A Project Report On:-

Benefits of organic food..

Submitted By

Ariba Shaikh – 54

Mehrunnisa Syed- 69

Shahab Ali - 66

Saddam Hussain- 48

Abubaker Chandwala - 07

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Chapter-1

Introduction to Organic Food

The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Specific

requirements must be met and maintained in order for products to be labeled as "organic."

Organic crops must be grown in safe soil, have no modifications, and must remain separate from

conventional products. Farmers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes

(GMOs), petroleum-based fertilizers, and sewage sludge-based fertilizers.

Organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and be given organic feed. They may not be

given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal-by-products.

Benefit of Organic Food

Organic foods provide a variety of benefits. Some studies show that organic foods have more

beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than their conventionally grown counterparts. In

addition, people with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives often find their symptoms

lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods. In addition:

Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals such as

fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are widely used in conventional

agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat.

Organic food is often fresher. Fresh food tastes better. Organic food is usually fresher

because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often

(but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is

sold.

Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce

pollution (air, water, soil), conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and

use less energy. Farming without pesticides is also better for nearby birds and small

animals as well as people who live close to or work on farms.

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Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed

animal byproducts. The use of antibiotics in conventional meat production helps create

antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. This means that when someone gets sick from

these strains they will be less responsive to antibiotic treatment. Not feeding animal

byproducts to other animals reduces the risk of mad cow disease (BSE). In addition, the

animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, both of which

help to keep the animals healthy.

Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically

engineered (GE) foods are plants or animals whose DNA has been altered in ways that

cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be

resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide. In most countries, organic crops contain

no GMOs and organic meat comes from animals raised on organic, GMO-free feed.

Mumbai has one of the highest number of organic food outlets in the entire country of

India. Gone are the days when organic food was difficult to find. Organic food is

available in every part of the city, which is a wonderful way to keep you and your family

healthy, no matter where you live!

There are organic food store available in Andheri, Bandra, Thane, Vashi, Borivali, Chembur,

Charni Road, Churchgate, Colaba, CST, Fort , Juhu Etc.

Organic foods are foods produced by organic farming. While the standards differ worldwide,

organic farming in general features cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster

cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

Synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers are not allowed, although certain organically

approved pesticides may be used under limited conditions. In general, organic foods are also not

processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or synthetic food additives.[1]

Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan and many other

countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic

within their borders. In the context of these regulations, organic food is food produced in a way

that complies with organic standards set by national governments and international

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organizations. Although the produce of kitchen gardens may be organic, selling food with the

organic label is regulated by governmental food safety authorities, such as the US Department of

Agriculture (USDA) or European Commission

While there may be some differences in the nutrient and anti-nutrient contents of organically and

conventionally produced food, the variable nature of food production and handling makes it

difficult to generalize results, and there is insufficient evidence to support claims that organic

food is safer or healthier than conventional food Claims that organic food tastes better are

generally not supported by evidence.

Meaning and origin of the term.

For the vast majority of its history, agriculture can be described as having been organic; only

during the 20th century was a large supply of new chemicals introduced to the food supply.The

organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to

the industrialization of agriculture known as the Green Revolution.

In 1939, Lord Northbourne coined the term organic farming in his book Look to the

Land (1940), out of his conception of "the farm as organism," to describe a holistic, ecologically

balanced approach to farming—in contrast to what he called chemical farming, which relied on

"imported fertility" and "cannot be self-sufficient nor an organic whole." Early soil scientists also

described the differences in soil composition when animal manures were used as "organic",

because they contain carbon compounds where superphosphates and haber process nitrogen do

not. Their respective use effects humus content of soil. This is different from the scientific use of

the term "organic" in chemistry, which refers to a class of molecules that contain carbon,

especially those involved in the chemistry of life. This class of molecules includes everything

likely to be considered edible, and include most pesticides and toxins too, therefore the term

"organic" and, especially, the term "inorganic" (sometimes wrongly used as a contrast by the

popular press) as they apply to organic chemistry is an equivocation fallacy when applied to

farming, the production of food, and to foodstuffs themselves. Properly used in this agricultural

science context, "organic" refers to the methods grown and processed, not necessarily the

chemical composition of the food.

