Sir, Geoffrey Hollis (Thunderer, March 22) has fired wide of the mark. No one can deny that expanding the local economy, ensuring fresh ingredients and reducing transportation pollution by sourcing local meat and vegetables is preferable to flying in industrially produced foods from countries as far away as China, processing them beyond all recognition, stockpiling them in a warehouse and roadhauling them the length and breadth of the UK to be reheated for schoolchildren to eat (letters, March 24).

It is true that the jury is still out on the nutritional benefits of organically produced food, but research is also very patchy on the potential damage caused by chemicals used in farming. Toxicology reports are required only on an item-by-item basis. Accumulative reports have never been a feature of the industry, and research is traditionally carried out as if for the adult male. Many of us, given a choice, would prefer to feed our children unadulterated food.

The very fact that we are now being invited to consider that the school lunch hour might become a valued part of education instead of just a stress-induced pit-stop has to be a move in the right direction.

Sincerely,
SARAH PASSINGHAM,
(Governor),
Framingham Earl High School,
Norwich Road, Framingham Earl,
Norwich NR14 7QP.
March 26.

From Dr David Bryant

Sir, Geoffrey Hollis argues that non-organic produce is less expensive than and nutritionally equal to its organic equivalent. Surely it is symptomatic of the lack of appreciation of things culinary in this country that he did not think to compare flavour?

Yours faithfully,
DAVID BRYANT,
7 Hartington Road, St Margaret's,
East Twickenham TW1 3EL.
March 23.

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