scholarly journals The controversies of genetically modified food

2021 ◽  
Vol 854 (1) ◽  
pp. 012009
Author(s):  
K Blagoevska ◽  
G Ilievska ◽  
D Jankuloski ◽  
B Stojanovska Dimzoska ◽  
R Crceva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
The Public ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
The Impact ◽  
As Toxicity

Abstract The increasing use of genetically modified (GM) foods and feeds attracts the interest of media and public, causing great concern among consumers about the consequences of their consumption. The issues of concern are mainly focused on the impact on consumer health and the repercussions on the environment. The biggest fears are the possible negative consequences on human and animal health, which encompass allergic reactions, side effects such as toxicity, damage to individual organs, gene transfer and differences in nutritional value. Consumers are unsure and confused as to whether consuming GM foods is harmful to their health or not. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between October 2019 and March 2020, 48% of respondents said GM foods are harmful, 13% responded GM foods are safe, while 37% of respondents could not express their opinion due to lack of knowledge about it. Numerous studies have been undertaken to examine the effects that GM foods and feeds exert on humans and animals. The results differ in many ways that issue numerous questions. In this paper, we will try addressing questions that concern the public, as well as the activities and measures that science and competent institutions are taking to confront them.

Correcting Misperceptions About Genetically Modified Food on Social Media: Examining the Impact of Experts, Social Media Heuristics, and the Gateway Belief Model

2020 ◽  
pp. 107554702098137
Author(s):  
Leticia Bode ◽  
Emily K. Vraga ◽  
Melissa Tully
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
The Public ◽  
Scientific Consensus ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Impact

We experimentally test whether expert organizations on social media can correct misperceptions of the scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified (GM) food for human consumption, as well as what role social media cues, in the form of “likes,” play in that process. We find expert organizations highlighting scientific consensus on GM food safety reduces consensus misperceptions among the public, leading to lower GM misperceptions and boosting related consumption behaviors in line with the gateway belief model. Expert organizations’ credibility may increase as a result of correction, but popularity cues do not seem to affect misperceptions or credibility.

The Differential Effects of Knowledge on Perceptions of Genetically Modified Food Safety

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel Hasell ◽  
Natalie Jomini Stroud
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
The Public ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Types Of Knowledge ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
The Us ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Despite scientific consensus in the US that genetically modified (GM) foods are generally as safe as conventionally grown foods, the public remains skeptical about their safety. Extant research shows mixed results about the relationship between knowledge and attitudes when it comes to public opinion of GM foods in the US. This study uses data from the Pew American Trends Panel to examine the relationship between knowledge about GM foods and beliefs about their safety, in addition to what may be moderating these relationships. Results show that the relationship between knowledge and belief varies across different types of knowledge and that the effect of knowledge is moderated by perceptions of the immorality of genetic modification, rather than political or religious views.

scholarly journals The Regulation and Protection of Genetically Modified Food

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-111
Author(s):  
Yuwono Prianto ◽  
Viony Kresna Sumantri ◽  
Swara Yudhasasmita
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Genetically Modified Foods ◽  
The People ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

Genetically Modified foods are now being widely consumed. In 2011, more than 90% of corns and soybeans in the US are genetically modified. Research shows in America the people suffering from allergies are increasing. Some people connected the allergies with the widely consumed genetically modified foods. But other researchers show that genetically modified food bring no harms to human. In fact, genetically modified foods are cheaper and will be a great tool to fight against poverty and hunger. But in countries like Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands, they have fully banned genetically modified organisms, making them the GMO’s free Country. In the survey conducted, most consumers are not educated enough about GMO. They also concern about the impact of genetically modified food on human health, environmental and animal health.  

scholarly journals Social Acceptance for Commercialization of Genetically Modified Food Animals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyao Fan ◽  
Yulian Mu ◽  
Tad Sonstegard ◽  
Xiaomei Zhai ◽  
Kui Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Variation ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Social License ◽  
Food Animals ◽  
Natural Mutation ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Genetically modified food animals (GMFAs) are needed to address early the cumulative effects of livestock production on the environment and to accommodate future food demands. In 2020 China and the U.S., the world's two largest economies, embarked on regulatory reforms to boost the commercialization of such animals. However, gaining social acceptance of GMFAs for commercialization remains a global challenge. We propose a framework that focuses on social license for commercialization of GMFAs by defining four classes of improvement using precision genetics: 1) animals equivalent to natural variation to obtain the improved effect of cross-breeding (ENV); 2) animals with an inactivated gene that could occur via natural mutation (ENC-); 3) animals harboring a natural genetic sequence isolated from another species (ENC+); and 4) animals with synthetic sequences encoding novel genes (BNE). Our approach can guide regulators and the public to support orderly commercialization of genetically modified food animals.

