Your 9 top questions about organic food

Why are organic foods potentially healthier?
Organic foods are foods you can trust and feel good about, and eating them brings many benefits. Uniquely, they contain no hydrogenated fats, artificial additives, flavourings or preservatives, and they are produced without the use of artificial pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or routine antibiotics. In addition, organic fresh produce generally has lower nitrate levels and can have higher mineral and vitamin C content.

Do organic foods contain any additives?
Organic foods are processed with the minimum processing necessary for each type of foodstuff. A limited number of natural processing aids, such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or guar gum, are approved and will be clearly labelled on the packaging. All are under constant review and no new processing aid is added without the closest scrutiny.

Are organic foods pesticide-free?
Because pesticides are endemic – in the air, the ground and the water supplies – and therefore the risk of contamination is always present, it is impossible for organic farming to claim to be entirely pesticide-free. However, since organic foods are produced without the use of artificial pesticides direct exposure to pesticide residues in organic foods is effectively reduced to zero.