Latest Research Quality and Safety of Organic Food

By: Intan DF, PT BIOCert Indonesia Bogor
Latest Research Quality and Safety of Organic Food


"Scientific evidence gathered from various research projects during the last four years showed that organic farming systems with low intake of produce quality and food safety in general is better than conventional food production systems", said project coordinator QLIF, Leifert from the University Prof.Carlo Newcastle in the UK. Results and new hypotheses are presented as an open workshop on the World Organic Congress in Modena (Italy) on 19-20 June 2008.
Composition of the increased nutrient content in organic food


There is additional evidence that organic farming practices and low berasupan on food composition to produce the increased nutrient content. QLIF workshop is to evaluate the latest scientific knowledge about the composition of food nutrient content of organic production systems and conventional critically. For example: the level of secondary metabolites in terms of nutritional benefit, but this effect is not always consistent. In the livestock production systems found that the quality, organic farming is more profitable, for example meat and milk. Another report recently published also shows the positive impact of organic milk consumption.
High food safety in organic products
QLIF Recent research also indicates that there is no evidence that the production system with a low intake of food safety risks causing a higher than conventional production systems. But in reality, agronomic practices used in organic agriculture, again showing a decrease of the risk associated animal drugs, residues and the development mikotoksin micro-organisms resistant to antibiotics in food.
Low productivity brings benefits to product quality and environmental
Challenges of organic production systems is that the results can be sold per hectare, in general, lower than conventional systems. On the other hand, QLIF project has a strategy to improve the results of some food products such as wheat, lettuce and tomato. Lower productivity was also suspected as the cause of product quality and a better environment so that, (i) intake lower nitrogen can reduce the release of N that causes ground water quality is better, (ii) plant density can cause the density of wild flora more high, and (iii) organic crop rotations can create diverse habitat for beneficial insects, soil microbes, and wild animals threatened with extinction. Thus, organic agriculture offers benefits to the local nature conservation.
Challenge to livestock production systems outside the cage
Organic production systems aim to improve the health and welfare of animals, but also considers the environment in which we live and the income of farmers. This is not an easy task, in which elements of animal welfare and environmental considerations are not always balanced each other. QLIF research results provide recommendations to farmers and other stakeholders on how to develop organic farming. For example by providing fiber to pig intestines in order to improve health, and included in the feed dry plants to combat worms that cause disease.
Energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions
QLIF research results and other studies show that in terms of energy use and emissions of gas, food crop production systems are generally superior to conventional production systems. On the farm sector, the conclusion is more varied. Animals such as cattle, can be grazed in the wider area, so that organic production can generate energy balance better than conventional systems. However, the efficiency of feed use in organic production is often lower than conventional production, and to feed that comes from cereals and other annual plant products, this causes the energy balance better on a conventional system.
Source: www.organik-market.info