Consumers relatively positive about the role of GM vegetables and fruit in alleviating health problems

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26 Aug 2010
Unit: Plant Scineces Group

 Consumers are more favourable towards genetically modified vegetables and fruit when these products have extra health benefits. They especially feel positive if the genetic modification can alleviate their own current health problems.

This is the result of a study carried out by Wageningen UR, has been published in the scientific journal Food Quality and Preference. However, when given a choice between extra healthy food products from genetically modified plants or from plants developed via cross-breeding, consumers have a clear preference for the latter.
 
Research and the ongoing public debate show that the Dutch population has a nuanced opinion about genetically modified plants, not all of which are viewed so negativity as others. The Wageningen team researched whether fruits that were able to alleviate allergic symptoms as a result of genetic modification would be positively received by consumers.
 
The survey asked two groups of people for their opinion: People with and without an apple allergy, an affliction that is quite common in Europe. Both groups were asked what they thought about various types of apple varieties that could be developed in the future, such as varieties that were more environmentally-friendly, those that either were or were not genetically modified, varieties with or without additional healthy substances, and apples that were made hypoallergenic by means of their own genes.
 
Both groups, with or without an apple allergy, shared the same opinion on more eco-friendly apples. While being moderately positive about genetically modifying apples for this trait, they preferred apple varieties that were developed via cross-breeding.
 
The results were different for apples with less allergens than usual. Especially consumers with an allergy were favourable towards apples that that caused less allergic reactions. While preferring apples developed via cross-breeding, hypoallergenic apples developed via GM were also seen as attractive. GM apples with extra apple genes scored slightly higher than GM apples containing genes from other plant species.

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Contact
Erik Toussaint, Head Communication Plant Sciences Group
+31 6 5156 5949
erik.toussaint@wur.nl
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Abstract in Food Quality and Preference

you can read the abstract for free.