Abstract
Nutrient component analysis and a sensory test were carried out on Komatsuna that was grown organically or conventionally in Saitama by four different farmers. The same species of Komatsuna was grown in the same area during the same growing season and period. The levels of nutrients per sample (100g of edible portion) were compared. The potassium level of organically-grown Komatsuna was higher (p<0.05) than that of conventionally-grown Komatsuna. In contrast, the level of threonine, one of the free amino acids, of conventionally-grown Komatsuna was higher (p<0.05) than that of organically-grown samples. The color of boiled conventionally-grown Komatsuna was darker (p<0.01) than that of boiled organically-grown Komatsuna. No significant differences were found in texture or taste between organically and conventionally-grown Komatsuna. Thus the same species of Komatsuna grown organically and conventionally in the same area during the same season exhibited very small differences in the parameters studied.
