Producing organic food items through agriculture and manufacturing does not allow to use of genetically modified organisms, synthetic pesticides, and fertilizers and restricts the use of veterinary mediations to increase production.
Whereas, inorganically grown foods production does not restrict the application of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, veterinary medication, and genetically modified organisms. Inorganic food items that contain genetically modified organisms are changed the original genetic structure by altering or adding genes in plants. The reasons for the alteration of the genetic structure are multiple, which include increasing production, or making it easier to grow, or enhancing the taste of the food.
Organic food products contain fewer chemical residues compared with conventional food items. A research study reported that organic food consumption reduced the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma development. Another research study had found that breast cancer risk was lowered among organic food consumers. A study researcher revealed that 75% of organic food consumers were less often develop cancer compared to those who never tried organic food items.
However, there is no evidential support yet found any association between genetically modified food items and cancer incidence. But researchers are expecting that synthetic pesticide residues have carcinogenic effects by damaging DNA structure and impacts functional damage through an epigenetic mechanism. Other possible impacts of inorganic foods on health include mitochondrial disorders, disturbed endoplasmic reticulum, impaired cell homeostasis maintenance is also commonly found incidence. Pesticides are mimicking estrogen function due to endocrinal disruption. This may cause breast cancer.
However, experts believe that diet is a complex process and the selection of organic foods is a healthy lifestyle behavior. But the impact of diet on cancer depends upon other healthy lifestyle measures including exercise habits, smoking, which also have a direct impact on cancer incidence. In a research study it had found that the people who ate organic foods were also maintain a healthy diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, fibers, and legumes. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle including exercising, complete elimination of smoking habit, healthy diet in association with organic food selection can reduce the risk of cancer incidence.
But may complete removal of genetically modified foods from market cannot be possible. But certain safety standards need to follow before they are released on the market.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6583612/
- https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/organic-foods-and-cancer-risk-separating-myth-from-fact/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3615871/
- https://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/reduce-cancer-risk/make-healthy-choices/eat-well/genetically-modified-foods/?region=on
