Organic food culture refers to a recent social and cultural trend in which there has been an increased interest in organic food due to the rise of media coverage on health, food safety, and environmental dangers of pesticides. This attitude considers food a central requirement for health, but it does not neglect the aesthetic (concern with beauty) or hedonistic (pleasurable) aspects of food consumption. This trend in the way people are eating crosses many aspects of the social and cultural realm, such as market practices and media content when it comes to food, which has led to some novelties and changes in these fields. Attitudes concerning the consumption and consideration of organic food have shifted globally, which seems to affect local food cultures and traditional gastronomies, while also incorporating them.

Critical consumption of food

Consumption of organic food is a form of responsible consumer behavior, since it stems from beliefs that are related to personal and public welfare. This practice requires a conscious consumer, who knows what they want and the reasons why they want it when it comes to food consumption. Such a vision of the consumer involves both environmental and personal responsibility. Organic food thus implies concern with the self and the environment and works in a very personalized fashion. Moreover, it is also a means of communicating personal beliefs. Even if consumers are consciously active, they have to be sure that the products they consume are produced according to precise criteria. This can be achieved by relying on institutional bodies, such as the United States Food and Drug Administration, which intervene in the management of organic food circulation. These groups also provide the consumer with a set of recognizable signs that convey information about the source, means of production, ingredients, and nutritional values of their food. Such a vision of organic market practices assigns a great power to the consumer, who is conceived as being able to lead a conscious market demand. In the case of organic food, the demand initially created the market, but eventually the sheer amount of products labeled organic, as well as increasing demand stimulate the consumption patterns. Even if there are numerous factors influencing shopper behaviors, media plays a great role in decision making. Over 90% of consumers receive information about food and biotechnology through popular press and television. For some people, viewing something like a documentary can be so unpleasant that they change their behavior instantly. Some consumers feel intimidated by the strong visuals and communication of mass media, sometimes leading them to react by rejecting it completely, but sometimes leading to a slow change in practices and habits. If overall level of media coverage on the risks of food technology increases, it will continue to affect the people who view it. Erving Goffman and others have identified the importance of how information is “framed” in risk judgments. Frames provide meaning, and a way of thinking about life, events, and the world in general. Depending on specific frames, judgments about the risks of non organic food can be wildly different. As frames, news stories offer the public various definitions of social reality. Through frames, the media can highlight certain points of view and can marginalize others. Organic agriculture is often portrayed in the media as an alternative to allegedly unsafe and environmentally damaging modern agriculture practices. This means it is usually defined by what it is not (unhealthy, unsafe, etc.) rather than what it is. Of the issues including health, safety, and the environment, food safety was once the least important in the discussion of organic agriculture in the media, which could be explained by the fact that health and environment have historically been larger drivers in the organic food industry. However, media reporting on the superior health benefits offered by organic foods is continuously assisting the rise of global organic food consumption.