The past five years have seen a boom in the organic food market with sales across Europe doubling since 1998.

Figures from analysts Mintel reveal that consumers in Italy, Spain, Germany, the UK and France spent a total of €8 billion on organic food.

In Germany alone, the organic market has reached €3.2 billion, more than France and the UK combined.

According to European law, for a product to be termed 'organic' it must meet the standards of an approved independent control body, which has inspected all aspects of its production.

"The production of organic food requires the same involvement of professional food scientists and technologists and is subject to the same requirements of good manufacturing practice and food safety as the rest of the food industry," says the Institute of Food Science & Technology.

It is also subject to specific additional legal requirements regarding cultivation, composition and labelling, the UK body adds.

This week the group has issued an updated version of its information statement on organic food, replacing the document from July 2003.

The full extensive document can be accessed here.