do you think it worth spending a little extra to buy organic spices rather than buy the ones from indian grocery store that have probably been genetically altered and sprayed with pesticides? organic spices come in a small glass jar and they are all start at ?2.25 per jar ranging up to about ?7.00 for saffron.

Its your personal choice, do you feel there is a problem from pesticides on your spices ? (as for GM, I can't think there is any reason to suggest pepper from an Indian Grocers would be modified ?)

Steve

In an ideal world, yes, I'd like to get organic, fairtrade, eco-packaged food - but shopping on a budget it is not really 'sustainable!' I will pay a little extra for fairtrade in the perhaps vain hope that smaller producers don't have the resources to spray everything in sight with pesticides.

My local supermarket and Asian stores don't offer labelled organic options. Looking around the web there are suppliers which offer more reasonably priced organic spices which makes me think you could be paying over the odds Jim (although you would have to factor in any delivery charges.)

http://www.steenbergs.co.uk/subcategory/2/organic-spices

http://www.bartspices.com/static/spice-guide/

These aren't recommendations as I haven't used them (but neither do I have any financial interest in them!)

Winton

How can you guarantee that what you are buying is actually organic? There could be someone buying non-organic spices in bulk, putting them into a jar, labelling them and charging over the odds for it.

I looked at the steenburgs website (above) and for me to buy the spices that I use it would cost me about ?60.00, and they'd probably last hardly any time at all in this house. Curry would become like gold dust and we'd be eating one a month as appose to about four a week.

Another thing I often wonder about when it comes to organic produce is if there is a recognised standard internationally, or does it differ from country to country? Something that is deemed organic in one country might not necessarily meet the standards of another country, but because it is labelled as organic, people don't ask questions, they just buy it.

I agree with Andrew on this. I understand that different people/countries mean different things by 'organic'. It is often is not you may think it means. I tend to go for the standard produce, locally (UK) produced and the best I can afford.

Many products that are actually organic probably aren't labelled as such, because the accredication process is so lengthy and costly especially for small farmers.

Winton