It has been reported today that the biggest study into organic food has concluded that it is more nutritious than conventionally-grown produce and may help to lengthen people's lives.
The evidence from the £12 million four-year project could signal a change in government approach and see ministers alter their advice that eating organic food is no more than a lifestyle choice.
The study found that organic fruit and vegetables contained as much as 40 per cent more antioxidants. They also had higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.
Professor Carlo Leifert, the co-ordinator of the European Union-funded project, said the differences could also reduce the recommended daily intake level from the current five a day. “If you have just 20 per cent more antioxidants and you can’t get your kids to do five a day, then you might just be okay with four a day,” he said.
The Food Standards Agency has already confirmed it is reviewing the evidence before deciding whether to change its advice. But the pressure will now be placed on the FSA by the organic lobby, which has waited a long time, and sifted through hundreds of inconclusive research projects, for any study to throw up these types of results.
Researchers grew fruit and vegetables and reared cattle on adjacent organic and non-organic sites on a 725-acre farm attached to Newcastle University, and at other sites in Europe. They grew both organic and conventional test crops - including cabbages, lettuces, carrots and potatoes - side by side, and compared factors such as nutritional quality.
As well as finding up to 40 per cent more antioxidants in organic vegetables, they also found that organic tomatoes from Greece had significantly higher levels of antioxidants, including flavonoids thought to reduce coronary heart disease.
Leifert said: “There is enough evidence now that the level of good things is higher in organics,” he said.
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