Science

Organic talked down in the UK

Jan

6

As reported by the BBC and The Times the British Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that organic produce may be no better for you than conventional produce. Are his statements aimed at decreasing the demand for organic products? Last year organic food sales rose 30% in the UK while only 4% of total farm production is organic. Meanwhile, it's hard to find evidence for or against the claim that organic food does have more nutritional value. A study from 2001 states that:

Organic crops contained significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus and significantly less nitrates than conventional crops. There were non significant trends showing less protein but of a better quality and a higher content of nutritionally significant minerals with lower amounts of some heavy metals in organic crops compared to conventional ones.
Another study says that the nutritional content is basically equal. Perhaps the secretary should be making the opposite statement, that organic produce is at least as good as conventional produce but without herbicides, pesticides and much less fertilizer.


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