Polyphenols are compounds produced in plants which exhibit antioxidant characteristics that improve human health. As a phytonutrient, polyphenols have been used in comparative studies in the ongoing debate over nutrient content in organic versus commercial agriculture. Some studies have suggested that organic practices lead to higher polyphenol concentrations. In this study, spectrophotometric analysis was conducted to determine the polyphenol concentrations in eight samples of Roma tomatoes from organic and conventionally grown sources. There was a wide range of total phenolic content over both groups and there were no general differences between organic and conventionally grown tomatoes. However, there were statistically significant differences amongst samples that suggest that other factors such as sunlight and nutrients may have played a role in determining the amount of phenolic compounds in these tomatoes. Further studies are needed to show that differences in growth conditions lead to differences in total phenolics. Futhermore, tomatoes grown in identical conditions but varied in method of cultivation (organic or conventional) could be grown in order to compare whether the method of cultivation does indeed affect total phenolics.

Analysis of Polyphenol Levels in Organically Grown Versus Conventionally Grown Tomatoes