Public Trust and Support for Biotechnology: Lessons for Post-Market Surveillance of GM Foods

Abstract

The purposes of this paper are to examine how public trust affects public support for biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) foods and to assess how an understanding of the determinants of public trust impact post-market surveillance of GM foods. To this end, a model of trust is developed in which public perceptions of the risks and benefits of biotechnology, as well as the trustworthiness and competence of biotechnology institutions, are included as explanatory variables. Additionally, a model of public support for biotechnology is developed in which trust is incorporated as one of the explanatory variables. Data from the U.S. Biotechnology Study is used to estimate these models. The findings show that public perceptions of biotechnology risks and benefits, and particularly institutional trustworthiness, are important determinants of public trust, and that public trust is a significant factor affecting public support for GM foods. The implication is that researchers and policy makers must consider how post-market surveillance of GM foods affects public perceptions, because these ultimately impact public support for biotechnology through public trust.