Population survey of attitudes and beliefs regarding organic, genetically modified, and irradiated foods

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane A Gwira Baumblatt ◽  
L Rand Carpenter ◽  
Caleb Wiedeman ◽  
John R Dunn ◽  
William Schaffner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Telephone Survey ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Organic Food ◽  
Prevalence Ratio ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Organic Foods ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Irradiated Foods ◽  
Organic Food Consumption

Background: Sales of organic foods are increasing due to public demand, while genetically modified (GM) and irradiated foods are often viewed with suspicion. Aim: The aim of this research was to examine consumer attitudes toward organic, GM and irradiated foods to direct educational efforts regarding their consumption Methods: A telephone survey of 1838 residents in Tennessee, USA was conducted regarding organic, GM, and irradiated foods. Results: Approximately half of respondents (50.4%) purchased organic food during the previous 6 months (‘consumers’). The most common beliefs about organic foods by consumers were higher cost (92%), and fewer pesticides (89%). Consumers were more likely than non-consumers to believe organic food tasted better (prevalence ratio 3.6; 95% confidence interval 3.02–4.23). A minority of respondents were familiar with GM foods (33%) and irradiated foods (22%). Conclusion: Organic food consumption is common in Tennessee, but knowledge about GM and irradiated foods is less common. Consumer health education should emphasize the benefits of these food options, and the safety of GM and irradiated foods.

scholarly journals Public Perception on Labeling Genetically Modified (GM) Foods in Ghana: Implications for Food Policy

2020 ◽  
pp. 25-37
Author(s):  
Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw ◽  
Johnny Owusu-Arthur ◽  
Kwame Dei Asamoah-Okyere
Keyword(s):  
Public Perception ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Food Ingredients ◽  
The Public ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Choice Variable

Labeling of genetically modified (GM) food and other food ingredients from GM source has become an important national policy issues receiving serious attention not only in Ghana but globally.   This paper focused on public perceptions of labeling of GM foods in Ghana as a way of garnering a view of the public understanding of the technology that has become so much controversial for which several millions of public sector money is spent on education in the last few years. The survey which elapsed over a period of three months, shows results that indicate a dearth of knowledge on the technology and yet a high demand for labelling of the products, even though not many people read the labels on food products. This leads to the question as to ‘who is doing the listening’. The authors conclude that the limited knowledge and technology essentials among others explain why the public seems to reject the technology and call for labelling of the products in spite of the fact that labelling is nothing but a choice variable, which has nothing to do with safety measure. Modifying the present attitude of the opponents of the technology and the demanders of labelling ignoring the cost that may be involved require extensive education and awareness creations throughout the country using tailor made communication forms to address various different groups.

Listened to, but not heard! The failure to represent the public in genetically modified food policies

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 923-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesper Lassen
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Ethical Aspects ◽  
Parliamentary Debates ◽  
The Public ◽  
Parliamentary Government ◽  
Public Concerns

‘In the mid-1990s, a mismatch was addressed between European genetically modified food policy, which focused primarily on risks and economic prospects, and public anxieties, which also included other concerns, and there was a development in European food policy toward the inclusion of what were referred to as “ethical aspects.” Using parliamentary debates in Denmark in 2002 and 2015 as a case, this article examines how three storylines of concern that were visible in public discourse at the time were represented by the decision makers in parliament. It shows that core public concerns raising fundamental questions about genetically modified foods, and in particular their perceived unnaturalness, were not considered in the parliamentary debates. It is suggested that the failure of the parliament to represent the public may undermine the legitimacy of politicians and lead to disillusionment with parliamentary government.

Beyond Cost Minimisation: Farmers’ Perspectives on the Adoption of GM Fodder in Sweden

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-100
Author(s):  
Klara Fischer ◽  
Sebastian Hess
Keyword(s):  
Public Perception ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Cost Minimisation ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Free Animal

Swedish farmers were surveyed about their perceptions of genetically modified (GM) feed. Livestock in the EU are frequently given feed containing imported genetically modified (GM) crops, with GM fodder often being cheaper for farmers. However, there is also a growing market for ‘GM-free’ animal-based products. While public concerns about GMOs have been studied extensively, less is known about farmers’ views. The limited literature on farmers and GMOs tends to focus on the economic factors influencing their adoption. The present study contributes the perspective of farmers as members of the general public, thus including a broader set of factors known to be relevant for the public perception of GMOs. The results indicated that farmers were worried about: i) unforeseen consequences for the environment, ii) un­foreseen consequences for human and animal health, and iii) the dominance of multinational companies. Farmers who could expect their farm businesses to benefit from existing GMOs were more positive, whereas those who were unlikely to experience any benefits or who could expect their farm business to be adversely affected were more negative. Nevertheless, adherence to a broader set of positive or negative values suggests that Swedish farmers’ perspectives on GMOs go further than pure considerations of farm management.

