www.czu.cz ; www.raupp.info

Americans pay little attention to genetically modified foods, have
difficulty separating fact from fiction when it comes to the science behind
them and are willing to believe unsubstantiated rumors about them, Feb.
2005.

According to a national study of 1,200 Americans commissioned by the Food
Policy Institute (FPI) at Rutgers-Cook College, while most Americans say
they are interested in the technology and have opinions about it, most lack
the tools and background needed for an informed assessment.

Genetic modification (GM) involves the transfer of genes from one plant or
animal to another with the purpose of expressing a desired trait, such as
pest resistance or increased productivity. Estimates suggest that as much as
80% of processed foods in the United States contain a component from a
genetically modified crop, such as corn starch, high-fructose corn syrup,
canola oil, soybean oil, soy flour, lecithin, or cotton-seed oil.

Despite the abundance of products with GM ingredients, the FPI study found
that fewer than half of Americans (48%) are aware that such products are
currently for sale in supermarkets, and fewer than a third (31%) realize
they regularly consume GM foods. Even those who say they are aware of GM
foods are confused as to which foods are out there; the majority (79%)
incorrectly believed that GM tomatoes are available, possibly due to
Calgene's highly publicized (but now defunct) GM tomato marketing effort in
the mid 1990s.

On a quiz about the basic science behind GM technology, 87 percent of
Americans could not score a passing grade. Seven in ten (70%) don't believe
it is possible to transfer animal genes into plants, six in ten (60%) don't
realize that ordinary tomatoes contain genes, and more than half (58%)
believe that tomatoes modified with genes from a catfish would probably
taste fishy. Fewer than half (45%) understand that eating a genetically
modified fruit would not cause their own genes to become modified.

"People seem to have a great number of misconceptions about the technology,"
said the study's lead author, Rutgers psychologist, Dr. William Hallman. "As
a result, they seem to be willing to believe just about anything they hear
about GM foods." Most Americans (87%) find it believable that people have
had allergic reactions to GM food and more than half (56%) find it
believable that a large fast-food chain used chickens so altered by genetic
modification that they are not considered chickens anymore (both untrue
rumors widely disseminated on the Internet).

According to Hallman, "This willingness to believe the worst when it comes
to GM food is indicative of a public that is poorly informed about the
technology and therefore unable to separate fact from fiction."

Most Americans say they have heard little and know little about GM foods,
and nearly two-thirds say they have never talked about the technology with
anyone. Nevertheless, many respondents reported strong support or opposition
for the technology, with 27% approving and 23% disapproving of it. However,
most Americans (49%) said they were unsure or could not take a position.

"The reason Americans are undecided is because they don't really know
anything about it," said co-author, Carl Hebden. "Maybe they hear bits and
pieces about it once in a while, but nothing of any substance. A lot of
people are hearing about it for the first time while taking the survey."

Even though they lack a solid information base, most Americans report
passive interest in the topic of GM food. That is, while very few have
actually looked for information about GM food, most say they would be very
interested in watching television shows about the technology, particularly
shows addressing concern about potential risks.

"GM food continues to fly under the public radar," said Hallman. "It's
fascinating that such a revolutionary technology that so many people say
they are interested in continues to evade public attention. Given that
people know very little about GM foods, and most Americans seem to be
willing to believe the worst about them, how will they feel when they
realize that they've been eating them for years?"

The study is the third in a series funded by a grant from the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Initiative for Future Agriculture
and Food Systems Program (IFAFS) to examine consumer perceptions of
agricultural biotechnology. Copies of the report Americans and GM Food:
Knowledge, Opinion & Interest in 2004 can be downloaded at no cost at the
Food Policy Institute Website: [www.foodpolicyinstitute.org].

------------------------------------------
Posted to Phorum via PhorumMail