Claims that such produce has no nutritional edge are one-sided and inconclusive, say organic farmers
Jamie Ee Wen Wei, Straits Times 30 Aug 09;
Organic farmers and supporters in Singapore are finding it difficult to stomach a recent British study claiming that organic food has no nutritional edge over conventional produce.
Calling the study one-sided and inconclusive, they claim it has not affected their business, although they fear worldwide news reports of the findings could also turn some potential converts away.
'I'm disappointed with it,' said Mr Max Liao, business development manager of Quan Fa Organic Farm.
'I don't think the report gave a strong argument against organic food. Throughout the years, there have been so many studies that showed that people experienced better health after eating organic food.'
The study was conducted by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and commissioned by the British government's Food Standards Agency (FSA).
It was a result of a systematic review of 162 papers published in scientific literature over the past 50 years. Since the findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition a month ago, the study has drawn flak from the organic food movement for not being comprehensive enough.
Organic food, devoid of additives and produced without chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides, has become an increasingly popular choice among the health-conscious in recent years.
The world organic market was said to be worth an estimated US$48 billion (S$69 billion) in 2007.
Mr Tai Seng Yee, executive director of Zenxin Agri-Organic Food, which runs four organic farms in Malaysia and a wholesale store in Pasir Panjang, also dismissed the study.
'It is not representative of all the studies that have been done on organic food,' he said.
He pointed out that just two years ago, a major European Union-funded study - the biggest of its kind then - had found that organic produce contained as much as 40 per cent more antioxidants. Antioxidants are said to cut the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Mr Tai said his company's products were sent for laboratory tests three years ago and were found to contain over 15 per cent more antioxidants.
Some organic farmers also questioned if the products sampled in the literature review were grown under controlled quality. In the report, the researchers said that nearly two-thirds of the included studies 'failed to provide a clear description of the organic regimen under which the crops or livestock products (the study exposures) were produced'.
Mr Chai Kien Chin, owner of Fire Flies Health Farm in Lim Chu Kang, said: 'It is very difficult to compare crops grown in different environments as they may turn out very differently. So what is their standard?'
Others pointed out that the study did not look into the impact of pesticides and chemical fertilisers on normal food.
Ms Jay Chong, from Camu Camu Organic and Nature House in Hougang, said many customers choose organic food to minimise their exposure to pesticides.
'They believe it's harmful to them in the long run,' she said.
But the Health Promotion Board and dieticians interviewed sided with the study.
A spokesman for the board said it has been keeping abreast of scientific investigations on organic foods, and the latest study concurs with its position that 'overall, organic foods are not nutritionally more superior than conventionally produced foods'.
Echoing her views, Madam Koay Saw Lan, head of dietetics and nutrition services of Singapore General Hospital, also pointed out that there are strict government standards to ensure that all conventional foods are wholesome, safe and nutritious.
Dieticians advised consumers to focus on having a well-balanced diet instead.
Senior dietician Pauline Chan, managing director of The Nutrition Place, said: 'To buy or not to buy organic foods is a personal choice and really depends on the taste preference and the food budget one has.'
Sales of organic products here continue to surge despite the recession, as prices have fallen by more than 20 per cent in the past two years. The rise of organic farms in the region has been cited as one key factor.
At NTUC FairPrice, sales of its house-brand organic products Pasar Organic have increased by more than 30 per cent since it was launched in July last year, said Mr Tng Ah Yiam, the supermarket's director of integrated purchasing.
In the end, industry players say they would rather let their food do the talking. Mr Tai from Zenxin said: 'They taste good and many customers have testified that organic food has improved their quality of life.'
