A new study has claimed that the environmental impact of the production, packaging and distri- bution of organic bread is far less than that of conventional bread, with organic bread emitting as much as a quarter less CO2 into the atmosphere.
The research, conducted by the Öko-Institut in Freiburg, Germany, was part of comprehensive research into green- house emissions, calculating the CO2 equivalent of foodstuffs.
It found that all organic foods have a better CO2 balance than conventional products, but organic wheat bread was found to cause 25% fewer CO2 emissions than conventional wheat bread per kilogram of product.
The figures were calculated using the CO2 emissions of agriculture, transport, milling, baking, ingredients and packaging.
The bulk of the CO2 saving on organic bread was from farming, with conventional farming emitting over twice as much CO2 - 270g CO2 per kg of conventional bread compared to 129g CO2 in organic.
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=== Trade board sets out plans to double organic business ===
In other organic news the Organic Trade Board (OTB) has announced it plans to double the value of organic trade over the next five years. Finn Cottle, previously of Sainsbury’s, Somerfield and the Noble Foods Group, has just been appointed to the board as a consultant. Her role will include establishing the current status of organic businesses throughout the UK, and working with them to "knock down those barriers that are hampering growth".
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