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Chapter 1 What Is Organic Food? W ords to U nderstand GMO: short for “genetically modified organism”; in agriculture, used to describe a plant or crop that has been altered by humans. growth hormone: a substance either naturally produced by the body or synthetically made that stimulates growth in animals or plants. herbicide: a substance designed to kill unwanted plants, such as weeds. ionizing radiation: a form of radiation that is used in agriculture; foods are exposed to X-rays or other sources of radiation to eliminate microorganisms and insects and make foods safer. pesticide: a substance designed to kill insects or other organisms that can cause damage to plants or animals. Salmonella: a type of bacteria that sometimes contaminates meat and dairy products. S ay the word “organic” to most people, and you’ll conjure up images of small mom-and-pop farms along country roads, communes where hippies grow their own vegetables, or small-batch products with funky labels that line the aisles of health food stores. It’s true, organic foods can be found in all these places, but they’re also turning up in more mainstream places. Restaurants, supermarkets, and “big box”

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