Abstract
The increasing demand of organic agriculture (OA) is based on the consumer’s belief that organic agricultural products are healthier, tastier and more nutritious. The effect of OA and conventional agriculture (CA) methods on the elemental compositions of green and red sweet peppers were studied. The highest concentrations of Ca, Cu, K and P occur in peppers from OA in both states of ripeness, with emphasis on Ca and K contents. Furthermore, the principal component analysis (PCA), points out to a clear separation, regarding concentrations, between peppers from OA and CA. The average fruit weight is higher in OA, 141 g versus 112 g in CA. Regarding productivity, CA reaches a value of 30.1 t/ha, 7% higher than the value observed for OA, i.e., 28 t/ha. Peppers from CA, exhibited greater protein content than those which originated from OA, regardless of the ripening stage, but not more ashes. Regarding nutritional ratios, the ripening stage and the production mode, can be important for an adequate choice regarding a more balanced Ca/P ratio, and the studied variety contained high Ca values ranging between 1009 and 1930 mg.kg−1. The PCA analysis also revealed that Mn and Fe are inversely correlated, confirming the importance of the Mn/Fe ratio evaluation in nutritional studies.
Highlights
Current agricultural systems have been mainly focused on yield rather than on balanced energy input/output ratios or on the sustainability of ecosystems and food production
The aim of the present study is to evaluate the differences, regarding the elemental composition, and other nutritional characteristics, of two different cultures of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) using organic and conventional agricultural approaches and taking into account two different ripening stages
Potassium is the most abundant element followed by P and Ca
Summary
Current agricultural systems have been mainly focused on yield rather than on balanced energy input/output ratios or on the sustainability of ecosystems and food production. Farmers are facing a dilemma between pursuing their activities and maintaining or increasing their income, or adapting to climate change (CC) scenarios and reducing GHGs emissions. Whatever the strategies for feeding the world in a more sustainable way, we currently assist a huge expansion of organic agriculture (OA) mainly based on an environmental awareness of the consumers and concerns with their food safety despite the criticism of some authors. Organic production currently accounts for only 1.4% of global agricultural land with approximately 70 million ha in 2017, it is responsible for a global organic market that has reached 97 billion US dollars in the same year Organic production currently accounts for only 1.4% of global agricultural land with approximately 70 million ha in 2017, it is responsible for a global organic market that has reached 97 billion US dollars in the same year (approx. 90 billion euros), involving almost three million producers worldwide
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