A ’review’ in September conducted at Stanford University and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has been used by certain quarters of the media to claim bizarrely that organic food is no better for you than mass-produced stuff.
However, the review itself didn’t say that. It concluded that consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and it specifically found that:
Exposure to chemical pesticides was significantly lower in organic foods (roughly 30% less than conventional foods).
Exposure to ’superbugs in meat (antibiotic-resistant bacteria) was significantly lower in organic meat (roughly a 33% risk difference).
The media reports also failed to mention that organic food contains no GM components, hormones, sweeteners, colourings, taste additives etc. But PR people forgot to mention those when claiming that organic food was no better than mass-market alternatives.