Vegetables and fruits must be included in the regular diet to maintain health. Not just fresh, but you must choose organic vegetables that are loaded with essential nutrients and vitamins.
But finding fresh and organic vegetables is not easy as the market has different vegetable brands, i.e., organic and GMO tomatoes.
Most shops are filled with these two categories of products. For making organic food, natural ingredients are used. In comparison, GMOs are present in processed food items.
Scroll down to learn about GMO vs. organic tomatoes.
What is GMO?
GMOs refer to genetically modified organisms. GMO tomato is something that is genetically altered. When a few molecules are removed or added from the natural structure of a food, it comes under GMO.
This process is initiated by adding a particular gene into a tomato’s molecule structure. The added gene is normally not present in the tomato. It is done to change its design and texture.
A popular example of GMO food is the bigger strawberries and blueberries present in the market. These bigger fruits are genetically altered by adding a particular gene, which has changed their size. GMO foods are known to be pests resistant and are more appealing to customers.
Pros and Cons of GMOs
Here’s a complete list of GMO pros and cons:
Pros:
- Farmers create GMO food because modifying and creating genetically altered food is affordable. Also, these food items have a better growth capacity.
- GMO crops are known to be resistant to chemicals used to kill weeds. Farmers can handle the weed issue without destroying crops.
- Genetically modified fruits have a sweeter taste, which attracts more customers.
- With the right GMO, farmers can even increase a crop’s nutritional value, making it much healthier.
Cons:
- Surely GMO foods are resistant to harmful chemicals, but certain plants need higher bacterial toxins to develop this resistance. The added bacterial toxins are known to be harmful.
- It’s seen that GMOs have led to superweeds. Since these weeds have become resistant to normal herbicides, farmers use higher amounts of herbicides to kill them. But the increased herbicide content is making the food toxic.
- The entire population can take several years to acclimatize to the GMO diet. For this reason, people might experience frequent allergic reactions after consuming GMO food.
- In most countries, GMO food items are considered to be a threat. Therefore, these countries require a clear label stating the presence of GMOs on the product. Certain countries have also put a particle ban on GMO food items.
What is Organic?
Organic tomato items are not grown through chemical fertilizers and pesticides. People prefer consuming organic tomatoes because they offer better health benefits.
These do not include artificial ingredients or any unnatural procedures. For this reason, organic tomatoes are available at an expensive end. But certain studies have claimed that even consuming organic tomatoes doesn’t guarantee better health.
Pros and Cons of Organic
Pros:
- Organic vegetables and fruits are known to have better taste and increased nutritional value.
- The organic way of producing food items is eco-friendly because it is less harsh on soil and the environment.
- Lastly, organic farming does not use chemicals, preservatives, or synthetic fertilizers. That’s why they leave no chemical residue in the body. It makes organic products a safer option.
Cons:
- Finding organic products can be a real task because they are expensive. That’s why not many stores keep them. Also, these have a limited shelf life, making them hard to find.
- As organic products don’t have preservatives, they are likely to spoil faster than GMO products.
Difference Between GMO Tomatoes vs. Organic
#1 Price for GMO vs. Organic
Organic tomatoes have maintenance costs and yield, so they are commonly available at a high price. On average, the cost of organic food items is around 25% to 50% more than GMO food items.
#2 Modification
GMO tomatoes have altered DNA, which usually comes from bacteria or viruses. In contrast, organic tomatoes come with their original genetic makeup.
#3 Maintenance
Maintaining organic tomatoes is difficult because they are more vulnerable to harsh weather, pests, and diseases. In contrast, GMO tomatoes have better resistance to diseases and pests. In addition, GMO tomatoes are known to have better production rates.
#4 History
While organic food production began after the farming advent, the idea of GMO plants came around 1983.
#5 Organization
Multiple non-government organizations have started to advocate non-GMO food items. In fact, USDA is known for facilitating organic produce certification. In contrast, no organization advocates GMO food or even offers any such certification.
#6 Health Concerns
Comparatively, GMO foods are surrounded by more controversies because of health concerns. A study has revealed that people consuming GMO foods have reduced immunity to fight against illness more than people consuming organic food items. For this reason, certain countries have entirely banned GMO food from their market.
#7 Availability
The availability of organic food items is an issue because these are more expensive. That’s why many stores don’t keep entirely organic options. In contrast, GMO food items are affordable and easily available.
#8 Bacteria Levels
The bacteria level in organic food is comparatively high because these are grown without using herbicides and pesticides. On the other hand, bacteria levels in GMO food are less.
#9 Shelf Life
As the decomposition rate in organic food is not genetically present, they have less shelf life. In addition, the fruits and vegetables grown without chemical spray are much less resistant to bacteria and decay agents. But GMO food items have an improved shelf life.
#10 Appeal to the Public
While GMO food is more available and pocket-friendly, people are willing to spend on organic products. That’s because they are aware of the possible negative impacts of GMO products.
#11 Ethical Concerns
GMO products are more likely to be surrounded by ethical concerns because the natural DNA of these food items is altered.
#12 Safety
It is obvious that organic food items are safer to consume than GMO products because they are grown without using any chemicals or pesticides. In contrast, GMO farmers actively use chemical composition for production.
Neurotoxins like hexane are commonly used to kill weeds from common plants like corn, soybean, and canola. But this does not mean that GMO foods are entirely harmful or that organic food is entirely safe.
How to Differentiate Between GMO and Organic Tomatoes?
The Method of Labeling and Coding
Each product kept in the store has a number that uniquely differentiates the product. You can easily differentiate between GMO and organic products simply by checking the coding and labeling. If the product has a four-digit code, it is GMO, but if it has a five-digit code, it is organic.
First Number in Code
The starting number of the code of each product signifies its category. For instance, the code number for pulses is different from vegetables and fruits.
As GMO products have a four-digit code, their starting number always starts with 8. In contrast, the five-digit code of organic fruits and vegetables starts with 9. So, when you purchase fruits and vegetables, always check the code to know what you are purchasing.
Conclusion
Organic and GMO products have their pros and cons. So, it totally depends on your preference for what you want to eat.
Before you start shopping, thoroughly know about both types of products to make a better decision. You can also seek the required certifications for the related boards to purchase the best for your family members.