Author
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Lester, Gene |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2008 Publication Date: 5/18/2008 Citation: Lester, G.E. 2008. Comparison of organic versus conventional grapefruit: Effects on human health nutrients [abstract]. Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo, June 28 - July 1, 2008, New Orleans, Louisiana. A-140-03. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Claims that organic produce is better tasting and more nutritious than non-organic (conventional) produce are largely unsubstantiated. This is due mainly to a lack of rigor in matching common production variables of both production systems, such as microclimate, soil type, previous crop, irrigation source, plant age, and cultivar. When all common production variables were matched in a production system, comparison of commercially-grown conventional and certified-organic red-fruited grapefruit, conventional fruit was found to be better colored, higher in lycopene, less tart, lower in the bitter principle naringin, and were better tasting than organic. However, organic fruit had a commercially preferred thinner peel, was higher in vitamin C, citric acid, and sugars, and lower in the drug interactive bergamottin compounds and the negative health compound nitrate. |
