Organic does not mean chemical-free, and pesticides and herbicides may still be used to control potentially harmful insects and viruses, but they must be on the list of substances approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Stephanie Smith, PhD, Associate Professor and expert on consumer food safety at the School of Food Science at Washington State University (USA), said that organic only refers to crop management practices, not food safety.
Organic food is grown outdoors, where there may be exposure to animals and their waste, adds Stephanie Smith.
According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, the risk of E. coli contamination is the same between organic and conventional produce.
Organic foods are exposed to more biological hazards, says Keith Warriner, Ph.D., professor of food science at the University of Guelph. For example, instead of using synthetic fertilizers, organic producers will use compost or raw manure added to the soil. In these cases, the risk of E. coli contamination increases.
