming and production of organic food such as high standards to get certified as an organic food, lack of support from the farming public, lacking of substantial organic farming guidelines, unawareness of organic farming etc. Innovative techniques and smart efforts are required to preserve and strengthen the rare species of organic food for a better healthy future. The organic food products can be prepared in lots of variety to make it available from a public health perspective. There is a need to review ancient vedic scriptures and to explore the traditional knowledge and skills of organic farming to resolve the major health issues like cancer, Alzheimer's disease etc. and to save our environment from a public health perspective for a better tomorrow.

CONSENT
It is not applicable.

ETHICAL APPROVAL
It is not applicable.