Study authors found no strong evidence in favor of the organics when comparing the results of hundreds of previous studies.
Stanford University physician Crystal Smith-Spangler and her coauthors did not find consistent differences in nutrient levels between the two options. There was a 30% lower risk of pesticide contamination in organic than in conventional food, but it was rare for food from either group to exceed limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Despite the widespread perception that organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventional alternatives, we did not find robust evidence supporting this perception," the authors noted.
“The purpose of this study was not to tell people what to buy and eat, but to give people the information about the difference, Smith-Spangler said. A 2000 study, meanwhile, compared pesticide levels in three brands of baby food, two of them conventional and one organic. The authors didn’t detect pesticide residues in any of the samples.
According to Mintel, organic baby food made up about 10% of the $1.4 billion U.S. baby food and snacks market in 2011. A Washington Post article reported that parents go organic for a variety of reasons, including environmental concerns and a desire to avoid pesticide residue.
