A news release issued by the Society of Chemical Industry has established the possibility of cutting down organic food costs using a simple oxygen treatment, thus making chemical-free foodstuff more accessible to the general market.

The main reason why organic produce are more expensive compared to those grown with conventional methods is the large losses incurred during storage. While organic farms have state-of-the-art refrigeration methods and facilities, these are clearly not enough.

Here is where the newfangled oxygen treatment comes in. Pre-treating the crops with low-levels of oxygen at 20ºC prevents organic produce from scald formation, a cold storage injury incurred during prolonged cold storage. This technique has been developed in Volcani Center, Israel, by Edna Pesis and her team.

They have already tested the oxygen treatment on apples, 90% of which were still crunchy-fresh after 8 months of storage. On the other hand, 100% of untreated organic apples succumbed to scald formation. What's good about this treatment is that it can be tweaked to work with other produce, such as tomatoes and the like.

What's all the fuss in buying vegetables and fruits that cost twice as much as the general grocery fare? People nowadays are willing to pay for what they consider as "pesticide-free" or organic for health reasons. Some organic vegetables have been proven to be richer in nutrients than chemical-treated cousins such as peppers which were found to have 33% more vitamin C and 26% more phenolic compounds.

However, the consumer's pockets are bleeding profusely for every purchase of organic food products. The key factor in cutting down organic food costs is by extending shelf life of organic produce.

"These are important and costly but if paying out for these facilities can ensure a whole crop is not rejected by a retailer because it is a little limp or dehydrated, then it is a cost that has to be absorbed," said Claudia Ruane, spokesperson of Abel and Cole organic produce.

Should they implement the simple but effective oxygen treatment, consumers may see competitive prices on their pesticide-free vegetables and fruit very soon.