Organically-grown onions, carrots and potatoes do not appear to have higher levels of antioxidants than vegetables grown with traditional fertilizers and pesticides, despite their premium cost, according to a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
According to the study, the most important reasons for the popularity of organic food products include improved animal welfare, environmental protection, better taste and possible health benefits. However, the health benefits of organic food consumption are still controversial and not considered scientifically well documented.
The researchers analyzed onions, carrots and potatoes that were cultivated in 2-year field trials in three different geographical locations, comprising one conventional and two organic agricultural systems. The contents of flavonoids and phenolic acids in plants were analyzed by pressurized liquid extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography—ultraviolet quantification. In onions and carrots, no statistically significant differences between growth systems were found for any of the analyzed polyphenols.
“On the basis of the present study carried out under well controlled conditions, it cannot be concluded that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally have higher contents of health-promoting secondary metabolites in comparison with the conventionally cultivated ones," they wrote.
Sources:
* Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry: Effects of Organic and Conventional Growth Systems on the Content of Flavonoids in Onions and Phenolic Acids in Carrots and Potatoes
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