English for Food Technology_Class 22D

Meeting 5

ORGANIC FOOD

Organic food is grown without the use of chemicals fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.
Only fertilizers derived from animals or plants are permitted. Indeed, the term is now used to
include animals reared without antibiotics or hormones and foods prepared without the
addition of synthetic colors, flavors or preservatives which have undergone the minimum of
refining.
Organic farming aims to find a balance between changing the environment to fit the
crops and adapting farming methods to fit the natural environment. The long-term health of
the soil is vital to the whole concept of organic farming and the end product is
uncontaminated, healthy food. There are four elements to organic farming:
1. Only plant and animal composts are used as a source of soil nutrients.
2. Crop rotation is used to keep the number of pests, plant diseases and weeds down.
3. Pests are controlled naturally rather than by hazardous or persistent pesticides.
4. Farm animals are treated with real concern for their well-being. There is no supplementation
of their feed with growth promoters, antibiotics or hormones, etc.
This type of growing system avoids most of the problems of environmental destruction
and food contamination. There is no such thing as "guaranteed pesticide-free" produce, but
organically grown food contains considerably less than the more conventionally produced
foodstuffs. Similarly, organically grown food cannot be pollutant-free.
Generally organically grown food will:
- have fewer pesticide residues
- have lower nitrate levels
- contain less water
- be free from artificial additives
- be less processed than conventional food.
Nutritionally, there is probably little difference between organically produced food and
more traditional food. Nutrients are present not to make them useful foodstuffs but because
the plant needs them for optimum growth.
GLOSSARY – ORGANIC FOOD
Write the definition of these vocabularies!

organic food : ......................................................................................

fertilizer, n : ......................................................................................

pesticide, n. : ......................................................................................

herbicide, n. : ......................................................................................

derive, v. : ......................................................................................

permit, v. : ......................................................................................

term, n. : ......................................................................................

rear, v : ......................................................................................

addition, n. : ......................................................................................

flavour, n. : ......................................................................................

preservative, n. : ......................................................................................

refine, v. : ......................................................................................

environment, n. : ......................................................................................

long-term, adj. : ......................................................................................

health, n. : ......................................................................................

contaminate, v. : ......................................................................................

uncontaminated, adj. : ......................................................................................

healthy, adj : ......................................................................................

compost, n. : ......................................................................................

soil, n. nutrient, n. : ......................................................................................

nutrient crop, b. : ......................................................................................

pest, n. : ......................................................................................

disease, n. weeds, n. : ......................................................................................

hazardous, adj. : ......................................................................................

persistent, adj. : ......................................................................................

treat, v. : ......................................................................................

well-being : ......................................................................................

supplementation, n. : ......................................................................................
feed, n : ......................................................................................

contamination, n. : ......................................................................................

produce, n. : ......................................................................................

product, n. : ......................................................................................

foodstuffs, n. : ......................................................................................

pollutant, n. : ......................................................................................

pollutant-free : ......................................................................................

residue, n. : ......................................................................................

artificial, adj. : ......................................................................................

additive, n : ......................................................................................
EXERCISES

A. Read the passage again and then answer the following questions:

1. Find the definition of organic food and copy it in the space below.
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2. List the differences between organically and traditionally grown food.

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3. If there is no such thing as "guaranteed pesticide - free" produce, what makes

organically grown food healthier than traditionally grown food
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4. What is the difference between organically and traditionally grown food?

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B. Write an essay on organic food. Offer your opinion, but also add the facts that you have
learned about the issue!
Grammar: There is/ There are
C. Contorl Text

1. Find three sentences in passive form and copy them.

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2. Find sentences using There is/ There are and copy them here.
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