| Organic foods are produced using organic agricultural practices which avoid or largely exclude the use of chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, growth regulators, genetic engineering and sewage sludge. Organic farming practices aim at enhancing biodiversity, genetic diversity and soil biological activity to achieve an optimal natural system. Agricultural practices can affect nutritional quality, sensory attributes and safety aspects of any crop. At the same time, public concerns regarding nutridense and safe food are increasing. Hence the present investigation was planned to study nutritional quality, antioxidant activity, level of pesticide residue and sensory quality of organically and conventionally grown foods. Awareness of consumers and farmers along with their attitude towards organic foods was also studied.;Total seventy eight food commodities from organic and conventional origin comprising seven leafy vegetables, six roots and tubers, eight other vegetables, four gourds, ten fruits, ten cereals, ten pulses, seven split pulses, ten spices and condiments and four miscellaneous foods were analyzed for nutrients and bioactive compounds. All the organically grown foods selected for the study were procured from certified organic farm/store. Similar varieties of conventional origin were procured from local farms and market of or Ahmedabad. Organic and conventional food samples were analyzed for moisture, ash, calcium, iron, phosphorus, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, protein, fat and total phenol, flavonoid and total antioxidant capacity using standard methods. Organically green leafy vegetables showed an average 12.81% higher ash, 56.25% higher calcium, 35.74% higher iron, 8.23% higher phosphorus, 13.47% higher ascorbic acid, 18.33% higher beta-carotene, 42.51% higher total phenol, 26.48% higher flavonoid and 80.10% higher DPPHRSA. However, moisture content was noticed 2.63% lower as compared to their conventional counterparts. Similarly, organic roots and tubers showed about 24.59% higher ash, 41.62% higher calcium, 61.62% higher iron, 46.76% higher phosphorus, 26.13% higher ascorbic acid, 43.85% higher total phenol, 62.60% higher flavonoid. But moisture and total antioxidant capacity were observed 0.52% and 3.40% lower in organic roots and tubers as compared to conventional roots and tubers. |
