organic
The word “organic” is used in all sorts of contexts, often in a highlymetaphorical manner; the subject here is its use in the phrase “organicfoods” in claims of superior healthfulness. Various jurisdictions havevarious standards for “organic” food, but generally the label is appliedto foods that have been grown without artificial orpesticides. Literally, of course, the term is a redundancy: all food iscomposed of organic chemicals (complex chemicals containing carbon).There is no such thing as an inorganic food (unless you count water as afood). Natural fertilizers and pesticides may or may not be superior toartificial ones, but the proper distinction is not between organic andinorganic. When it comes to nutrition, people tend to generalize rashly from anarrow scientific basis. After a few preservatives were revealed to haveharmful effects in some consumers, many products were proudly labeled"No Preservatives!” I don’t want harmful preservatives in my food, butthat label suggests to me a warning: “Deteriorate
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