When consumers are asked whether they consider the quality of our food to be better, worse or the same compared to the past, many say they think it is worse. Is this really the case? Was higher quality food produced in the past?
The term “quality” has many definitions. In the case of food, product quality is mainly determined by nutritional value and health value. But the use and enjoyment value is also of great importance. These are properties that can usually be detected and also controlled on the product food.
The nutritional value
Consumer distrust of nutritional content relates particularly to fruits and vegetables. Many assume that intensive agricultural use has depleted soils of nutrients and, accordingly, the plants that grow in these soils contain fewer nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, resulting in reduced nutritional quality.
However, there is no scientific justification for this. To ensure a good harvest and the best yields, crops are specifically fertilized and the nutrient content of the soil is regularly checked. This ensures that the plant has optimum growing conditions, because an adequate supply of nutrients allows the plant to grow and thrive well. An important side effect is that by eating fruits and vegetables, we also absorb many vitamins and minerals that help maintain our health.
Was there more in fruits and vegetables in the past?
If we look at the nutritional content of plant foods, we can see that it is subject to natural variations. Numerous factors can cause variations. Soil, location, climate, cultivation method, fertilization and harvest time are among them. But the degree of ripeness, transport and storage also play an important role. For this reason, nutritional value tables usually indicate an average value.
A comparison of the current mean values with the data in earlier nutritional value tables shows that there have been only minor fluctuations in the average nutritional value content over the last 5 decades. This is the conclusion of the 2004 Nutrition Report, which included a comparison of the nutritional values of 8 foods selected as examples.
The health value
If one speaks about the health value of a food, it is especially about food safety. Here, the hygienic-toxicological quality plays an important role, i.e. the content of ingredients, additives or harmful substances that can have a negative impact on our health.
If we look at the many food scandals of recent years, we are given the feeling that our food is not safe. This belies the fact that nowadays we have a very high level of safety in the vast majority of food products. This is proven by the results of food monitoring and the annual food monitoring. For more on this topic, see our series “Is Our Food Harmful to Health?”
