Abstract
Reduced pesticide use is one of the reasons given by Europeans for accepting new genetic engineering techniques. According to the advocates of these techniques, consumers are likely to embrace the application of cisgenesis to apple trees. In order to verify the acceptability of these techniques, we estimate a Bayesian multilevel structural equation model, which takes into account the multidimensional nature of acceptability and individual, national, and European effects, using data from the Eurobarometer 2010 73.1 on science. The results underline the persistence of clear differences between European countries and whilst showing considerable defiance, a relatively wider acceptability of vertical gene transfer as a means of reducing phytosanitary treatments, compared to horizontal transfer.
Highlights
The European controversy on the acceptability of biotechnologies and notably their use in food has been developing since the 1990s [1]
The aspect of reducing phytosanitary treatment is often brought up by European consumers as the main reason that could lead to an acceptation of genetically modified (GM) foods as shown by different studies [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Borkh) creating future possibilities for more advanced genetic engineering applications, notably for the development of new apple varieties using cisgenesis. This breakthrough has led authors such as Jacobsen and Shouten [8] to promote the potential of this technique, on the condition that the same communication errors as the ones regarding the development of genetically modified organism (GMO) (Genetically Modified Organisms) do not occur again
Summary
The European controversy on the acceptability of biotechnologies and notably their use in food has been developing since the 1990s [1]. Based on a survey regarding the opinions of Europeans concerning biotechnologies (Eurobarometer 73.1.), our objective is to highlight the differentiated acceptability of different genetic techniques (cisgenic or transgenic) in European countries. The second conclusion is that Europeans appear more favorable to vertical gene transfer for apple trees (a lower rate of people replying that this harms the environment, making them feel uneasy, a higher rate of people replied that it could be useful, or should be encouraged) It seems that there is a highest variation between countries about this last technology: In Hungary 71.7% of the population think that cisgenesis will harm the environment, in comparison with a rate of 22.4% in the Netherlands, which leads to a gap of 49.7% between these two opposite positions.
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