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A study released this week by Standford University shows there is little health benefit gained from eating organic foods rather than conventionally grown produce and meat. Will this influence consumer habits?
From the New York Times: "They concluded that fruits and vegetables labeled organic were, on average, no more nutritious than their conventional counterparts, which tend to be far less expensive. Nor were they any less likely to be contaminated by dangerous bacteria like E. coli.
"The researchers also found no obvious health advantages to organic meats.
"Conventional fruits and vegetables did have more pesticide residue, but the levels were almost always under the allowed safety limits, the scientists said. The Environmental Protection Agency sets the limits at levels that it says do not harm humans."
This study certainly flies in the face of the rising popularity of buying and eating locally grown produce, the increasing presence of organic sections in supermarkets, and the burgeoning farmers' market scene. What does this study mean to all of those folks?
Take a walk down to the local farmer's market and ask sellers and buyers there for their reaction to this news. Ask fans and followers on social media for their reaction.
(And when you're off deadline, watch this video of Penn and Teller conducting a taste test between organic and conventional produce.)
