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[SANET-MG] have british food academics gone rancid?



The article below seem to consist of snooty comments form an accomplished twit. I am reminded of the reply to my comment about a study promoting GM sweet corn which was produced using methods that normally are considered fraud, the editor of the British Food Journal defended the publication noting that there was a common misconception that science was about facts. In the article below a number of significantly different values showing improved nutrients in organic crops was dismissed for being unimportant. The same kind of snide comments are used to dismissed the numerous significant differences between GM crops and unmodified crops found in the regulatory reviews of GM crops. I guess that the take home lesson from this is that significant differences no longer matter, findings have to be found agreeable to corporation public relations people in order to be called "science" in academe.
C. S. Williamson (2007)
Is organic food better for our health?
Nutrition Bulletin 32 (2), 104–108.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-3010.2007.00628.
From the conclusions to the "review"
Studies comparing the nutrient composition of organic and non-organic foods are limited in number, and there is a lack of good-quality research in this area. Few differences in nutrient composition between organic and non-organic foods have been reported, although there is some evidence that organically produced potatoes and leafy vegetables may have a higher vitamin C content and lower nitrate levels. There have also been studies showing some nutritional differences between organic and non-organic milk. Although these findings are interesting, there are many important nutrients for which no significant differences have been found (e.g. calcium in milk). Furthermore, the few differences in nutrient composition that have been reported are unlikely to have a significant impact on human health. However, much more research is still needed, particularly to determine whether there are any nutritional differences between organic and non-organic fish, meat and other animal products. More research is also required in the area of phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and carotenoids (if the potential health benefits are found to be evident). Therefore, from a nutritional perspective, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend organic foods over conventionally produced foods. In terms of maintaining good health, it is more important to consume a healthy, balanced diet which is rich in fruit and vegetables, regardless of whether the foods have been produced organically or not.

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