Organic foods are a steadily growing market, according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. You may consider organic fruit to be a natural and healthier alternative to regular fruit, but this is not always the case. It is important to understand what determines how organic fruit is grown and how to read the labels on organic fruits.
Production
Since organic fruit farmers cannot use chemical fertilizers to make up for environmental factors, they benefit from choosing ideal growing locations with good drainage and air circulation. Natural composts or plant extracts may be used to prevent disease for the fruit. Mulch can also be used to manage weed growth. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service states that since fruits consist of mostly water and sugar, they do not require as many soil nutrients as other plants.
Benefits
According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, organic fruits are more than just free of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Rather, the entire farming system is natural, nutritious and organic. Organic fruits are also free of chemicals that may be used as preservation during packaging and shipment.
Disadvantages
Due to the higher production costs involved for maintaining pests and weeds without using fast-acting chemicals, it can be more expensive for fruit farmers to produce truly organic fruit. This can make the cost of organic fruit higher for the customer.
Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established standards for organic food, soil and water practices. According to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, farmers who have less than $5,000 in sales do not have to undergo the certifications required to make organic claims, but still need to be honest about what is on their labels. There are agencies designated to inspect organic standards, and farmers can be fined up to $10,000 for knowingly selling a product that does not meet the organic standards.
Labels
The North Carolina Cooperative Extension states that an item with a label that reads “100% organic,” consists of one single organic ingredient, such as a piece of fruit. If the label simply says, “Organic,” there may be multiple ingredients that are all 95 to 100 percent organic, such as an organic fruit salad. A “Made with organic ingredients” label indicates that 70 percent of ingredients are organic and “Contains organic ingredients” means that less than 70 percent of the ingredients are organic.
