August 01, 2014 - Blog
Organic foods and crops—including fruits, vegetable and grains—may have more antioxidants and fewer, less frequent pesticide residues than their conventional counterparts.
A recent study looked at 343 peer-reviewed publications comparing the nutritional quality and safety of organic and conventional plant-based foods, and found that overall, organic crops had 18 to 69 percent higher concentrations of antioxidant compounds. Specifically, the organic crops had 19 percent more phenolic acids, 69 percent more flavanones, 28 percent more stilbenes, 26 percent more flavones, 50 percent more flavonols, and 51 percent more anthocyanins.
An organic label on food and beverage products can translate to a healthy bottom line for manufacturers. In fact, according to this FoodTech Toolbox infographic, sales of products labeled as “organic" reached $8.9 billion in 2013. However, labeling foods as “organic" can open manufacturers up to unwanted legal hassle if not implemented correctly. (For a closer look at the legal implications of food product labeling, check out the FoodTech Toolbox slide show, “Legal Pitfalls in Marketing and Labeling Food Products.")
Since organic farmers are not allowed to apply synthetic pesticides, the research also unveiled that pesticide residues were three to four times more likely in conventional foods than organic ones.
While crops harvested from organically-managed fields sometimes contain pesticide residues, the levels are usually 10-fold to 100-fold lower in organic food, compared to the corresponding, conventionally grown food. Specifically, researchers found that conventional crops had about twice as much cadmium, a toxic heavy metal contaminant, as organic crops. They hypothesized that certain fertilizers approved for use only on conventional farms somehow make cadmium more available to plant roots.
Organic foods and crops—including fruits, vegetable and grains—may have more antioxidants and fewer, less frequent pesticide residues than their conventional counterparts.
A recent study looked at 343 peer-reviewed publications comparing the nutritional quality and safety of organic and conventional plant-based foods, and found that overall, organic crops had 18 to 69 percent higher concentrations of antioxidant compounds. Specifically, the organic crops had 19 percent more phenolic acids, 69 percent more flavanones, 28 percent more stilbenes, 26 percent more flavones, 50 percent more flavonols, and 51 percent more anthocyanins.
An organic label on food and beverage products can translate to a healthy bottom line for manufacturers. In fact, according to this FoodTech Toolbox infographic, sales of products labeled as “organic" reached $8.9 billion in 2013. However, labeling foods as “organic" can open manufacturers up to unwanted legal hassle if not implemented correctly. (For a closer look at the legal implications of food product labeling, check out the FoodTech Toolbox slide show, “Legal Pitfalls in Marketing and Labeling Food Products.")
Since organic farmers are not allowed to apply synthetic pesticides, the research also unveiled that pesticide residues were three to four times more likely in conventional foods than organic ones.
While crops harvested from organically-managed fields sometimes contain pesticide residues, the levels are usually 10-fold to 100-fold lower in organic food, compared to the corresponding, conventionally grown food. Specifically, researchers found that conventional crops had about twice as much cadmium, a toxic heavy metal contaminant, as organic crops. They hypothesized that certain fertilizers approved for use only on conventional farms somehow make cadmium more available to plant roots.
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