(photo by Rick Tango)

Though organics account for only a small portion of the $3.7 billion baby food market, parents are increasingly choosing them as an alternative to conventional baby food, according to an article that appeared in Gourmet Retailer News.

Organic baby food sales soared 21.6% to $116 million in a twelve-month period, according to The Nielsen Company. Whole Foods Market has tripled the space allotted to organic baby products in the last five years. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations make organic foods more expensive, but many parents appear willing to pay the extra cost. In recent years parents have had difficulty finding organics for their babies and resorted to preparing foods themselves. The surge in organic sales may explain a 3.1% increase in overall baby food sales after they had remained flat a year earlier.

Researchers at the University of Rochester School of Medicine have found a link between a combination of two widely used pesticides and Parkinson's Disease. With companies now recognizing the growing demand for organics, parents may have an easier time feeding their kids food they know to be free of pesticides.

If you'd like to read more about this topic the San Jose Mercury News has publised a fine article from the Associated Press: Organic baby food grows into a healthy little market