Public perceptions of animal-sourced genetically modified food products

Abstract Text: The success of agricultural biotechnology depends as much on consumer acceptance of Genetically Modified (GM) products as it does on the ability to create them. To explore public perceptions of GM food products, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1148 American adults during October 23-27, 2013. The data was collected by GFK Knowledge Networks from an internet panel recruited using proportional random sampling. The data was weighted to project to the US population, and has a margin of error of ± 3%. The results show that despite the ongoing controversy over GM foods, 50% of Americans report having heard or read little or nothing about them, 55% report that they know very little or nothing at all about them, and two-thirds (66%) say they have never discussed the issue of GM foods with anyone. Estimates are that 75% of processed foods in the US contain ingredients derived from GM crops. However, only 43% of Americans say that they believe that there are foods containing GM ingredients in supermarkets right now, while 4% say there are no such foods in US supermarkets, and 51% say they don’t know. Many of those who believe that there are GM foods in the supermarket are confused about which products are available. For example, while 75% correctly believe that there are products in US supermarkets containing GM corn, and 59% correctly believe that there are products containing GM soy, nearly as many (56%) believe that GM tomatoes, GM Wheat (55%), and GM Chicken (50%) products are available and 35% believe that GM salmon are currently for sale. Moreover, even though GM food products have been on the market in the US for more than two decades, only 26% of Americans believe that they have ever eaten a food containing genetically modified ingredients. Yet, while most Americans say they have heard and read little about GM foods, know little about them, have never had a conversation about them, don’t believe they are currently in the supermarket, and don’t believe they have ever eaten them, most are willing to express an opinion about the acceptability of GM food products. When asked directly, only 10% of consumers say they approve of GM animal-sourced food products, 44% say they disapprove of them, and 43% neither approve nor disapprove of them, or are unsure. However, there is much greater public acceptance expressed when specific product benefits are described.

Keywords: public perceptions, genetically modified, animal-sourced foods