The key findings of the study were:
Production method affects quality: The analysis is the most extensive and reliable to date and clearly supports the view that the quality of food is influenced by the way it is produced.
More antioxidants: Organic crops (cereals, fruit and vegetables) have significantly higher concentrations of antioxidants/(poly)phenolics compared with non-organic produced counterparts. This includes more phenolics (19% higher), flavanones (69% higher), stilbenes (28% higher), flavones (26% higher), and flavonols (50% higher). A switch to consuming organic crops would allow a 20-40% increase in antioxidant/(poly)phenolics consumption without an increase in calorie intake.
Fewer pesticides: The frequency of occurrence of detectable pesticide residues is four times higher in non-organic crops. Non-organic fruit had the highest pesticide frequency (75%), compared to non-organic vegetables (32%) and non-organic crop based processed foods (45%). By contrast pesticide residues were found in 10% of organic crop samples. The best way to reduce your exposure to pesticides in all foods is to buy organic. Certified organic food including all fruits and vegetables will overall contain fewer pesticides. Many people don’t realise over 320 pesticides can be routinely used in non-organic farming and these are often present in non-organic food.
Less cadmium: The analysis detected 48% lower concentrations of the toxic heavy metal cadmium in organic crops.
Less nitrogen: Nitrogen concentrations - linked in some studies to an increased risk of certain cancers such as stomach cancer – were found to be significantly lower in organic crops.