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Ideas that organic food could be healthier and better for the environment originated in the early

days of the organic movement as a result of publications like the 1943 book, The Living Soil-

Gardening and Farming for Health or Disease,

Early consumers interested in organic food would look for non-chemically treated, non-use of

unapproved pesticides, fresh or minimally processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from

growers. Later, "Know your farmer, know your food" became the motto of a new initiative

instituted by the USDA in September 2009.Personal definitions of what constituted "organic"

were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers, seeing farm conditions, and

farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and raised livestock) using organic

farming practices, with or without certification, and the individual consumer monitored.

Small specialty health food stores and co-operatives were instrumental to bringing organic food

to a wider audience. As demand for organic foods continued to increase, high volume sales

through mass outlets such as supermarkets rapidly replaced the direct farmer connection.Today

there is no limit to organic farm sizes and many large corporate farms currently have an organic

division. However, for supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable, and

product labeling, like "certified organic", is relied on. Government regulations and third-party

inspectors are looked to for assurance.

In the 1970s, interest in organic food grew with the publication of Silent spring and the rise of

the environmental movement, and was also spurred by food-related health scares like the

concerns about Alar that arose in the mid-1980s.

Legal definition

Organic food production is a self-regulated industry with government oversight in some

countries, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States,

Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification based

on government-defined standards in order to market food as organic within their borders. In the

context of these regulations, foods marketed as organic are produced in a way that complies with

organic standards set by national governments and international organic industry trade

organizations.

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In the United States, organic production is a system that is managed in accordance with the

Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 and regulations in Title 7, Part 205 of the Code

of Federal Regulations to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological,

and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and

conserve biodiversity. If livestock are involved, the livestock must be reared with regular access

to pasture and without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

There are four different levels or categories for organic labeling. 1)‘100%’ Organic: This means

that all ingredients are produced organically. It also may have the USDA seal. 2)‘Organic’: At

least 95% or more of the ingredients are organic. 3)’Made With Organic Ingredients': Contains at

least 70% organic ingredients. 4) ‘Less Than 70. Organic Ingredients’: Three of the organic

ingredients must be listed under the ingredient section of the label. To be certified organic,

products must be grown and manufactured in a manner that adheres to standards set by the

country they are sold in:

Australia: NASAA Organic Standard

Canada:

European Union: EU-Eco-regulation

o Sweden: KRAV

o United Kingdom: DEFRA

o Poland: Association of Polish Ecology

o Norway: Debio Organic certification

India: NPOP, (National Program for Organic Production

Indonesia: BIOCert, run by Agricultural Ministry of Indonesia.

Japan: JAS Standards

United States: National Organic Program (NOP) Standards

In the United States, the food label "natural" or "all natural" does not mean that the food

was produced and processed organically.

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Public perception

There is widespread public belief, promoted by the organic food industry, that organic food is

safer, more nutritious, and tastes better than conventional food. These beliefs have fueled

increased demand for organic food despite higher prices and difficulty in confirming these

claimed benefits scientifically.

Psychological effects such as the “halo” effect, which are related to the choice and consumption

of organic food, are also important motivating factors in the purchase of organic food. An

example of the halo effect was demonstrated by a study of Schuldt and Schwarz. The results

showed university students who inferred that organic cookies were lower in calories and could be

eaten more often than conventional cookies. This effect was observed even when the nutrition

label conveyed an identical calorie content. The effect was more pronounced among participants

who were strong supporters of organic production, and had strong feelings about environmental

issues. The perception that organic food is low-calorie food or health food appears to be

common.

In China the increasing demand for organic products of all kinds, and in particular milk, baby

food and infant formula, has been "spurred by a series of food scares, the worst being the death

of six children who had consumed baby formula laced with melamine" in 2009 and the 2008

Chinese milk scandal, making the Chinese market for organic milk the largest in the world as of

2014. A Pew Research Centre survey in 2012 indicated that 41% of Chinese consumers thought

of food safety as a very big problem, up by three times from 12% in 2008.

Taste

A 2002 review concluded that in the scientific literature examined, “While there are reports

indicating that organic and conventional fruits and vegetables may differ on a variety of sensory

qualities, the findings are inconsistent.” There is evidence that some organic fruit is drier than

conventionally grown fruit; a slightly drier fruit may also have a more intense flavor due to the

higher concentration of flavoring substances.

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Some foods, such as bananas, are picked when unripe, are cooled to prevent ripening while they

are shipped to market, and then are induced to ripen quickly by exposing them

to propylene or ethylene, chemicals produced by plants to induce their own ripening; as flavor

and texture changes during ripening, this process may affect those qualities of the treated fruit.

