The UK’s Food Standards Agency has said that although there are nutritional differences between organic milk and its conventional counterpart, this does not mean that consumption of organic milk brings health benefits.

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Researchers at Glasgow University contacted the FSA, a spokesperson for the agency told just-food, requesting that the body re-examine the differences between organic and conventional milk.


“We agreed that there are differences, but found that these do not equate to health benefits associated with consumption of organic milk,” the FSA told just-food.


The study, conducted by researchers at Glasgow University and presented to the FSA, demonstrated that organically produced milk contains higher levels of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. However, the FSA said: “The evidence suggests that these fatty acids appear to be of limited health benefit compared to the longer chain omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish.


The FSA found that while these short-chain omega-3 fatty acids can be converted into the longer chain variety, the conversion rate appears to be “very limited”.

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Rosie Palmer, marketing manager for the UK organic milk producers’ association OMSCo told just-food that the industry body is satisfied that the FSA has recognised that there are differences in the nutritional content of organic and conventional milk.


“All that we asked them to do was recognise that there are differences between organic and conventional milk’s nutritional content. For the first time, the FSA did recognise this fact, so we have achieved what we set out to do,” Palmer said.