Organic Berries More Nutritious: Proof from Wash State Univ

A comprehensive Washington State University study broke new ground in proving the superior nutrition and soil health, among other benefits from organic berry farming.



"PULLMAN, Wash.—Side-by-side comparisons of organic and conventional strawberry farms and their fruit found the organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier and more genetically diverse.

"Our findings have global implications and advance what we know about the sustainability benefits of organic farming systems," said John Reganold, Washington State University Regents professor of soil science and lead author of a paper published today in the peer-reviewed online journal, PLoS ONE. "We also show you can have high quality, healthy produce without resorting to an arsenal of pesticides."

Washington State news article

Among their findings:

• The organic strawberries had significantly higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds.
• The organic strawberries had longer shelf life.
• The organic strawberries had more dry matter, or, "more strawberry in the strawberry."
• Anonymous testers, working at times under red light so the fruit color would not bias them, found one variety of organic strawberries was sweeter, had better flavor, and once a white light was turned on, appearance. The testers judged the other two varieties to be similar.
The researchers also found the organic soils excelled in a variety of key chemical and biological properties, including carbon sequestration, nitrogen, microbial biomass, enzyme activities, and micronutrients.

This is exactly what Bob Wilt has been saying and promoting with Sunset Valley Organics for years. The tests on our own blueberries show the superior nutrition- and we even beat conventional organics, and our customers always tell us a bout our longer shelf life, and everyone can taste the more blueberry in our blueberries.

Its wonderful to have a peer reviewed study show that what we know is true.