A crisis of consumers’ trust in scientists and its influence on consumer attitude toward genetically modified foods

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyan Deng ◽  
Ruifa Hu
Keyword(s):  
Genetically Modified ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Biotech Products ◽  
Gm Technology

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine Chinese consumers’ attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) foods and the impact that consumers’ trust in different actors – GM scientists, non-GM scientists or individuals, the government and the media, has on their attitudes. Design/methodology/approach Consumers in Beijing were surveyed about their attitudes toward GM foods and their trust in different actors. The surveys were conducted from June to July of 2015. The sample size is 1,460 people. Given the potential endogeneity of trust variable, bivariate probit models are employed to estimate the impact of trust in different actors on consumers’ attitudes. Findings The results show that 55 percent of the Chinese consumers are opposed to GM foods and nearly 60 percent do not trust GM scientists. In total, 42 percent of Chinese consumers trust in the government and 39 percent trust the non-GM scientists or individuals. Around 35 percent of consumers believe the misinformation on GM technology that were provided by the media. Trust in the GM scientists and trust in the government have a significant positive impact on consumers’ acceptance of GM foods while trust in the non-GM scientists or individuals and believing the misinformation have a significant negative effect on the acceptance. Nearly 70 percent of Chinese consumers acquired information about GM food safety from the internet or via WeChat. Consumers who acquired GM technology information from the internet or via WeChat are less likely to embrace GM foods than those who obtain information from other sources. Originality/value Consumer trust plays a crucial role to accept biotech products in the market and it is crucial for producers, policy makers and consumers to have faith in new biotech products. The results of this study suggest that the government and GM scientists should make more effort to gain the trust and support of consumers, while the media should provide objective reports on GM products based on scientific evidence.

scholarly journals Impacto de la publicidad en los hábitos alimenticios en los niños = Impact of advertising on children's eating habits

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
María Eugenia Reyes Pedraza ◽  
Janet Garcia Gonzalez ◽  
Maria Delia Tellez Castilla
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Nuevo Leon ◽  
The Public ◽  
School Year ◽  
Nuevo León ◽  
Media Change ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

Resumen: El objetivo de la investigación es determinar el impacto de la publicidad en los hábitos alimenticios en niños. Metodología descriptiva – cuantitativa y la encuesta como técnica de investigación; los su­jetos de estudio fueron niños y niñas de 9 a 12 años de edad. Se tomó como universo escuela pública de Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. El tamaño de la muestra consta de 176 alumnos, del ciclo escolar 2014 – 2015. Resultados: se percibe que la publicidad impacta en los hábitos alimenticios de los niños, al mostrar signos de ser persuadidos por las diversas marcas y comerciales de productos no saludables. Se demostró influencia por la publicidad de comida chatarra, toman decisiones erróneas en cuanto a los alimentos con alto valor nutricional. En la categoría de los medios masivos de comunica­ción, encontramos que el 94% de los niños respondieron que les gusta ver televisión; mientras que la frecuencia para verla es de 1 a 2 horas al día, de acuerdo al 76%. Conclusión: los medios cambian actitudes en el público, de manera que esto se aprecia en los prejuicios, los estereotipos, u otro tipo de problemas sociales como la obesidad.Palabras clave: Impacto; publicidad; hábitos alimenticios; salud pública.Abstract: The objective of the research is to determine the impact of advertising on children’s eating habits. Des­criptive - quantitative methodology and the survey as a research technique. The study subjects were boys and girls from 9 to 12 years of age. It was taken as public school universe of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The sample size consists of 176 students, from the 2014 - 2015 school year. Results: it is perceived that advertising impacts on the eating habits of children, by showing signs of being persua­ded by the various brands and commercials of unhealthy products. It was shown to influence the adver­tising of junk food, make wrong decisions regarding foods with high nutritional value. In the category of the mass media, we found that 94% of the children answered that they like to watch television; while the frequency to see it is 1 to 2 hours a day, according to 76%. Conclusion: the media change attitudes in the public, so that this is seen in prejudices, stereotypes, or other social problems such as obesity.Keywords: Impact; advertising; eating habits; public health.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document