The Futuro Bio campaign invites us to recognise organic as a natural and shareable choice, born of an authentic connection with the land — a physiological bond also demonstrated by neuroscience.
In every choice made with awareness and carried forward with conviction, there are one's own ideas, one's own values, one's own vision of the world, and the desire to change and rewrite the future. A small gesture can carry deep meaning and consequences that make a difference.
This is the starting point for the Futuro Bio campaign, supported by Masaf (Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests), an invitation to recognise the choice of organic as natural and shareable. From the land to market stalls, the ethical and responsible decisions of farmers intertwine with those of consumers, on a shared human — and environmental — level. It is not "merely" about cultivating in a certain way or purchasing particular products, but about a collective cultural action centred on the possibility of making Nature our nature and recovering our bond with it in order to create and share wellbeing.
The campaign unfolds across print magazines, the web and social media (Facebook and Instagram) and gives voice to those who "every day work in respect of the land, plants, animals and people, with the aim of spreading a culture of conscious consumption and valuing the commitment of organic farmers". Catia, Stefano, Lorenzo, Marinella, Emanuele, Camillo, Emilio and Anna are some of the farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs who have lent their faces to the Futuro Bio campaign: different stories, yet with shared values that inspire common choices, capable of charting a virtuous future oriented towards the wellbeing of the Planet — choices that many people can identify with.
Choosing organic products means supporting a system that protects biodiversity and guarantees quality without compromise; it means choosing to support an agricultural method that prioritises sustainability, that lovingly and passionately safeguards a natural balance, and that passes on the fertility of the land with a sense of responsibility towards those who will come after, so that today's wellbeing does not compromise tomorrow's possibilities.
There is an authentic bond between the land and life — the life of animals and of people. And this is not a romantic idea or a slogan. It is a bond that has been neglected, that has been forgotten, but that is not yet completely lost and that we unconsciously recognise and seek. This is also demonstrated by neuroscience applied to consumer behaviour — analyses that measure cognitive and emotional responses to natural and food-related stimuli.
A study conducted by Andrea Bariselli, neuroscientist and founder of Strobilo, investigated whether and how the brain responded differently to the tasting of organic honey compared to conventional honey. The initial hypothesis was that the perceived quality of an organic product could translate into an observable difference at the neuroelectric level, even in the absence of conscious information.
The observation, commissioned by an association of organic honey producers, was conducted on a sample of 15 adult participants, balanced by age and gender, in a controlled but non-clinical setting designed to encourage a natural response to stimuli. Each participant underwent a blind tasting protocol involving three honeys — two conventional and one organic: the three honeys were tasted in random order, without the tasters being aware of their origin or category.
A non-invasive measurement of brain activity was then carried out using an electroencephalogram, with a focus on theta waves (3–6 Hz), frequently associated with deep cognitive processes such as autobiographical memory, sensory recall and implicit emotional processing. The areas observed most closely were the temporal, fronto-limbic regions and the hippocampus. The data were normalised on a scale of 0–100 for each subject, allowing cross-sectional comparison. The mean activation levels and the EEG spatial coherence index — that is, the degree of similarity in neural patterns among subjects exposed to the same stimulus — were then calculated.
The tastings of the two conventional honeys recorded a mean theta wave activation of 62 and 57 per cent respectively, while the organic honey tasting recorded 78 per cent. An EEG spatial coherence between subjects of 41 per cent was also recorded for conventional honey, compared to 73 per cent for organic honey.
The observed differences were statistically significant and showed that organic honey generates more intense and more coherent activation than the two conventional honeys. According to the expert, the data suggest that the human brain is not neutral in the face of what it ingests, but responds with greater activation and coherence to what it perceives as "natural". Organic, therefore, is not merely an ethical or environmental choice, but manifests itself as a form of neurobiological coherence.
"Even though we seem to forget it, and everything around us distances us from nature, we are biological beings and we retain a relational intelligence with it," explains Bariselli. "When we savour an authentic product, the brain responds with clarity, as if it were identifying a familiar trace. This is not nostalgia, but a physiological connection — we recognise what is compatible with us." Other studies conducted by the scientist on tasting organic oil, chocolate and pasta, and even on smelling different types of soil — organic or over-exploited — have shown results comparable to those of the honey analysis.
"Our brain still relies on survival mechanisms that operate on alertness and fear. When it perceives something pleasant, we instead experience a diffuse sense of relaxation. Science today shows us that reconnecting with the natural world is not a trend, but a concrete opportunity for neurophysiological rebalancing." In this sense, organic food is an opportunity to return to a language that has always belonged to us.
Updated 19 November 2025
As part of Biolife, the sustainable lifestyle fair held in early November in Bolzano, a conference entitled "Organic food and farming, allies for a healthy and conscious future" was organised within the Futuro Bio campaign. The event brought together experts and sector professionals to reflect on the deep connection between the health of the land, food quality and human wellbeing.
Renata Alleva, nutritionist and specialist in nutritional science, focused her address on the role of the gut and the microbiota, described as "our second brain", whose biodiversity depends heavily on the quality of our diet and the environment in which we live. A predominantly plant-based diet, rich in fibre and micronutrients, is the foundation for nourishing a balanced and resilient microbiota, while an excess of ultra-processed foods and environmental contaminants disrupts that balance and promotes inflammation and disease.
The expert highlighted how pollution, stress and poor dietary habits affect epigenetics and overall health, while contact with nature, animals and a healthy environment stimulates a positive microbiota response. She also noted how an organic or biodynamic diet, low in chemical residues and pesticides, reduces exposure to contaminants and may help prevent cognitive disorders in children, metabolic dysfunctions and cancer — particularly haematological and breast cancers. "A healthy lifestyle," Alleva explained, "could prevent up to eleven million deaths every year. Eating well means cultivating our inner biodiversity, supporting that of the planet, and rediscovering physical, mental and spiritual balance."
Giovanni de Gramatica recounted the story of Maso del Gusto, in Trentino, a family farm converted to organic farming as far back as 1981, when the loss of soil vitality led his grandparents to question their own way of cultivating the land. The farm is built on the idea of agriculture as a living organism, where every element — plants, animals, woodland and humans — contributes to maintaining a dynamic balance. "The farmer's task," he said, "is not so much to bring something to nature, but to create the conditions for life to express itself again." Maso del Gusto is launching collaborations with school canteens, with the aim of spreading knowledge of these themes and promoting a food culture that springs from living, fertile soil in balance with nature.
Closing the event, Giovanni Buccheri, director of Demeter Italia, reiterated the guiding thread of the Futuro Bio project: "Every agricultural and food choice can make a concrete contribution to the health of the land and of people. Virtuous farming, mindful of the health of the soil and of human beings, represents a model for the future founded on care, balance and authentic quality."
Sponsored article