MANILA, Philippines - If you want to know more about your food, get to know the people who produced it.

That's what Rosalina Tan, chairman emeritus of the Organic Producers and Trade Association (OPTA), said when asked how to distinguish between organic and conventionally produced food.

Consumers interested in organic food -- from fruits and vegetables to processed food items -- usually have to buy directly from the producers themselves, if not from specialty stores.

If you know how your food is being made, chances are you'll find out if it's organic or not, Tan said.

"Gusto namin ibalik ang relationship ng buyer at producer [with organic food] (We want to bring back the relationship between a buyer and a producer)," she said in an interview on ABS-CBN's "Umagang Kay Ganda" on Thursday.

She added, "Kadalasan mga mamimili dito [sa OPTA] mga kakilala namin (Most of the time, we already know our customers here at OPTA)."

Organic food is defined as food items produced without the use of synthetic materials such as pesticides and growth hormones. This is different from conventionally produced food, which involves the use of different chemicals and preservatives.

Aside from knowing your producer and looking at food labels, here are some quick tips on how to identify organic fruits and vegetables, as mentioned by Tan:

1. They do not usually look as flawless as the supermarket varieties, which may have gone through a number of synthetic processes. Blemishes and uneven sizes are common in organic fruits and vegetables -- these, however, don't mean that such food items are not fresh.

2. Organic fruits and vegetables usually have a stronger, bolder taste compared to conventionally produced ones. Unlike supermarket varieties, these had the luxury of growing slowly and on a fuller range of nutrients.

3. Organic fruits and vegetables have a distinct and natural smell. At times, supermarket varieties smell faintly of chemicals.

4. They are usually more expensive than the supermarket varieties, not because they are organic, but because they are not as readily available.

This July, the Philippines celebrates nutrition month.