Ecoventure Begin: taste tests and basket checks - organic myth busting.

Putting organic to the test. Is organic really more expensive? Does it taste any better than normal produce?

Maggie Haynes, owner of Tuppeny Barn says:

"the difference in taste between organic and non-organic is most noticeable in carrots and tomatoes."

So what better way to put her theory to the test than to blindfold a group of six people, give them an organic and a non organic carrot and let them decide which tastes better.

The results? Unanimous for Organic! Everyone said the organic carrot tasted better. One taste testers said; " It tasted juicier and had more moisture to it. The non organic carrot was quite dry and the taste was dull".

Although this was a small scale taste test, the results speak for themselves. Organic tastes better!

Now on to the next issue: The cost of organic. Is it really more expensive to buy organic produce in the supermarkets?

I did a price comparison between organic carrots and non organic carrots in two leading supermarkets. The prices below are the cheapest versions of both organic and non-organic carrots to ensure a fair comparison.

ASDA Organic carrots: £1.25 per kilogram

ASDA Non-organic carrots: £0.38 per kilogram

Tesco Organic carrots: £1.20 per kilogram

Tesco Non-organic carrots: £0.38 per kilogram

All prices correct in March 2012.

These results show and significant difference in price between organic and non organic, with organic carrots from both stores being three times as expensive as their non-organic counterparts.

Is it fair to say you get what you pay for? Or does the price outweigh the difference in quality?

Click HERE to read the feature and find out if eating organic can be done on a budget!

Nutritional Know How.

Nutritionist, Dr.Joanne Holmes.

Over the course of my project I've spoken to lots of different people about organic food and the notion that it is better for you. Many people said they would eat organic produce if it wasn't so expensive.

I've become curious about how much the pricing of organic reflects the reality of its assumed nutritional benefits.

I wanted to know exactly how much better organic food is for you and if, in an experts opinion, it was worth paying that bit extra.

So I spoke to Dr. Joanne Holmes,a nutritionist from Bournemouth. And what she told me shocked me a little.

You can find out why by clicking HERE.

Ecoventure Begin's Blog is Launched

Ecoventure Begin is a multi-media project created by me, Joanne Ayris, a final year Multi-Media Journalism student at Bournemouth University.

I am on a one woman mission to get to the bottom of all things organic.

I'll be scouring the country meeting farmers, talking to growers, hosting debates and even having a go at growing my own organic veg.

But what IS organic? According to the Soil Association :

"Our definition of organic food is food that is produced using environmentally and animal friendly farming methods on organic farms. These methods are legally defined and any food sold as ‘organic’ must have been inspected and registered by a certification body"

Organic requires that no nasty chemicals or fertilizers are used on plants or in animal feed. Just natural soil and a nurturing hand.

Click HERE to find out why some producers didn't take the steps to become certified organic.

Twitter: @ecoventurebegin