Organic Strawberries Beat Conventionally Grown in Test Plots

Some consumers buy organically grown foods because they believe the products are healthier, tastier and better for the environment. But is this assessment true?

消费者会购买有机食品，是因为他们认为这些是健康味美的绿色食品。但这个观点真的正确吗？

To find out, a group of U.S.-based scientists looked at strawberries. For the study, the researchers analyzed 13 plots of organic strawberries and conventional strawberries grown side by side. They found that the organic strawberries contained 10 percent more Vitamin C and antioxidants than their conventional counterparts. The organic strawberries were smaller on average than conventional berries, but each piece of organic fruit actually contained more dry matter—the meat, if you will, of the berry. The organic berries also had a longer shelf-life.

美国的一组科学家通过观察草莓来探究该观点到底正确与否。为此，科学家们研究了13块同期种植有机草莓和普通草莓的种植地。研究发现，有机草莓含有的维生素C和抗氧化成分要比普通草莓多10%。虽然有机草莓比较小，但是纯果肉却要比普通草莓多得多，保质期也较长。

And finally, a soil analysis showed that the organic plots contained more microorganisms than conventional acreage. So, the study adds some scientific evidence to the belief that organic berries are healthier, tastier and more environmentally sound. The findings are published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE. [John Reganold, http://bit.ly/d80cbL] Researchers believe that combining organic methods with some conventional agricultural practices will provide the produce of the future.

此外，土壤分析显示，有机土壤中含有较多的微生物。综上，该项研究为上述观点提供了有力的科学依据。《公共科学图书馆·综合》上刊载了该研究。研究人员认为，有机培养方式与传统种植方式相结合定能开创新未来~