The Nutritional Value, Health, and Environmental Implications of Organic Foods
QBT1 Research Paper

Organic food has grown in popularity over the past 24 years. This is evident in the rapid growth of the organic foods industry, growing by 20% every year since 1990. As of 2005, sales realized within this industry amounted to over 13 billion. The organic food industry is a complex industry that is characterized by fluctuations in consumer preferences which stem from the fact that there is varying scientific information on the safety and benefits of organic foods. Research shows that consumers perceive organic food to be more nutritional, improve general health, and safe for the environment. However, are these general perceptions valid? Do organic foods lead to improved health? And are they truly safe for the environment.
Over the past two decades, there has been increasing consumer concern over the health and environmental implications of consuming conventionally grown products and the techniques used by conventional farmers. This largely stems from rigorous consumer awareness programs that have been conducted by a number of environmental groups. Anxiety by consumers over the health and nutritional implications of consuming conventional foods as compared to organic foods led to the increased need for the debate on the environment by marketers of food for consumption by the public masses (Paul & Rana, 2012, p. 412).
This increased awareness and anxiety on the part of the consumers led to the development of two main attitudes towards organic foods as well as conventional foods; (1) confidence in food safety, (2) and consciousness towards health as it pertains to personal and the environment. The second attitude, consciousness towards health, has been largely influenced by the increasing prevalence of terminal diseases that are linked with dietary factors and