Trying times a test for green foods

As recession drives consumers to cut costs, their commitment to organic food has been tested with sales growth slowing - but so far, sales are not falling. How green are our wallets?

Grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, organic food has been booming, driven by claims it is healthier, tastes better and its production does less damage to the environment than conventional agriculture.

The global market for organic food and beverages was worth $22.75 billion in 2007, after more than doubling in five years, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. The United States accounted for about 45 percent of that total.