Everyone here knows that China produces lead toys, flame attracting pyjamas and the odd gyoza (savoury dumpling) made from boiled cardboard. But who knew that pesticide tainted ginger would be added to the list??? Now I know a lot about China and I must say, having visited the place many times, consider myself a friend of China. But to tell the truth, I really don’t trust Chinese organic producers. I think that is because I know the country – money is king. Now, I don’t blame the people. Why if you were living on around a dollar and a half a day, you’d probably boil cardboard and sell it too. You may not even care for the environment, as the folk over at thenvironmentalblog.org point out often enough (check that link out – 460,000...

You know it kind of makes me a little angry that the candidates can play to the image while doing as little as possible to support the cause. Probably unknown to them, the ‘Organic Food Bar’ is the only consumer brand name product that is available at both the Democrat and Republican conventions. Obviously this is a huge scoop for the makers of Organic Food Bar – and I congratulate them on that. It’s important that organic food reaches a wider consumer base, which will ultimately make access easier and cheaper for all of us. But as for policies that support organic consumers and industry… well hold back – both parties have little or none! What I am really worried about is that the next administration will inevitably have to make...

Australian scientists have found that fish exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of endosulfan and chlorpyrifos showed significant reductions in the ability to survive in warmer waters. Both endosulfan and chlorpyrifos are commonly used in cotton, horticulture and sugar cane production. The study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry predicts that global warming will make fish more susceptible to dying from pesticide-contaminated water. According to the study affected fish displayed “erratic swimming…, uncoordinated movement with body quivering, rolling over on sides or back” and loss of the ability to swim upright. Combine this with the strain already imposed on global fish stocks as a consequence of over-fishing...

So far this year, I have purchased approximately nine dozen bottles of organic wine. The number of those secured with traditional cork stoppers amount to only seven. That’s less than five percent, with the remainder sealed beneath screw cap devices. The move away from cork has caused some consternation among organic consumers who tend to prefer natural materials as opposed to plastic and manufactured components. On the other hand, there are experts who believe that new sealing technologies provide a safer and more dependable option for consumers. Despite careful selection and quality controls, natural cork is associated with the risk of structural weakness and mould contamination. Most wine consumers appreciate that cork stoppered bottles...

While organic wine continues to grow in popularity, there are new opportunities available for retailers and those who have the influence and capacity to educate and inform the discerning consumer. I’m often asked to explain how a certain wine compares against those from alternative regions or traditions. Of course, each response to such enquiry must be inherently subjective and based to some extent on personal preferences and prejudice. Having reasonably acknowledged this, there is considerable benefit to be gained from understanding the basics of wine appreciation and evaluation. The aim of wine tasting is to assess the relative concentration of each constituent flavour aspect. Most individuals can easily distinguish the characterising...