Abstract
The promotion of diets capable of insuring a balanced nutrient intake to enhance harmonious growth and health has become a priority in developed and in developing countries (Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, Geneva, 2003). However, this may occur at the cost of increased levels of contaminants and agriculture no longer being sustainable. Since the 1970s U.S. agricultural systems have been geared towards a maximal “production” focus, yet, in more recent times, food “quality” has also become an important issue. Quality has translated into an increased public awareness of and demand for foods grown under organic conditions. Plants absorb minerals and trace elements from their environment, along with potentially harmful xenobiotics, and synthesize vitamins and other nutrients (fat, protein, fatty acids, amino acids, sugars, and fiber). Animals eat plants thus absorbing nutrients into their own tissues, as well as accumulating xenobiotics from pesticides and other toxins, when these are present in the environment.
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Suggested Further Reading
Fact Sheet. Genetically engineered food: human health risks. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/sites/default/files/GMO%20Health%20Risks%20FS%20Jan%202015.pdf (Jan 2015).
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Ferretti, G., Neri, D., Borsari, B. (2017). Issues of Food Safety and Quality: Are “Organic” Foods Better?. In: Temple, N., Wilson, T., Bray, G. (eds) Nutrition Guide for Physicians and Related Healthcare Professionals. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49929-1_27
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