Response of animal physiology to organic versus conventional food production methods

Abstract

a b s t r a c tA dietary intervention study was conducted to analyse the effects of compound feeds based on crops produced in two consecutive growing seasons under four agronomic regimes that differed in crop protection (organic versus conventional) and fertilization (organic versus conventional) practices, on the growth, body chemical composition, haematological parameters, plasma antioxidant capacity, hormonal balance and immune status of male Wistar rats. The nutritional composition of the compound feeds complied with the nutritional recommendations for rats. In the first season only one generation of rats (F1) was examined whereas in the second season two rat generations (F1 and F2) were studied. The agronomic variables affected markedly the nutritional composition of feeds and there were statistically significant differences in physiological parameters between dietary groups of rats. There were however statistically significant differences in feed composition and in the physiological response of the rats between the two seasons. There were also differences in physiological response between the F1 and F2 generation of rats in the second season, although these animals were fed the same compound feeds. More detailed studies are required to quantify the effect of agronomic factors on the composition of crops and the physiology of rats fed on compound feeds prepared from these crops.

Organic Food in the Diet: Exposure and Health Implications

“…Some evidence from experimental animal studies indicates that organic feed ingredients may improve animal physiology such as immune parameters and hormone balance, but the findings are not consistent and the relevance for human health is unclear (22,47,52,53,97,101). Epidemiologic studies can demonstrate statistically significant associations between exposures and health outcomes, but that in itself does not imply a causal relationship.…”

Biological Activity of Extracts from Differently Produced Blueberry Fruits in Inhibiting Proliferation and Inducing Apoptosis of HT-29 Cells

“…Hence the idea of research aimed at confirming this hypothesis. Recent studies on the evaluation of the multifactor relationship between agricultural production methods and the physiological effects on rats showed that the production methods affected the composition of the rat feeds, the growth of rats, and their hormonal and immune system status [44,45]. The results of other studies involving a large group of participants showed that a higher frequency of organic food consumption was associated with a reduced risk of cancer [46].…”

Fresh-Cut Produce: Comparasion Between Sanitation And Production Methods: Organic Versus Conventional

“…Organic fruits and vegetables are among the most popular organic products consumed (Alves et al, 2007;Forman and Silverstein, 2012;Smith-Spangler et al, 2012;Mulet, 2014, Skwarlo-Sonta et al, 2011. Studies demonstrate that consumers of organic foods are mostly people that are highly educated and with higher income, therefore share the same concerns in regard to health and the environment (Shi-Ming et al, 2006;Mulet, 2014;Saba et al, 2003;Shafie et al, 2012).…”

“…There are a number of synthetic pesticides including those used to manage pests, weeds and other contaminants. It is common the use of hormones, antibiotics, genetic engineering and irradiation in conventional agriculture (DePonti et al, 2012;Skwarlo-Sonta et al, 2011;Smith-Spangler et al, 2012;Stolz et al, 2011). It is known that the difference between organic and conventional foods is directly related to the form of cultivation as demonstrated in Figure 1.…”