Experts urge organic revolution in public catering

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 11. 28. 11:44

Everything is in place for valuable organic food produced domestically to be included in public catering instead of leaving the country, and all this would cost hardly more than it does now. The raw materials and expertise are available, change is largely a matter of decision and organization, while based on foreign experiences, each amount earmarked for development can mean a 35-fold saving in healthcare costs – according to the public Closing Statement of the recently concluded Bioculture Science Day.

Some form of public catering is used by around 2 million Hungarians every day, including many children who only get hot food in institutions, and its quality is therefore decisive for their development and health. According to some studies, organically produced food contains 25% more vitamins, trace elements, minerals and other essential nutrients than industrially produced food.

Meanwhile, 90% of the organic food produced in Hungary is exported as raw materials, while other organic farmers have to sell their products as conventional products due to the deteriorating economic conditions in the receiving markets. The commodity base, the expertise and the technology are also available for a historic reform: it is time for us to enjoy the social benefits of the organic food we produce at home – this is stated, among other things, in the Final Declaration, which was prepared after the largest annual domestic event of the organic farming community and was signed by the representatives of the producers, the president of the Hungarian Association of Chefs and several university professors.

Based on Danish experience, every 1 euro spent on public catering means 35 euros in health savings, and in addition, the introduction of organic food produced in Hungary into public catering would not entail significant additional costs. Over the past 40 years, huge changes have occurred in the field of Hungarian organic farming, the most outstanding period of which has been the past 14 years, as the size of the areas included in organic farming has tripled during this time, pointed out Dr. Péter Roszík, Vice President of the Hungarian Bioculture Association, Honorary Associate Professor, and one of the signatories of the declaration.