NEWCASTLE University is leading a £12m project to investigate why the taste and nutritional value of food is decreasing - and why organic farming can be a solution.

Scientists are growing test crops of cabbages, lettuces, carrots, potatoes and wheat at the university's agricultural research centre at Nafferton Farm, Northumberland.

They are being grown under a variety of conditions so factors such as taste and nutritional quality can be compared between those grown organically and those grown using chemicals.

The project involves 31 research institutions, companies and universities in 15 countries and is called QualityLowInputFood.

It aims to improve the quality, safety and productivity along the European organic food chains and is expected to make a significant impact on the competitiveness of the organic industry.

The project will cover the entire food chain, from tomatoes and field vegetables to cereals, pork, dairy and poultry.

The project leader is Prof Carlo Leifert, leader of the Nafferton Ecological Farming Group at Newcastle University.

"We need to find out what is behind reports which have proved that the taste and nutritional value of our foods is deteriorating," he said.

"There are more and more indications that moving to natural production systems, such as organic farming, can improve food quality.

"This project will attempt to find out why this is the case, and how we can further improve on these production systems."

The first set of results will be presented at a conference to be held at the university in January.

Countries with organisations taking part in the project are the UK, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Italy, France, Poland, Austria, Portugal, Greece, the Czech Republic, Israel, Turkey and Finland.

TEST BEDS: right, Prof Carlo Leifert checks the vegetable and cereal crops at Newcastle University's Nafferton Farm