I first heard of Organic Food (or Produce, using it interchangably here) years back in Junior College but never cared for or knew much about it. All I knew was that it's expensive and they don't seem to sell a lot of it around here. Stumbling upon a handout citing the merits of Organic Food at Albertson’s the other day, prompted me to investigate a tad further.

Most Organic Food Lovers generally abide by this creed, “ Organic Food may cost more but our health is priceless.” After all, paying more than 12 bucks for a bunch of grapes deserves some sound justifications like this, don’t you think? So what is Organic Food exactly?

I learn from the handout that Organic Produce simply mean Produce that is not covered in a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. The average conventionally grown apple has 20-30 artificial poisons on its skin, even after rinsing. By the term “Organic”, I learnt, is a reference to the way the food is produced or raised for that matter, without any petrochemical pesticides or fertilizers.

Most produce that we find in supermarkets or these days hypermarts are from commercial farms (non organic farms), which means chemical additives have been used to prolong the shelf life of these perishable commodities. This could mean that the food may look ripe and beautiful but in actual fact it was barely ripe when harvested and have been chemically treated to ripen during shipment.

Non Organic farms also use petroleum-based waxes and polishing solvents to improve the appearance of their produce or alter the size and colour to make them more appealing. Organic farms on the other hand may produce fruits that may look less attractive (for instance, more brown spots) but often the fruits taste sweeter and have more juice. Unlike the Commercial Farms, the Organic Farms use natural substances such as canola or olive oils to beautify their produce instead.

Most Organic Produce generally comes with “Certified Organic Grown” on the labeling tag or the external packaging of the product. To be certified organic, fresh produce like fruit and vegetables must be grown along very strict guidelines which not only prevents the use of pesticides directly on crops but also monitors the soil and water in case of systemic pesticides - contamination of the soil and water through previous use of pesticides.

I must admit after trudging through all that literature, Organic Food is beginning to appeal a little. After all, Organic Food do seem to promise a recluse from the Genetically Modified Food that we are so often swamped with at the aisles. Now armed with some knowledge of Organic Food, it seem worthy to explore my options further.

So where can one find Organic Food in Singapore? Singaporeans especially the younger population and may I add seemingly more worldly and well traveled pack, seem fairly keen to jump on the organic bandwagon. Most Supermarket Chains seeing this growing demand are starting to expand their aisle on Organic Produce. Homegrown Fairprice and foreign players like Carrefour and even specialized health stores like Nature’s farm are starting to offer Organic Food of a greater variety.

Although I realize that Organic Food comes in various forms they can range from fruit to even spices. The list may include anything from grapes, tomatoes, strawberries, plums, peaches, apricots, ground cinnamons, ground gingers, garlic herbal and green salts. But a visit to Super Nature, a shop dedicated to all-thing-organic , challenged my perceptions further. Things organic are not bounded by produce. This place I found out sells not only a whole range of organic products like fruits and vegetables. They even offer natural beauty products and like their edibles counterparts boast of a chemical free quality.

Although findings on the merits of Organic Food may not be entirely conclusive, it does seem that the strict adherence to Organic Food may be one option that shouldn’t be restricted to aspiring hypochondriacs. Gastronomic adventures and a lean wallet may prevent me from responding too warmly to the idea of paying 5 dollars for a pound of baked tofu, but the promise of a healthier future, I admit afterall, has its lure.

- Jan 2003

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