§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has carried out on the(a) composition and (b) impact on health of organic food. [118571]
§ Ms StuartThe Department has not carried out any research on either the composition or impact on health of organic food.
Responsibility for matters relating to the safety and composition of food now rests with the Food Standards Agency. I am advised by the agency that although it has not carried out any research into the composition of organic food it is aware that a number of studies on this subject have been carried out over the last 10 years. I am also advised that the agency has a programme of research assessing microbiological safety issues that are relevant to the production of both organic and conventionally grown fruit and vegetables.