There is a new concept making its way around the fresh food industry. It’s a combination of scientific processors and a plants own natural development to create what is becoming known as synthetic fresh food. Food today is lacking in many nutrients and its ripe shelf life is greatly reduced.

Fruit today, including fruit recognised as a vegetable – such as tomatoes are often picked well under developed and unripened and stored until they are needed often for months at a time. Ethylene gas is often used to ripen fruit when it is needed for sale in Supermarkets.

From the moment a seed is planted in the ground it is subject to dozens of synthetic additives to enhance growth and to kill pests and weeds. Chemical based fertilisers, Pesticides, Herbicides and Fungicides are pumped into cropping land to the point soil microbes, earthworms and other insects and animals are driven out of a soil preventing the natural cycle of organic matter breakdown which becomes the normal feed source for plants.

Depending on the laws in the country the food was grown the seed itself may well be a synthetic version of a natural plant with various DNA added or removed to enhance a specific growth trait.

The only way we can get real fruit and vegetables is to look for heirloom seed producers and grow as much of our own fruit and vegetables in our own garden as we can.

Seems rather ironic that Science is creating synthetic ways to feed an expanding world and in the process half of the food is thrown out in waste.

Organic Farming is a huge, ethical industry where the emphasis is placed on producing a healthy viable crop to deliver to a consumer market with less emphasis on the profit margin. That is not to say Organic Farmers do not look for and try to make a profit. All business needs to run above the bottom line, but with Organic Farming the profit is made as a result of focusing on providing a quality, ethical consumer focused product and not profit regardless of quality or ethical practices.

To ensure you are buying quality organically grown fruit and vegetables consider these important points:

1. Look for Certified Organic growers or processors.
2. Synthetic Fresh Fruit and Vegetables are grown to deliver specific taste and shape quality to a demanding consumer market. Smooth fruit with no odd shapes looks nice on the shelf but not if shape is at the detriment of organic nutrients and an overall long lasting quality product.
3. If possible buy direct from the grower.
4. Look for Organic Food swap and sharing groups in your area. If there is none consider starting one.
5. Avoid buying fruit and vegetables not grown in your local area. The further food has to travel the more likely it is to be treated synthetically to survive the trip or artificially ripened when it reaches its destination.