A comparison of microflora from organic and integrated apple production

Lucius Tamm and Laurent Zahnd, undergraduate at the University of Geneva.

Partner(s)/Spnsor(s)

Dr. Liliane Petrini, University of Geneva

Purpose

To address the claims by organic critics that such products are contaminiated with toxic microorganisms.

Methods

The microflora found on apples from integrated and organic production were classified by taxonomy.

Results

Organic apples did not contain higher levels of harmful pathogenic organisms than integrated management apples and many additional species of fungi, yeast and bacteria of unknown significance were observed. The range of species depended upon the production method.