?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Assessment+of+food+safety+in+organic+farming&rft.creator=Hansen%2C+Birgitte&rft.creator=Alr%C3%83%C2%B8e%2C+Hugo+Fjelsted&rft.creator=Kristensen%2C+Erik+Steen&rft.creator=Wier%2C+Mette&rft.subject=+Food+security%2C+food+quality+and+human+health&rft.subject=+Indicators+and+other+value-laden+measures&rft.description=Public+concern+about+food+safety+in+Europe+has+grown+in+response+to+the+BSE+scandal+and+problems+with+Salmonella+and+Campylobacter%2C+etc.+Such+health+and+safety+considerations+are+among+the+most+important+incentives+for+buying+organic+food%2C+and+have+helped+to+promote+rapid+growth+in+the+organic+sector.+%0D%0A%0D%0AAgainst+this+background+the+present+article+reviews+food+safety+from+an+organic+perspective.++To+our+knowledge+this+has+not+been+done+previously.+A+novel+definition+is+introduced+which+incorporates+safety+aspects+of+both+the+product+and+the+agri-food-system.+A+Driving+force-State-Impact-Response+(DSIR)+framework%2C+that+incorporates+recent+findings+relating+to+organic+products%2C+is+employed+to+analyse+processes+that+control+the+safety+of+food.+The+safety+of+the+agri-food-system+is+still+poorly+understood%2C+but+an+introduction+to+the+concept+is+given+because+of+its+relevance+in+an+holistic+organic+setting.+%0D%0A%0D%0AIt+is+generally+felt+that+safety+is+greater+with+organic+than+with+conventional+foods%2C+mainly+because+of+the+precautionary+principle+followed+in+the+formulation+of+organic+regulations+and+in+the+assessment+of+food+safety.+High+standards+of+product+safety+in+organic+foods+are+promoted+by+a)+lower+nitrogen+applications+(which+reduce+nitrate+concentrations)%2C+b)+the+ban+on+pesticides+(which+results+in+almost+no+pesticide+residues)%2C+and+c)+the+ban+on+prophylactics+and+the+requirement+for+double+retention+times+in+animal+production+systems+(to+ensure+low+concentrations+of+medicine+residues).+These+effects+may+minimise+the+incidence+of+cancer+and+the+transfer+of+resistance+genes+from+animal+production+systems+to+human+pathogens.+%0D%0A%0D%0AExamples+of+reduced+product+safety+in+organic+products+can+also+be+found%2C+for+example%3A+a)+mycotoxins+in+organic+cereals+exposed+to+inappropriate+storage+conditions%2C+and+b)+Salmonella+and+Campylobacter+infections+caused+by+the+extended+exposure+of+animals+to+out-door+conditions.+It+is+however+possible+to+reduce+these+risks.+In+particular%2C+regulation+of+the+processing+of+organic+foods+results+in+higher+product+safety+due+to+a+limit+of+no+more+than+5%25+non-organic+components%2C+and+the+ban+on+irradiation%2C+colouring+agents%2C+sweeteners%2C+synthetic+additives%2C+flavouring%2C+GMOs+and+trans+fatty+acids.+There+seems+to+be+a+trend+towards+higher+agri-food-system+safety+in+organic+compared+to+conventional+farming+systems+due+to+a)+the+provision+of+more+information+through+the+labelling+of+organic+food%2C+and+b)+lower+impacts+on+the+environment.&rft.date=2002-01&rft.type=Working+paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F206%2F1%2FHansen_organic_food_safety.pdf&rft.format=source&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F206%2F2%2FHansen_organic_food_safety.rtf&rft.identifier=Hansen%2C+Birgitte%3B+Alr%C3%83%C2%B8e%2C+Hugo+Fjelsted%3B+Kristensen%2C+Erik+Steen+and+Wier%2C+Mette+(2002)+Assessment+of+food+safety+in+organic+farming.+DARCOF+Working+Papers%2C+no.52%2C+Danish+Research+Centre+for+Organic+Farming.+[+Unpublished%2C+]&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F206%2F