Processed
foods are packaged food products that have been precooked, sterilized,
dehydrated, refrigerated, or preserved to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Organic foods are
made according to certain production standards. The use of conventional
non-organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides is greatly restricted and
avoided as a last resort. However, contrary to popular belief, certain
non-organic fertilizers are still used. If livestock are involved, they must be
reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth
hormones, and generally fed a healthy diet Processed organic food usually
contains only organic ingredients. If non-organic ingredients are present, at
least a certain percentage of the foods total plant and animal ingredients must
be organic (95% in the United States and Australia) and any non-organically
produced ingredients are subject to various agricultural requirements. Foods
claiming to be organic must be free of artificial food additives, and are often
processed with fewer artificial methods, materials and conditions, such as
chemical ripening, food irradiation, and genetically modified ingredients.
They may also be
required to be produced using energy-saving technologies and packaged using
recyclable or biodegradable materials when possible.
