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How Much Do You Know About Organic Food?

Test your knowledge of labeling, farming and nutrition

Aaron Kassraie,

AARP

En español

Published February 22, 2023

9 Questions

1c8cdcb6-6ff4-4114-92b3-c58ebca4c417

How Much Do You Know About Organic Food?

[ {
 "question" : "True or false: Organic foods must follow guidelines that address soil quality, animal-raising practices, pest and weed control, and the use of additives.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "For produce to be certified organic, it must be grown on soil that has been free of prohibited substances for at least three years before harvesting.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "According to USDA organic standards, which of the following are not allowed in organically processed or packaged foods?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Artificial flavors",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Artificial preservatives",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Artificial colors",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "All of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "All ingredients must be organic with some minor exceptions, such as enzymes in yogurt, pectin in fruit jams and baking soda.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "True or false: Organic standards prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the production of organic foods.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "For organic products to be free of GMOs, farmers must avoid using genetically modified seeds or other materials when planting and growing crops.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "True or false: Organic produce may have fewer antioxidants.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "In some studies, organic produce has been shown to contain slightly to moderately higher levels of certain nutrients, as well as specific antioxidants, according to the Mayo Clinic.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "What kind of fat is more heart-healthy than other fats and is found at higher levels in organic meats, dairy and eggs?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Saturated fat",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Trans fat",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Omega-3 fatty acids",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Feeding requirements for organic livestock usually result in higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids because organic farm animals are fed grass and alfalfa, according to the Mayo Clinic.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Why are certified organic products generally more expensive than their conventional counterparts?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Organic food supply is limited",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Production costs for organic foods are typically higher",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Post-harvest handling of organic foods is more expensive",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "All of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "As demand for organic foods grows, technological innovations are expected to reduce the cost of their production and distribution, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Which of the following labels indicates that a product is organic?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "All-Natural",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Non-GMO",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "USDA Organic",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Low-Fat",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Organic products must follow strict standards for production and handling practices before being labeled as USDA Organic or making an organic claim.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "If a food item has the USDA Organic Seal, what does this mean?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "It contains 100 percent certified organic ingredients.",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "At least 95 percent of the ingredients are certified organic.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "The product contains at least 70 percent certified organic ingredients.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "You will lose weight by eating it.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Meanwhile, a Made With Organic label means that at least 70 percent of its ingredients are certified organic.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "True or false: More than 90 percent of samples of strawberries, apples, cherries, spinach, nectarines and grapes tested positive for residues of two or more pesticides in 2022 by the Environmental Working Group.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Avocados and sweet corn were the cleanest produce: Less than 2 percent of samples showed any detectable pesticides.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English. 