Organic food provides no more nutritional benefits than conventionally produced food, according to a major study published Wednesday.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said in the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, that consumers are willing to pay higher prices for organic foods based on their perceived health and nutritional benefits. The global organic food market was estimated in 2007 to be worth $48 billion.

However, after pouring over 162 scientific studies published over 50 years, the researchers found there was no significant difference between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs in terms of nutritional superiority.

"A small number of differences in nutrient were found to exist between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs, but these are unlikely to be of any public health relevance," said Alan Dangour, one of the study's authors.

The study was commissioned by the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency.

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