Safe, Pure And With Fewer Pesticides: Why Consumers Should Choose Strip-Cropped Bread

What if you could both improve biodiversity and convince consumers — with bread? Researchers at Wageningen University & Research discovered that bread made from strip-cropped wheat scores surprisingly well with consumers, provided it is safe and of good quality.

Strip cropping is an agricultural method where multiple crops are grown next to each other on a single plot. This promotes biodiversity, makes agriculture more resilient to climate change and reduces the dependence on artificial fertilizers and pesticides. But what does this actually mean for the food that ultimately ends up on our plates?

A recent study mapped this out, with a case study on strip cropping of wheat — one of the most important food crops in Europe. Previous research has focused primarily on yield and environmental benefits, such as improved soil quality or reduced use of fertilizers and pesticides. This study looked beyond the field. It investigated what happens once the produce reaches the supermarket shelves.

Changes in food quality
The analysis shows that strip cropping and mixed cropping (also called "intercropping") do indeed offer advantages, but also raise new concerns. Growing different crops together changes the dynamics in the field. This can affect the presence of, for example, fungi, natural toxins or residues of crop protection products. Such factors can affect food safety.

The nutritional value also plays a role. For products such as bread, for example, the protein and gluten content of wheat are important for the baking quality. The research shows that these quality characteristics can change with mixed cultivation.

Consumers want pure and pesticide-free food
The study also looked at how consumers experience these types of products. Researcher Caspar Krampe of the Marketing & Consumer Behaviour group explains: “We used a method called conjoint analysis , in which participants had to choose between products with different characteristics. This showed that consumers mainly pay attention to the use of pesticides: the less, the better. They also prefer bread that looks pure, with few visible impurities, and find it more attractive if no additives have been used to improve the quality.”

He continues: “People are more comfortable with familiar crop combinations, such as wheat and barley, and more cautious with less familiar hybrids, such as wheat and field beans. While everyone would like to see fewer pesticides, some consumers are much more sensitive to this than others. That’s why it’s important to clearly explain the natural, safe and clean benefits of mixed crop products. That helps to build consumer confidence.”

Incidentally, a related study also looked at unconscious reactions. In it, participants' heart rates and sweat responses were measured while they watched a video about strip cultivation and tasted a piece of bread. The results of that experiment will be published later.

Digital dashboard
To bring all findings together in an accessible way, a team led by Cheng Liu of Wageningen Food Safety Research developed a digital dashboard. This tool helps policymakers, farmers and partners in the food chain to make choices about crop selection, product development and marketing. The dashboard is not yet publicly available, but the code can be shared upon request.

Sustainable agriculture is also a social challenge
The conclusion is clear: if we really want to switch to a sustainable food system, we need to look beyond the environment. Food safety, quality and consumer preferences must also be taken into account. Only then can strip cultivation make a full and broadly supported contribution to the agriculture of the future.

The study emphasizes that sustainable agriculture is not just a technical or ecological challenge, but also a social one. Or as the researchers themselves put it: “Sustainable change starts not only on the land, but also with trust at the kitchen table.”

This research was conducted within the investment theme 'Biodiversity-positive Food Systems' (2022–2024). It was a collaboration between researchers from Wageningen Food Safety Research, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research and the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour chair group.