I decided to snap this picture after a coworker walked by my desk and shouted, "That's not organic!" He was referring to the monstrous peach in the picture next to the grapefruit. I never really thought about it, but why is non-organic food generally larger than organic food?
To a large extent it's the application of irrigation water that increases or decreases the size of our food. In more conventional practices, commercial producers apply more water, as there is more money per pound gained with water-pumped fruits and vegetables. In addition, chemical fertilizers or salts increase the water uptake in cells, causing plants to retain water and bloat.
Major ingredients in chemical fertilizers include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), which promote rapid growth, but lack any basic minerals, leaving fruits and vegetables under-nourished, which also affects taste. Outside looking in, chemical fertilizers make fruits and vegetables look large and lush, when in reality it is fast grown, water-pumped food.
Another influence is plant breeding or the use of hybrid plants that have been bred to be larger. Not all food plants can be made into hybrid plants, but many of them are through extensive plant crossing, which organic producers typically do not practice, thereby yielding smaller food and explaining yesterday's grossly enlarged peach.
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