Consumers appear to be willing to pay higher prices for organic foods based on their perceived health and nutritional benefits, however, new research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found no evidence of superior nutritional content for organic foods.
During the review, a total of 162 relevant studies were compared for the nutritional content of organically and conventionally produced foods.
For 10 of the 13 nutrient categories analyzed, there were no significant differences between production systems in nutrient content.
The differences that were detected are likely due to differences in fertilizer use (nitrogen, phosphorus), and harvest time (acidity), and it is unlikely that intake of these nutrients at the levels reported in organic foods would provide any health benefits. .
“Small differences in nutrient content between organic and conventionally produced foods were found, but these are unlikely to be of any public health relevance,” said Alan Dangoor of Nutrition and Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Intervention Research Unit, and one of the authors of the report.
“Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to favor organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority.
“Research in this area would benefit from greater scientific rigor and a better understanding of the various factors that determine the nutritional content of foods,” Dangur added.
The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.