The scientific community remains unable to answer the abundance of questions that challenge the organic food market. It is also unable to prove many of the assertions organic defenders encourage.

A common misconception about organic foods is they have an innate healthiness that superceeds the nutritional values of conventionally grown food. However, organic foods are considered healthier not because of qualities they have, but because of qualities they lack — specifically pesticides, artificial ingredients and trans fats, according to the National Organic Program.

Proponents of an organic diet, such as Valentina Daly, a senior in criminology, assert that organics are healthier, more environmentally friendly and have a greater sustainability than conventional crops.

“To me, organic foods taste better since they are grown naturally and the preservatives used to maintain them are naturally grown. This means that [the preservatives] can be easily washed off,” Daly said.

The Mouth Revolution, which can be found at www.mouthrevolution.com, is a short film produced by Annie’s Homegrown and Free Range Studios. It exemplifies the main points of an organic diet. Its “Declaration of Indigestion” demands food eaten must be free of pesticides, artificial ingredients, genetic modifications and trans fats.

“By eating foods naturally grown, as opposed to genetically engineered or with toxic pesticides, our bodies will process natural-based foods, as it is supposed to,” Daly said.

Bob Patterson, a professor of crop science, spent much of his childhood on a farm. Prior to 1950, pesticides were used sparingly, if at all. Since then, its use has increased 50-fold.

“We used organic farming without it being called that,” Patterson said.

Though chemically based pesticides have been introduced to farmers’ crops only recently, the last 40 years have raised a concern that many farmers are using pesticides in excess, according to the Rachel Carson Council, Inc.

“There are two dangers of using certain pesticides. One, it is possible that parts of the living world can be adversely affected that we are not aware of. And two, with the heavy continual use of certain pesticides, we are causing genetic alterations to occur more frequently in both animals and plants,” Patterson said.

Many organic proponents, including Patterson, claim organic crops are more sustainable than conventionally grown crops. This means the crop has the capability to produce the same yield year after year.

However, much of the scientific community continues to disagree regarding whether chemicals and pesticides negatively affect the environment and regarding whether one crop is more sustainable than the other. People cannot assume growing foods using one method is more correct than another.

DDT, which is used in regions of South Africa and in many areas of Asia, is an effective defense against malaria — a virus that is widespread throughout the regions because of an abundance of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

However, its use has brought up innumerable health issues, though none of the human health risks has been scientifically proven. The biological magnification of DDT within animals is believed to have caused harmful mutations within fish-eating birds, Patterson said.

It is imperative to stop the spread of malaria throughout the countries that are prone to the virus, though “there must be alternatives that are just as effective at killing malaria-carrying mosquitoes,” Patterson said.

The innate qualities organic foods have have proven to be their weaknesses.

Because some farmers apply organic fertilizer — manure — directly onto the crops, instead of tilling it into the soil, there is a greater chance of the crops being infected with bacteria and, possibly, a dangerous strand of E. coli called 0157:H7.

Organic food can be up to three times as expensive as conventionally grown food. This cost covers the rotation cycle of crops, the costly organic certification process and the need for retailers to make the same profits from organic food as from conventionally grown food, which sells at a higher rate than organic food.

The higher cost of organic food makes the diet unavailable to much of the population, and even those who can afford it are not willing to pay a higher price for what they believe to be the same product. For this reason, few mainstream restaurants and cafeterias carry organic food choices.

“I am not aware of any organic foods on campus, and it’s been a while since I ate at the dining hall … From what I am told it is very limited,” Daly said.

Michael Matthews, a freshman in mechanical engineering, chooses not to eat organic food.

“It is so much more convenient to eat food that’s not organic, and it’s cheaper,” he said.

Producing crops organically poses an economic constraint and risk for the farmer. Organic crops produce fewer yields than conventionally grown crops, and unless the crops are successful, they do not provide equal profit.

The United States exports much of the excess crop yields to poorer countries that need stable food supplies for their populations. Because organic crops have lower yields, if every farmer practiced organic methods, there would not be a surplus for export, Patterson said.

In this light, there must be a compromise between what consumers are willing to accept and what they are not. The use of environmentally safe, less harmful chemicals may lead to both a secure product and yield.

“It is possible to respect the environment fully when growing crops in the conventional way if [chemicals] are used wisely and judiciously. The problem occurs when the chemical is used in a nonjudicious manner,” Patterson said.