Potential Health Benefits of a Diet Rich in Organic Fruit and Vegetables versus a Diet Based on Conventional Produce: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract Context Over the past decade, the production and consumption of organic food (OF) have received increasing interest. Scientific studies have shown better quality of organic fruit and vegetables (FV) in terms of nutrients and pesticide contents, but it appears difficult to conclude if there are potentially greater health benefits of these products compared with conventional food (CF). Objective To determine whether the current scientific literature demonstrates that a diet rich in organic FV is healthier than 1 based on conventional produce. Methods A systematic search was conducted using the PubMed and Web of Science databases for articles published between January 2003 and December 2022. Articles were analyzed uniformly by 2 reviewer, using a specific template summary sheet, and scored from 1 to 5. The level of evidence and the quality of studies in humans were assessed using the Jadad score and the French National Authority for Health method. Results A total of 12 human studies were included. Studies often reported contradictory or even opposite results, with methodological limitations. Only 6 of the 12 studies found significant associations between OF and the health outcomes evaluated. Conclusion The current data do not enable a firm conclusion about a greater health benefit for a diet rich in FV based on products grown organically compared with conventional farming. There is a paucity of available data and considerable heterogeneity in study designs (participants, exposures, durations, health outcomes, and residual confounding factors). Well-designed interventional studies are required.