Organic: A Journalist’s Quest to Discover the Truth behind Food Labeling

“Organic,” “natural,” “free-range.” These are some of the latest buzz words in the food labeling industry. The perception is that organic must mean better than conventional. But is it? And who’s overseeing this, who decides what is or is not organic, and what are the definitions behind the labels?

In his book, Organic: A Journalist’s Quest to Discover the Truth Behind Food Labeling, Peter Laufer traced the origins of his highly suspect “organic” walnuts from Kazakhstan and a can of beans from Bolivia. What he learned amazed him. From the resistance on the part of the organic food industry to discuss the origins of his walnuts and beans, to the questionable methods of certifying organic, Laufer’s dogged journey in food labeling and food distribution channels is reminiscent of Michael Pollen’s attempt to trace his meals back to the feedlot and field that it came from.

This is an eye-opening account of how disconnected we’ve become from our food sources, the tenuousness of the entire system, and should definitely make readers question the implicit trust they place in those in charge of our food system. It definitely leads this reviewer to again deciding that the only trustworthy garden is our own.