The debate between organic vs conventional foods continues to be a hot topic in the world of nutrition and agriculture. People cherish organic foods for their cultivation practices. They exclude synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and artificial additives, emphasizing natural, sustainable farming methods. Advocates of organic foods argue that they are better for our health. As well as, they also promote soil and environmental health. On the other hand, conventional foods, while often more affordable, typically involve the use of synthetic chemicals. It also includes genetically engineered crops to maximize yields. Proponents of conventional agriculture claim that it helps meet the growing global demand for food. Ultimately, the choice between organic and conventional foods often depends on individual values, priorities, and budget considerations, making it a personal decision with wide-ranging implications for our health and the environment.

Study of conventional vs organic apple
Researchers carried out a study in Italy, analyzing the biochemical characteristics of conventional and organic Malus domestica apples. The major aim of this study was to highlight the total phenolic content as well as antimicrobial activity of conventional and organic Malus domestica. They also examined the polyphenolic content of pulp and peel separately.
 

The sample came from a local variety known as Annurca apple, which farmers grew in the Campania region of Southern Italy. They prepared extracts of peel and pulp separately using ethanol, methanol, and acetone. Total Phenolic Assay analyzed the total phenolic activity. The phenolic content of pulp and peel was different. The phenolic content of peel was 14 times higher than in pulp. This showed that peel contained more antioxidant compounds than pulp.
 
Comparison of polyphenol content
When comparing organic and conventional products, we found that the polyphenol content of organically grown varieties was higher than that of those produced by conventional means. This pattern occurred in both the pulp and peel of organic versus conventional produce. HPLC analysis showed that organic peel was rich in catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic and caffeic acid. They are 10 times higher in organic as compared to conventional peel. Whereas, p-coumaric and ferulic acid were greater in conventional peel as compared to organic, while phloridzin was equal in both.
 
Comparison of Antibacterial activity
Bacterial strains used for antimicrobial activity contain six type of bacterial strains of Lactobacillus family, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus. None of the extracts, conventional or organic, showed any antibacterial activity against any of six strains of Lactobacillus family. The conventional extracts showed inhibition zone of 10mm against Bacillus cereus. Organic extracts showed antibacterial activity against E.coli as well as B.cereus. The inhibition zones were approximately 15mm to 28mm in diameter at different concentrations.
 

Researchers conducted another study in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, on antioxidant activity in organic, certified organic, and conventional fruits such as oranges, lime, and apples. The results showed that organic lime and orange have higher acidity being 34.8% higher when compared with their respective conventional produce. They also noticed that there was no observable difference in the quantity of ascorbic acid in either organic, conventional, or certified organic fruits. They observed that the amount of soluble solids in organic fruits (with and without a seal) was approximately 25.8% higher than in conventional produce. DPPH assay measured antioxidant activity which marked that organic fruits, both certified and non-certified, showed more phenolic content than conventional fruits.
 
Bioactive compounds in conventional vs organic foods
A comparative study in Poland indicated bioactive compounds in conventional and organic raspberry. They conducted this research to highlight the differences in the quantities of antioxidant compounds in both raspberry varieties. They measured vitamin C using spectrophotometry and used HPLC to determine the presence of polyphenols. Results showed no major difference between quantities of Vitamin C. They observed that organic raspberries contained significantly more antioxidant compounds than conventional ones. These included; anthocyanin group (cyanidin, pelargonidin, delphinidin, malvinidin, peonidin, petunin), phenolic acids (caffeic, synapic and p-coumaric acids) and flavonols (rutin, quercetin-Dglucoside, myrycetin, quercetin).
 
Comparison of organic vs conventional green leafy vegetables
Researchers in Malaysia conducted a study to determine the polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity of some organic and conventional green leafy vegetables, including: kale (Brassica alboglabra), spinach (Amaranthus spp.) and sawi (Brassica parachinensis). They tested these vegetables for Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC). They evaluated the antioxidant activity of the vegetable extracts using DPPH. The results of TPC showed that, the highest phenolic content is present in sawi while lowest in spinach for both organic and conventional. TFC test showed that organically grown sawi is richer in flavonoids among all vegetables while conventional kale has the lowest. In this study the antioxidant activity of all of conventionally grown vegetables is higher as compared to their respective organic produce. They also calculated IC50. The conventionally grown sawi exhibited the highest inhibition.
 

A similar study compared organic and conventional cultivars of lettuce, arugula, and chicory. In this study, they analyzed their antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay and examined Total Phenolic Content (TPC) through spectrometry according to the standard Folin-Ciocalteu method. Methanolic extracts of organic types exhibited higher phenolic content as well as antioxidant activity. The results of DPPH showed that organic arugula has highest antioxidant activity followed by organic chicory, organic lettuce, conventional arugula, conventional chicory, and conventional lettuce (from highest to lowest).
 
Antioxidant activity of conventional vs organic food
Researchers in Solvania conducted another study where they compared the antioxidant activity of approximately 16 samples of conventional and organic origins. The selected samples were basal, parsley, celery, broccoli, beetroot, carrot, cherry tomato, cucumber, eggplant, tomato, rocket, apple, cherry, pear and raspberry. Overall, conventionally grown vegetables yielded higher values in the DPPH assay. However, for broccoli, cucumber, rocket, and cherries, organic produce demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant activity.
 

Researchers carried out a study in Spain to evaluate the antioxidant and antimutagenic activity of pomegranate juices from both organic and conventional origins. They prepared the extracts in methanol and analyzed antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. HPLC was used to determine the quantities of phenolic compounds present in samples. Salmonella typhimurium was used as tester strain to determine antimutagenic activity.
 

The results showed that total phenolic content (TPC) was higher in conventional type as compared to organic. For DPPH, both organic and conventional showed same results. Trace amounts of Ellagic acid was founded in both. The quantity of Punicalagin was higher in conventional as compared to organic. The sample was found to be antimutagenic either from conventional or organic source. It has been noticed that conventional type has more antimutagenicity as compared to organic. This may be because of higher punicalagin content (201 and 104 mg L⁻¹ for conventional and organic juices, respectively).