I originally posted the following news commentary onto my Facebook wall…

USDA Organic Seal

It’s Organic, but Does that Mean it’s Safer?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/dining/04cert.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

(Kim Severson & Andrew Martin, New York Times) MOST of the chicken, fruit and vegetables in Ellen Devlin-Sample’s kitchen are organic. She thinks those foods taste better than their conventional counterparts. And she hopes they are healthier for her children.

Lately, though, she is not so sure.

The national outbreak of salmonella in products with peanuts has been particularly unsettling for shoppers like her who think organic food is safer.

(Read entire article here…)

My Commentary: “Organic” foods are simply foods grown naturally, without the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers or hormones. REFINED FOOD PRODUCTS bearing the seal, “USDA ORGANIC,” are STILL processed in plants, where health and safety conditions within factor into the overall quality of the final product. Buying WHOLE FOODS that are washed and prepared in the home will significantly reduce the possibility of exposure to these types of bacterial and/or viral contaminants.

When buying eggs or milk, consider the treatment, diet and living conditions of livestock, as well. Go beyond the “organic” seal. Look for products that also say “cage-free” or “free-range,” and “vegetarian.”