the highest pesticide level was in an organic food.

Organic farmers spray crops with 'natural' pesticides such as the noxious microbe BT which kills bees, ladybirds and butterflies as well as pests by releasing the same toxin made by genetically modified plants. If inhaled, it can cause bronchitis and worsen asthma.

Organic farmers treat fungus with copper solutions which also poisons earthworms and friendly bacteria. They also use Derris which can cause Parkinson's disease; pyrethroids, which cause tumours in mice; and potassium permanganate which kills fish.

• Myth No 4: Organic food does not contain additives.

At least three dozen 'E' numbers are allowed as additives, preservatives, flavourings, binders, anti-caking agents, antioxidants and processing agents in 'organic' food.

For cleaning and disinfection, organic farmers use the same substances as conventional farmers, including formaldehyde, caustic soda, nitric and phosphoric acid, quicklime, alcohol and other highly

toxic chemicals that can contaminate food.

Organically reared animals can have up to a quarter of their daily food from non-organic sources and all organic food can contain five per cent of conventional ingredients.

• Myth No. 5: The demand for organic food is at an all-time high.

Even with the support of TV chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall, only two per cent of the food sold in Britain is organic. At the end of the Second World War all our food was organic so, in fact, demand has actually gone down by 98 per cent over the last 60 years.

Despite the vocal campaigns by celebrity chefs, only about one per cent of the chickens sold in Britain are organic. Nor does buying organic food support British farmers since 70 per cent of it is imported.

Organic food is a fashion and lifestyle choice. It is probably no worse for you or the environment than conventional foods, but organic proponents should get their facts straight and stop using dubious claims about 'natural' meaning 'better' and stick to the facts.