www.checkbiotech.org ; www.czu.cz ; www.raupp.info

Public awareness and understanding of genetically modified (GM) foods
remains relatively low and consumers' opinions about GM foods are as divided
now as they were five years ago, according to a new survey released today by
the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, December 2006.

The survey also shows that regulation may increase confidence in GM foods
and reveals that animal cloning causes great discomfort among American
consumers. The announcement of survey findings marks the fifth year that the
Pew Initiative has monitored public understanding of and support for
different types of biotechnology.

The analysis released today highlights the results of a 2006 Pew Initiative
on Food and Biotechnology poll and compares them to results of similar PIFB
polls conducted in March 2001, September 2003, September 2004 and November
2005. Among the most noteworthy findings:

Americans hold mixed attitudes towards GM foods. Consumers are generally
uncertain about the safety of GM foods, although opinions can shift with new
information. Thirty-four percent of Americans indicate that they believe GM
foods are safe and 29 percent say they are unsafe.

Once information is provided about GM foods and the number of processed
foods that are produced using some form of biotechnology, however, Americans
feel more comfortable about the safety of the biotech products. Forty-five
percent of respondents say GM foods are safe in this context and 29 percent
say they are unsafe, a 10-percentage point increase in net perceptions of
safety. These numbers represent a shift in informed attitudes over time. In
2001, when PIFB first conducted a survey of consumer attitudes, 48 percent
felt that GM foods were safe and only 21 percent believed they were unsafe.

Awareness of GM food has declined over the last five years. In the first
poll conducted by the Pew Initiative in 2001, 45 percent of American
consumers said they had heard about GM food that is sold in grocery stores.
A slight majority (54 percent) claimed to have not heard much (29 percent)
or nothing at all (25 percent). After reaching a low point in 2004 (32
percent), public notice of GM foods increased to 41 percent in 2005 and
remained stable in 2006.

Additionally, consumers have consistently underestimated the amount of GM
foods they most likely have eaten, with just 26 percent believing they have
eaten such foods and 60 percent believing they have not in 2006. In 2001, 19
percent said they "had eaten" GM foods, while 62 percent said they "had not"
and 19 percent said they "didn't know."

Although Americans are not well informed about animal cloning ? they are
overwhelmingly uncomfortable with it. A strong majority (61 percent) of
those Americans who claim to have heard about animal cloning are
uncomfortable with it, while 27 percent express comfort. Those unfamiliar
with animal cloning express greater reservations, with 68 percent of
Americans indicating that they are uncomfortable and 16 percent stating that
they are comfortable.

Americans support regulation of GM foods. Forty-one percent of consumers who
claim basic awareness of the regulation of GM foods believe that there is
"too little" regulation, while 19 percent of Americans say it is "just the
right amount." The survey reveals that regulation may increase confidence in
GM foods. Forty-three percent of respondents surveyed said they would be
more willing to eat GM foods if the FDA was mandated to regulate GM foods
before they entered the marketplace, while 14 percent are less willing and
35 percent of consumers surveyed said it would make no difference.

Friends and family are the most trusted sources of information about GM
foods. The majority of people polled (37 percent) trust their friends and
families above all other groups and organizations tested as sources of
information on GM foods. Farmers were the next-most trusted (33 percent)
followed by scientists and academics (32 percent). The most dramatic changes
in trust levels occurred with respect to the FDA. In 2001, 41 percent of
consumers said they trust the FDA when it comes to information about GM
foods. At that time it was the most trusted organization. Since then, the
agency's trustworthiness has declined to 29 percent, and it now ranks fourth
on the list of groups and organizations.

"In polls conducted over the last five years, we continue to see that public
opinion remains ?up for grabs' on GM foods," said Michael Fernandez,
executive director of the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. "Still
generally uncertain about GM foods, the U.S. public has consistently
supported strong and clear federal regulations to ensure that these products
are safe. How the next generation of biotech products is introduced ? and
consumers' trust in the regulation of GM foods ? will be critical in shaping
U.S. attitudes in the long term."

The nationwide survey, conducted by The Mellman Group, September 20-26,
consisted of telephone interviews of 1,000 American consumers. The margin of
error for this survey is +/-3.1 percent. The margin of error is higher for
subgroups.

To view a summary of the findings from the survey, as well as the
statistical results, please go to:
[pewagbiotech.org].

Other polls conducted by the Pew Initiative can be viewed at
[pewagbiotech.org].

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