Why organic food can lead to a risk of gut disease

Organic food has many health benefits. A new review in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition states how consuming food produced without harmful pesticides, artificial fertilisers or genetically engineered organisms is associated with a lower risk for health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

People who choose organic foods generally make other healthier lifestyle choices as well.

It's no surprise, then, that the organic food market in India is growing.

In 2022, it was worth $US1.278 million and predicted to be worth $4.6 million by 2028.

Gut bacteria

Consumers are making their preferences clear. They desire food that contains no residues of pesticides, heavy metals or hormones, and has superior colour, scent and flavour compared to conventional produce.

Studies indicate that organically grown fruits and vegetables taste better and contain more antioxidants as compared to conventionally grown varieties.

However, it remains unclear how much of this organic food is safe for human consumption.

The global uptake of organic food has given rise to a parallel problem: the rise in gut bacteria residing in organic produce, which can lead to gastrointestinal illness such as salmonellosis, cholera and dysentery.

How these pathogens are entering the organic food chain is an emerging area of study, as it appears they have managed to migrate from animal guts to plants to then re-enter the gut from there.

Also read: ICMR releases 17 dietary guidelines, blames unhealthy diet for 56.4% diseases in India

Surge in organic food production

World Food Day underscores the need for safe agricultural practices and improved food security and nutrition for all people in a sustainable manner.

The organic food market is dominated by fruits and vegetables, followed by bread, cereals, milk and meat.

Fruit grown organically also holds a prominent position in global trade. Despite organic food production and distribution being primarily associated with developed nations, developing countries are moving into more cultivation and export of organic goods and commodities.

India is a prominent player in exporting organic tea, basmati rice and cotton. There is potential for a surge in demand for Indian organic vegetables in the export market.

The COVID-19 pandemic marked a shift in food consumption, with people increasingly opting for organic foods as a proactive health strategy.

Also read: Indians deficient in iron, calcium, folate, says Lancet study; what foods to consume?

What's driving India's organic food market

Increasing health consciousness, changing preferences towards products rich in nutrients, sourced naturally and with numerous health advantages, are what drive India's organic food market.

This altered consumer behaviour is anticipated to significantly expand the organic food market in the foreseeable future.

On one hand, people who consume organic food have reported increased energy and fitness levels. Those with sensitivities to certain food, chemicals or preservatives have also reported better health outcomes.

The growth in consumption of organic food has coincided with increased use of antibiotics in recent years.

In agricultural settings, this has led to a situation where enteric pathogens not only evade the gut environment but also colonise plants, posing a significant food safety concern.

Contamination risks

Organic produce such as lettuce, tomato, cucumber and carrots is often used in salads and mostly eaten unprocessed or with minimal processing.

Contaminated fresh produce does not show the sign of any disease but once consumed by humans can lead to gastrointestinal illness. There have been several fresh produce-related outbreaks reported nationally and internationally.

Studies show that pathogenic bacteria are using plants as a secondary host to recolonise human hosts.

Animal and human faeces containing antibiotic-resistant bacteria find their way into other environmental reservoirs like irrigation water, soil, untreated manure and slurry in the form of contaminated manure.

This manure is used as a form of fertiliser for organic food agricultural practices thereby mediating the transfer of these pathogenic enteric bacteria back to humans through the contaminated fresh produce.

The pathogens can be transferred not just through manure but also via the air, insects and birds, posing a greater risk to the growing organic food industry.

Pathogens colonise the plant phyllosphere by initially attaching to the leaf surface using specialised structures and then surviving environmental stress by adapting their metabolism or entering dormant states using the various attachment structures these bacteria possess.

This plant-microbe interaction is an intricate and fascinating area of research and critical for food safety.

Scientists face the hurdle of pinpointing a particular produce item as responsible for an outbreak before establishing the contamination pathway.

People who fall ill after consuming fresh organic produce frequently have difficulty recollecting their consumption of specific produce items leading to difficulties in distinguishing between various types.

Moreover, produce is commonly ingested as a part of a composite food entity (such as a fruit salad or mixed leaf salad) thereby complicating the process of singling out a specific item as the origin of the infection.

While outbreaks have been varied across different nations, there doesn't seem to be a clear pattern in food-borne epidemics linked to fresh produce.

Also read: Return of the native: Ancient Indian food is returning to the dining table

Food safety practices

Washing vegetables with water or other sterilising techniques have been inefficient in the removal of gut bacteria since the pathogens colonise the fruits and vegetables internally after attaching to their surfaces.

It is necessary to formulate rigorous standards for handling fresh food using materials made from natural agents to prevent contamination.

Some steps to mitigate the risks of food-borne pathogens can be implementing good agricultural practices from the perspective of not just food safety but also preventing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

For instance, organic manure must be sourced from organic inputs and composted using thermal and aerobic methods to kill pathogens and harmful bacteria. Irrigation water should not be sourced from contaminated rivers or other polluted sources and be free from contaminants.

Good handling practices also help reduce contamination risks in fields and during post-harvest handling.

Technologies that enable real-time monitoring of microbial contamination are critical for maintaining produce safety from farm to table.

Safeguarding plants from enteric pathogen contamination is essential to curb gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly as organic food gains popularity for their health benefits. Maintaining pathogen-free produce ensures that consumers can enjoy organic food without compromising safety.

(Written by Mittali Tyagi, an environmental enthusiast pursuing a PhD in biotechnology at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies. Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info.)