Organic and Conventional Produce in the U.S.: Examining Safety and Quality, Economic Values, and Consumer Attitudes

Organic agriculture is an industry sector that has been experiencing steady global growth in recent years. The United States is ranked first in organic food consumption, followed by Germany and France. In 2014, the estimated market value of organic foods in the U.S. was $42 billion; 43% of this total was attributed to produce (fruits and vegetables). Organic production systems in the U.S. must adhere to National Organic Program (NOP) standards that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices. These standards promote the recycling of resources and ecological balance while conserving biodiversity. While the U.S. organic produce sector is steadily expanding, many questions related to price, safety, nutritional quality, and consumer preference remain. This paper will provide comparisons and insights in the following areas: (1) the economic contribution and impact of the organic produce market; (2) the U.S. National Organic Standards and requirements, as well as the certification process; (3) the nutritional quality and safety of organic produce; (4) consumer attitudes and preferences regarding organic produce; and (5) future research directions and developments for the organic produce industry

Zinc and iron agronomic biofortification of Brassicaceae microgreens

Insufficient or suboptimal dietary intake of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) represent a latent health issue affecting a large proportion of the global population, particularly among young children and women living in poor regions at high risk of malnutrition. Agronomic crop biofortification, which consists of increasing the accumulation of target nutrients in edible plant tissues through fertilization or other eliciting factors, has been proposed as a short-term approach to develop functional staple crops and vegetables to address micronutrient deficiency. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the potential for biofortification of Brassicaceae microgreens through Zn and Fe enrichment. The effect of nutrient solutions supplemented with zinc sulfate (Exp-1; 0, 5, 10, 20 mg L−1) and iron sulfate (Exp-2; 0, 10, 20, 40 mg L−1) was tested on the growth, yield, and mineral concentration of arugula, red cabbage, and red mustard microgreens. Zn and Fe accumulation in all three species increased according to a quadratic model. However, significant interactions were observed between Zn or Fe level and the species examined, suggesting that the response to Zn and Fe enrichment was genotype specific. The application of Zn at 5 and 10 mg L−1 resulted in an increase in Zn concentration compared to the untreated control ranging from 75% to 281%, while solutions enriched with Fe at 10 and 20 mg L−1 increased Fe shoot concentration from 64% in arugula up to 278% in red cabbage. In conclusion, the tested Brassicaceae species grown in soilless systems are good targets to produce high quality Zn and Fe biofortified microgreens through the simple manipulation of nutrient solution composition. © 2019 by the authors