Organic - is it really best for bub?
There is no Federal Government regulation on what defines organic food. The certification process is currently controlled by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, with at least 7 government bodies certifying products as organic. As a result, products can reach the shelves without certification. This can be very misleading for parents. The broad definition of organic used by Food Standards Australia/New Zealand is only consistently enforced for export foods, due to the strict guidelines in place overseas.
Many parents are turning to organic products due to the well publicised side effects of consuming common pesticides. The Australian government began pesticide residues testing, of conventional produce, in the 1990’s. In the last published survey of this kind, only one third of the produce had any detectable residue on the skin, and only one sample had pesticide residue in excess of the Government set maximum allowable limit. If produce does not meet the requirements, which require the virtual absence of any pesticides, it can’t be sold. In addition, residues are detectable on the skin of affected produce. Therefore removing skins and washing the produce can put parents mind at ease. In fact, even organic produce is not guaranteed free of all chemical residues, as they can drift in from other areas or persist in the soil.
The jury is still out about whether organics are in fact safer than conventional produce. Research from the US and Europe suggests good things about the nutritional value of some organic animal produce. There has not yet been enough research into Australian organic farming practices to ensure that it truly is beneficial for consumers. According to research by consumer group Choice, there is little evidence that organic foods are more nutritious or taste better than the conventional equivalent. Many baby food varieties contain only a small percentage of organic ingredients, but retain the premium price tag. In addition, the UHT process used to produce shelf stable baby food destroys many nutrients, so even if raw organic produce were more nutrient-dense, the benefit is lost when buying jarred or tinned meals.
Sydney mother, Christie Walters, founded the company Homestyle Nutrition to produce an innovative snap frozen baby food range. Bub Grub is produced from fresh conventional produce, which is peeled and washed before undergoing gentle cooking, without the use of additives or fillers. The result is delicious tubs of affordable, homestyle baby meals which are adored by parents, bubs and health professionals. Christie says “Quality and nutrition is always a priority for us. It is also very important that we provide accurate information for our little consumers and their parents, so we are not currently producing organic meals”. As a mother of 2 toddlers, Christie also recognises the need to ensure the meals remain affordable for the family budget “It is important to me that we keep Bub Grub reasonably priced, to ensure that all Australian children and parents have access to nutritious, convenient meals”.
With meals from as little three dollars, there is no doubt Bub Grub will continue to appear on family shopping lists for some time.
