A study released today (16 February) has concluded that organic dairy and meat products contain around 50% more omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally produced alternatives. 

Researchers at Newcastle University in the UK found key nutritional differences between organic nad non-organic meat and dairy. As well as containing more omega-3, organic animal products are also 40% higher in conjugated linoleic acid, which has been linked to a range of health benefits in animal testing, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and obesity. 

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Organic meat had “slightly lower concentrations” of two saturated fats linked to heart disease and organic milk and dairy contains “slightly higher” concentrations of iron, Vitamin E and some carotenoids, the researchers added. 

Welcoming the research, Helen Browning, chief executive of organic body the Soil Association said the findings “confirm” what many people have always thought was true – what you feed farm animals and how you treat them affects the quality of the food – whether it’s milk, cheese or a cut of meat.”

She continued: “Organic farming methods require all organic farmers to adopt techniques that guarantee nutritionally different foods. Following research in 2014 confirming nutritional differences between organic and non-organic crops like fruit and vegetables – we can now say for certain that organic farming makes organic food different.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact