Biologische voeding duidelijk beter dan gewone*
Volgens een Franse studie in opdracht van het Franse voedselagentschap (AFSSA) blijkt dat biologisch geteelde voeding duidelijk beter is dan “gewoon” verbouwde voeding. Biologisch geteelde voeding bevat duidelijk meer mineralen zoals
ijzer en magnesium en flink meer bioactieve stoffen waaronder de
polyfenolen. Biologisch geteelde gewassen bevatten ook wel 50% minder nitraten. Biologische dierlijke producten bevatten ook duidelijk meer onverzadigde vetzuren dan gewone dierlijke producten.
New Study Confirms: Organic Food is Far Healthier Than Conventional
Organic produce is nutritionally superior to so-called "conventional" produce, according to a comprehensive review conducted by researchers from the University of Aix-Marseille for the French food agency (AFSSA) and published in the journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development.
"This critical literature review indicates that organic agriculture, as developed until now, has the potential to produce high-quality products with some relevant improvements in terms of anti-oxidant phytomicronutrients, nitrate accumulation in vegetables and toxic residue levels," the researchers wrote.
To be recognized as "organic," a food product must be produced without the use of genetic modification or chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and must promote sustainable cropping methods. In the United States, organically produced meat and dairy must be raised without the use of synthetic growth hormones or antibiotics. Hormones and antibiotics are banned in animal production across the board in the European Union.
After conducting an "up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food," French researchers concluded that organic produce is clearly nutritionally superior.
Organic produce contains more minerals, such as iron and magnesium, than non-organic produce, and higher levels of antioxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid.
"Organic plant food overall contain double the amount of phenolic compounds," the researchers wrote.
Animal foods produced organically contained significantly more polyunsaturated fat than non-organic animal products. In addition, organic vegetables contained 50 percent less nitrates than non-organic produce. No more than 6 percent of organic produce tested contained pesticide residue.
Nutritional quality and safety of organic food. A review
Denis Lairon
INRA, UMR 1260, Nutriments Lipidiques et Prévention des Maladies Métaboliques, U476, Univ. Aix-Marseille 1, Univ. Aix-Marseille 2, Faculté de Médecine, 13385 Marseille, France
Corresponding author: denis.lairon@univmed.fr
Abstract
Food security, nutritional quality and safety vary widely around the world. Reaching these three goals is one of the major challenges for the near future. Up to now, industrialized production methods have clearly shown severe limitations such as a worldwide contamination of the food chain and water by persistent pesticide residues, and reduced nutrient and flavor contents through low-cost intensive food production and/or processing. In line with several published literature reviews, the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) performed under my coordination an up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food. This review is based on the AFSSA report issued and recently published studies. The major points are: 1/ organic plant products contain more dry matter and minerals (Fe, Mg); and contain more anti-oxidant micronutrients such as phenols and salicylic acid, 2/ organic animal products contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids, 3/ data on carbohydrate, protein and vitamin levels are insufficiently documented, 4/ 94–100% of organic food does not contain any pesticide residues, 5/ organic vegetables contain far less nitrates, about 50% less; and 6/ organic cereals contain overall similar levels of mycotoxins as conventional ones. Thus, organic agricultural systems have already proved able to produce food with high quality standards. I propose also improvements of organic production to achieve sustainable food production for humans in the near future.
DOI 10.1051/agro/2009019 Agron. Sustain. Dev. Volume 30, Number 1 (Maart 2010)