The issue of ethylene use to ripen fruit in organic food production is contentious because

ripeness when picked often does affect taste; opponents claim that its use benefits only large

companies and that it opens the door to weaker organic standards.

Anti-nutrients

The amount of nitrogen content in certain vegetables, especially green leafy

vegetables and tubers, has been found to be lower when grown organically as compared to

conventionally.When evaluating environmental toxins such as heavy metals, the USDA has

noted that organically raised chicken may have lower arsenic levels,while early literature reviews

found no significant evidence that levels of arsenic, cadmium or other heavy metals differed

significantly between organic and conventional food products. However, a 2014 review found

lower concentrations of cadmium, particularly in organically grown grains.

Pesticide residues

The 2012 meta-analysis determined that detectable pesticide residues were found in 7% of

organic produce samples and 38% of conventional produce samples. This result was statistically

heterogeneous, potentially because of the variable level of detection used among these studies.

Only three studies reported the prevalence of contamination exceeding maximum allowed limits;

all were from the European Union. A 2014 meta-analysis found that conventionally grown

produce was four times more likely to have pesticide residue than organically grown crops.

The American Cancer Society has stated that no evidence exists that the small amount of

pesticide residue found on conventional foods will increase the risk of cancer, though it

recommends thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables. They have also stated that there is no

research to show that organic food reduces cancer risk compared to foods grown with

conventional farming methods.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has strict guidelines on the regulation of pesticides by

setting a tolerance on the amount of pesticide residue allowed to be in or on any particular food.

Organic meat production requirements

Organic meat certification in the United States authenticates that the farm animals meet USDA

organic protocol. These regulations include that the animals are fed certified organic food and

that it contains no animal byproducts. Further, organic farm animals can receive no growth

hormones or antibiotics, and they must be raised using techniques that protect native species and

other natural resources. Irradiation, and genetic engineering are not allowed with organic animal

production.One of the major differences in organic animal husbandry protocol is the pasture rule.

The minimum requirements for time on pasture do vary somewhat by species and between the

certifying agencies, but the common theme is to require as much time on pasture as is possible

and reasonable.

Purpose For The Study

We had been undergone the study, so as to get aware of the responses of the population about the

organic foodstuffs and their perception about the taste,preference,cost,nutritional values,impact

on environment etc through a practical implementation of “IBM SPSS Statistics 20” to study

this project.

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Objective Of The Study

Before beginning with the objective we made ourself engage in introspection and self-

examination to determine with how to begin with this project. Our objective was to gain the

ample of knowledge about “Benefits of organic food” the population perceives for consumption.

The view though complex should be quite feasible for the study and its application of it onto our

project book.

Sources Of Data Collection

The collected data is out from two sources, primary sources and secondary sources. Data

collected from primary sources are known as primary data and data collected from secondary

sources are called secondary data.

Primary data are also known as raw data. Data are collected from the original source in a

controlled or an uncontrolled environment. Example of a controlled environment

are experimental research where certain variables are being controlled by the researcher. On the

other hand, data collected through observation or questionnaire survey in a natural setting are

examples data obtained in an uncontrolled environment. Secondary data are data obtained from

secondary sources such as reports, books, journals, documents, magazines, the web and more.

1. Primary Data:-

SOURCES:-

1. It is an Original Data directly collected from the students of the college through

questionnaire.

2. Secondary Data:-

1. Reference Books

2. Websites

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Chapter 2

Analysis and interpretation

Hypothesis:

A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis

to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one

can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous observations that cannot

satisfactorily be explained with the available scientific theories. Even though the words

"hypothesis" and "theory" are often used synonymously, a scientific hypothesis is not the same

as a scientific theory. A working hypothesis is a provisionally accepted hypothesis proposed for

further research.

In statistical hypothesis testing, two hypotheses are compared. These are called the null

hypothesis and the alternative hypothesis. The null hypothesis is the hypothesis that states that

there is no relation between the phenomena whose relation is under investigation, or at least not

of the form given by the alternative hypothesis. The alternative hypothesis, as the name suggests,

is the alternative to the null hypothesis: it states that there is some kind of relation. The

alternative hypothesis may take several forms, depending on the nature of the hypothesized

relation; in particular, it can be two-sided (for example: there is some effect, in a yet unknown

direction) or one-sided (the direction of the hypothesized relation, positive or negative, is fixed in

advance)

Null hypothesis: There is no relationship between the organic food and the health of an

individual and environment (society)

Alternate hypothesis: There is relationship between the organic food and the health of an

individual and environment (society)

Variables: Health and Environment

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Q1. Who does gocery marketing for your house?

