Consumer attitudes on genetically engineered foods

The Pew Initiative survey

The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology has released the results of a new survey on public sentiments about genetically engineered (GE) foods. Findings reveal the public is not aware of the facts. Below are three documents to help in your understanding of this controversial topic.

• Summary of findings
• The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 2003 Survey
• News release from the Pew Initiative

Summary of findings

by Craig Winters, Executive Director
The Campaign to Label GE foods

Americans clearly are not aware of the extent genetically engineered foods have invaded the U.S. food supply. Only 24% of Americans believe they have eaten genetically engineered foods, while 58% say they have not. Actually, nearly all Americans have eaten genetically engineered foods since 70-75% of all processed foods contain soy or corn that has been genetically engineered.

Further, Americans appear to be unaware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not safety testing genetically engineered foods. According to the Pew Initiative survey, eighty-nine percent (89%) of Americans agree with the statement "Companies should be required to submit safety data to the Food and Drug Administration for review, and no genetically modified food product should be allowed on the market until the FDA determines it is safe."

In reality, under current regulations, biotech companies are not required even to notify the FDA that they're bringing a new product to market. The very companies with the financial interest in the products are the ones determining the safety. Not only is the FDA not safety-testing these products, the agency has determined they don't even need to be notified that a new genetically engineered food is going to be consumed by millions of people.

The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology 2003 Survey

If you would like to read the entire survey, here is a link to a PDF version:* pew0903.pdf.

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For Immediate Release: September 18, 2003

Contact: Kimberly Brooks or Dan DiFonzo
202-347-9044 ext. 230 or 231
kbrooks@pewagbiotech.org
dandifonzo@pewagbiotech.org

Americans' Knowledge of Genetically Modified Foods Remains Low and Opinions On Safety Still Split

New Poll Confirms Findings of Two Years Ago, But Reveals FDA Key to Acceptance; Discomfort with Shift from Plants To Animals Apparent

Washington, DC — Americans' knowledge of genetically modified (GM) foods remains low and their opinions about its safety are just as divided as they were two years ago, according to a new survey released today by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. The survey also shows that knowing FDA reviewed and approved a GM product can increase public confidence and that public support for GM products decreases as uses of the technology shift from plants to animals.

Using data from a similar survey released by the Pew Initiative in March 2001 for tracking purposes, the survey released today suggests:

• Americans' knowledge about GM foods remains low even as GM technology is increasingly applied to agriculture.
  In 2001, 44% had heard "a great deal" or "some" about genetically modified foods. Today that number is 34%, a 10 point decline. Similarly, 45% had heard "a great deal" or "some" about biotechnology use in food production.
  
  Today that number is 36%, a nine point decline. Although it has been estimated that 70-80% of processed foods in grocery stores contain GM foods, just 24% of Americans believe they have eaten GM foods while 58% say they have not, suggesting that Americans continue not to recognize the extent to which GM foods are present in foods they eat every day.
• Opposition to GM foods has softened somewhat in the last two years but opinions about safety remain split.
  Today, 25% of people polled reported they would support the introduction of GM foods to the U.S. food supply, down only 1 point from 26% in 2001. At the same time, opposition has declined ten points, from 58% opposed in 2001 to 48% opposed today.
  
  But Americans have essentially the same opinion about the overall safety of GM foods as they did in 2001. Twenty-seven(27)percent of consumers say that GM foods are "basically safe"(down from 29%) while 25% say that they are "basically unsafe" (the same as in 2001). Taken together, these numbers indicate that the American public continues to have divided opinions about GM foods.

The survey released today also probed topics rarely explored in widely-available opinion polls about agricultural biotechnology, including how Americans feel about the way GM products are regulated in the U.S. and the application of genetic engineering technology to animals. Findings show:

• Americans oppose a ban on GM foods, but are strongly supportive of a regulatory process that directly involves the FDA.
  Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans disagree with the statement, "genetically modified foods should not be allowed to be sold even if the Food and Drug Administration believes they are safe." Very few, however, believe that GM foods should be allowed to go on the market without FDA review.
  
  Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Americans agree with the statement "Companies should be required to submit safety data to the Food and Drug Administration for review, and no genetically modified food product should be allowed on the market until the FDA determines it is safe." Taken together, these statistics demonstrate that consumers want to see that FDA is involved with a genetically modified food product before it is put on the market.
• Americans are far more comfortable with genetic modifications to plants than animals and are particularly supportive of genetic modifications that improve health.
  The majority of people polled (58%) oppose scientific research into genetic modifications of animals.
  
  When asked to rate how "comfortable" they are with genetic modifications of different types of life forms, consumers say they are most comfortable with modifications of plants, followed by genetic modifications of microbes, animals used for food, insects and then animals used for other purposes, such as horses, cats and dogs.
  
  When asked about specific purposes for pursuing genetic modifications, nearly every purpose that involved plants (e.g. reducing the need to use pesticides) was considered a better reason to pursue genetic modifications than those that involved animals (e.g. produce beef with less fat).

"When it comes to genetically modified products, the U.S. public clearly supports the role of regulatory bodies like the FDA to provide an independent safety approval for new biotechnology food products," said Michael Rodemeyer, executive director of the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. "This finding suggests that the actions of government agencies are likely to play an important role in influencing public acceptance of the next generation of agricultural biotechnology products."

The nationwide survey, conducted August 5-10, 2003 by The Mellman Group and Public Opinion Strategies, consisted of telephone interviews of 1,000 American consumers. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 3.1%. The margin of error is higher for subgroups. Data from a similar survey, released by the Pew Initiative in March 2001, was used for tracking purposes.

A summary of findings from the survey, as well as the statistical results can be viewed at http://pewagbiotech.org/research/2003update/.