Do organic herbs actually taste better? MacTavish:West put herbs to the taste test.

The problem:  Do organic herbs taste better, worse or as good as non-organic herbs?  A large protected UK grower of tomatoes, cucumbers and pot herbs asked MacTavish:West to assess and describe the sensory properties of fresh pot herbs of three species: basil, parsley and coriander, grown either conventionally or organically, and to make recommendations for improving the flavour of pot-grown coriander.  Being able to supply flavoursome pot herbs, grown organically, would open up new retail opportunities for the supplier.   

The solution: MacTavish:West assessed the sensory properties of the herb samples by taking a small representative sample from each (random, unidentified) plant and placing in special headspace glass jars. 

The herbs were then assessed for odour, taste and overall flavour intensity (score out of 5) = sensory assessment.  Subjective descriptions such as ‘the ‘celery’ spiciness is initially apparent, with a fresh, green-ness which lasts’ were developed for each sample. The results were tabulated and reported back to the client, along with recommendations for lighting and temperature trials which could be undertaken to potentially improve flavour intensity in pot-grown coriander.

The result:  We did not know when analysing the samples which were grown using conventional methods (compost and fertiliser) and which using organic treatments.  We made some suppositions based on the results and were later informed that we were over 90% correct in each case!  And I bet you now want to know which were tastier?  Well...that would be telling! Suffice to say that new products were successfully launched!