In most of the home, females are the decision maker and they do the grocery shopping for the entire home.

Q1 Who does gocery marketing for your house? And

Q2. Are you aware of the organic food?

Objective: to understand the awareness of organic food with respect to the person who goes for buying groceries.

Null hypothesis: There is no relationship between the gender who buys grocery and awareness for organic food.

Alternate hypothesis: There is relationship between the gender who buys grocery and awareness for organic food.

Variables: Grocery purchaser – Independent variable

Awareness of organic food – Dependent variable

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Outcome:Case Processing Summary

CasesValid Missing Total

N Percent N Percent N PercentQ2. Awareness about

Organic Food * gender of respondents

50 100.0% 0 0.0% 50 100.0%

Q2. Awareness about Organic Food * gender of respondentsCross tabulation

Countgender of

respondentsTotal

male femaleQ2. Awareness about

Organic FoodYes 28 17 45No 2 3 5

Total 30 20 50

Chi-Square TestsValue df Asymp. Sig.

(2-sided)Exact Sig. (2-

sided)Exact Sig. (1-

sided)Pearson Chi-Square .926a 1 .336

Continuity Correctionb .231 1 .630Likelihood Ratio .904 1 .342

Fisher's Exact Test .377 .310Linear-by-Linear

Association.907 1 .341

N of Valid Cases 50a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2.00.

b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

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Q1. Who does grocery marketing for your house? And

Q3. Do you purchase Organic Products more than non-organic products?

Objective : study of purchasing habit and consideration of health

Variable: gender who purchase and purchase of organic food

Outcome:

purchase of organic food over non-organic food * gender of respondents Crosstabulation

Countgender of

respondentsTotal

male femalepurchase of organic

food over non-organic food

Yes 22 5 27

No 8 15 23

Total 30 20 50

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Chi-Square TestsValue df Asymp. Sig.

(2-sided)Exact Sig. (2-

sided)Exact Sig. (1-

sided)Pearson Chi-Square 11.286a 1 .001

Continuity Correctionb 9.424 1 .002Likelihood Ratio 11.706 1 .001

Fisher's Exact Test .001 .001Linear-by-Linear

Association11.060 1 .001

N of Valid Cases 50a. 0 cells (.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 9.20.

b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

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Q1. Who does grocery marketing for your house? And

Q4. Why do you buy Organic Products?

Objective: To understand correlation between the gender and purchasing habit of an individual.

Outcome:

Case Processing SummaryCases

Valid Missing TotalN Percent N Percent N Percent

Reason for buying organic * gender of

respondents50 100.0% 0 0.0% 50 100.0%

Reason for buying organic * gender of respondents CrosstabulationCount

gender of respondents

Total

male female

Reason for buying organic

Taste Better 8 2 10contains Fewer

Pesticides2 4 6

Always Fresh 8 4 12Environmental Friendly 12 10 22

Total 30 20 50

Chi-Square TestsValue df Asymp. Sig.

(2-sided)Pearson Chi-Square 3.939a 3 .268

Likelihood Ratio 4.062 3 .255

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Linear-by-Linear Association

.782 1 .377

N of Valid Cases 50a. 4 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The

minimum expected count is 2.40.

Q6. How often do you consume Organic Food?

Objective: To understand the consumption cycle of organic food.

Outcome:Statistics

Consumption of Organic food

NValid 50

Missing 0

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Consumption of Organic foodFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Several Times a Week

20 40.0 40.0 40.0

More than Once A Week

9 18.0 18.0 58.0

occassionally 13 26.0 26.0 84.0Never 5 10.0 10.0 94.0

Dont Know 3 6.0 6.0 100.0Total 50 100.0 100.0

Q7. How important is each attribute to you when purchasing Organic Food?

Objective: To understand the attribute level in dairy products and vegetables respectively.

