French Research Gives Boost to Organic Food

Australian Food News—A recent report by the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) has suggested that organic foods are more nutritious just a month after a UK report argued there was currently little evidence to indicate that organic food had additional health benefits compared to conventionally produced food.

Shane Heaton, Nutritionist for the Biological Farmers of Australia, said the French research was a thorough and critical evaluation of the nutritional quality of organic food, and has found organic foods have higher levels of minerals and antioxidants as well as a number of other benefits.

The French research was set up in 2001 by French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) to perform an evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food. Published in the peer reviewed scientific journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development, the study found that:
• Organic plant products contain more dry matter (more nutrient dense)
• Organic plant products have higher levels of minerals
• Organic plant products contain more anti-oxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid (known to protect against cancers, heart disease and many other health problems)
• Carbohydrate, protein and vitamin levels are insufficiently documented
• 94-100% of organic foods do not contain any pesticide residues
• Organic vegetables contain far less nitrates, about 50% less
• Organic cereals contain similar levels of mycotoxins as conventional ones
• Organically-bred cattle have more lean meat and more polyunsaturated fatty acids than their conventional counterparts
• Organic chicken fillets contain 2-3 times less fat and are significantly higher in n-3 fatty acid content (with reported anti-cancer effects and other health benefits).

Read the complete story at AFN.