Systematic reviews of scientific literature evaluating organic food for nutrient content and health effects
OverviewThe global demand for organic food is rising. In 2007 the organic food market in the UK was estimated to be worth over £2 billion - an increase of 22% since 2005. The UK organic market is now the third largest in Europe after Germany and Italy. These increased sales are thought to result, at least in part, from increased consumer confidence in the safety of organic foods, and their perceived benefits to human health and the environment. Several reviews published in the past 10 years have compared nutritional composition of organic and conventionally produced foods, and have reported equivocal results. None of the reviews employed an explicitly systematic methodology. Little research has been conducted on the potential benefits of organic foods for human health, and there is no consistent underlying hypothesis for the mechanisms of action of any putative health benefits. Given the large and increasing demand for organic foods in the UK and elsewhere, up-to-date objective independent statements on the relative nutritional and health merits of organic vs. conventionally produced foods are needed for both public policy and consumer advice. This project will produce two separate systematic reviews of published
scientific literature. The first review will compare the composition
(nutrients and other nutritionally-relevant substances) of organically
and conventionally produced foods. The second review will evaluate the
putative health effects of organic food.
ProtocolsTo access the systematic review protocol on the composition (nutrients and other substances) of organically and conventionally produced foods, please press here.To access the systematic review protocol on the putative health effects
of organic food, please press here.
Please note this is an updated protocol (updated 21st October 2008).
Project timelineStart date: 15th September 2008 |