Outcome:DAIRY PRODUCTS

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StatisticsOrganically

produce dairy products

Low price of dairy product

Brand name of dairy product

Fat content of dairy product

Lactos free of dairy product

Freshness of dairy

product

NValid 50 50 50 50 50 50

Missing 0 0 0 0 0 0

Organically produce dairy productsFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

not at all important 1 2.0 2.0 2.0Slightly important 10 20.0 20.0 22.0

quite important 16 32.0 32.0 54.0very important 15 30.0 30.0 84.0

Extremely important

8 16.0 16.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

Low price of dairy productFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Slightly important 12 24.0 24.0 24.0Quite important 21 42.0 42.0 66.0Very important 13 26.0 26.0 92.0

Extremely important

4 8.0 8.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

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Brand name of dairy productFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

2 4.0 4.0 4.0

Slightly important 5 10.0 10.0 14.0Quite important 14 28.0 28.0 42.0Very important 18 36.0 36.0 78.0

Extremely important

11 22.0 22.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

Fat content of dairy productFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

1 2.0 2.0 2.0

Slightly important 10 20.0 20.0 22.0Quite important 13 26.0 26.0 48.0Very important 19 38.0 38.0 86.0

Extremely important

7 14.0 14.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

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Lactos free of dairy productFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

1 2.0 2.0 2.0

Slightly important 10 20.0 20.0 22.0Quite important 10 20.0 20.0 42.0Very important 20 40.0 40.0 82.0

Extremely important

9 18.0 18.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

Freshness of dairy productFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Slightly important 7 14.0 14.0 14.0Quite important 5 10.0 10.0 24.0Very important 17 34.0 34.0 58.0

Extremely important

21 42.0 42.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

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VEGETABLES:Statistics

Organically produce

vegetable

Low price vegetable

freshness Packaging Availibility vegetable

NValid 50 50 50 50 50

Missing 0 0 0 0 0

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Organically produce vegetableFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

7 14.0 14.0 14.0

Slightly important 9 18.0 18.0 32.0Quite important 10 20.0 20.0 52.0Very important 12 24.0 24.0 76.0

Extremely important

12 24.0 24.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

Low price vegetableFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

2 4.0 4.0 4.0

Slightly important 11 22.0 22.0 26.0Quite important 19 38.0 38.0 64.0Very important 12 24.0 24.0 88.0

Extremely important

6 12.0 12.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

freshnessFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

PercentValid Slightly important 3 6.0 6.0 6.0

Quite important 10 20.0 20.0 26.0Very important 21 42.0 42.0 68.0

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Extremely important

16 32.0 32.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

PackagingFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

2 4.0 4.0 4.0

Slightly important 1 2.0 2.0 6.0Quite important 5 10.0 10.0 16.0Very important 15 30.0 30.0 46.0

Extremely important

27 54.0 54.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

Availability vegetableFrequency Percent Valid

PercentCumulative

Percent

Valid

Not at all important

1 2.0 2.0 2.0

Slightly important 1 2.0 2.0 4.0Quite important 19 38.0 38.0 42.0Very important 17 34.0 34.0 76.0

Extremely important

12 24.0 24.0 100.0

Total 50 100.0 100.0

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27

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Q1. Who does grocery marketing for your house? And

Q9. Do you know that Pesticides cause numerous serious health effect?

Objective: To study the relation between the health consideration and person who purchases grocery for home.

Outcome:

Case Processing SummaryCases

Valid Missing TotalN Percent N Percent N Percent

familiar with health hazards by pesticides * gender of respondents

50 100.0% 0 0.0% 50 100.0%

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familiar with health hazards by pesticides * gender of respondents Crosstabulation

Countgender of

respondentsTotal

male femalefamiliar with health

hazards by pesticidesYes 25 19 44No 5 1 6

Total 30 20 50

Chi-Square TestsValue df Asymp. Sig.

(2-sided)Exact Sig. (2-

sided)Exact Sig. (1-

sided)Pearson Chi-Square 1.547a 1 .214

Continuity Correctionb .639 1 .424Likelihood Ratio 1.718 1 .190

Fisher's Exact Test .381 .217Linear-by-Linear

Association1.516 1 .218

N of Valid Cases 50a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2.40.

b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

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Chapter3- Conclusion1. Despite of having a wide awareness about the organic food, the purchase scale

of it is low.2. The main reason for low purchase is unavailability in the local area.

3. As per consumers, the organic food are just termed to be organic but in fact they are adulterated to meet higher consumer demands.

4.The study claim that there are various perception about organic food and people do consider it.

5. There are various attributes for buying different organic food.6. People are highly aware about the health hazard with food pesticides and

adulteration.7. There are different consumption patterns of organic food.

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