Genetically Modified Organisms In Food Research Articles

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN ALONG WITH THE EFFECTS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have sparked widespread controversy, with public apprehensions surrounding their safety and effects. This paper delves into the psychology of the human brain concerning GMOs and their impact. It highlights that while scientific research overwhelmingly supports the safety of GMO foods, public perception remains wary, driven by psychological factors. Human psychology often leads to irrational fears, misinformation, and the politicization of science, contributing to public distrust of GMOs. Understanding these psychological aspects is crucial to addressing misconceptions and fostering informed discussions. This study underscores the significance of comprehending human psychology in the context of contemporary issues like GMOs, shedding light on the complexities that shape public opinion.

How are genetically modified foods discussed on TikTok? An analysis of #GMOFOODS

Social media is an eminent form of expression of views on all topics, including dietary choices. We set out to look at what aspects of genetically modified foods (GMFs) drive the most engagement on the #GMOFOODS TikTok hashtag. Our main hypotheses were that content focused on the negative aspects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) would receive more interaction and would be highly driven by consumers rather than professionals. We used videos that were viewed a total of 2,933,577 times collectively by TikTok users. Consumers had uploaded nearly all videos in our sample (n = 91). The most common content category was disadvantages for nutrition and health, noted in 71% of videos, followed by featuring an example of a specific GMO food or crop (68%). All categories that mentioned benefits of GMOs were low (4-6%). Mean number of views were significantly lower for videos that contained information on unintended biological effects (ecology, species of animals, insects or plants, gene transfer) (p = 0.05). Mean number of comments were significantly lower for videos that contained uncertainty of long-term effects on the human population (p = 0.01). Mean number of shares were significantly lower for videos that contained information on unintended biological effects (p = 0.03), antibiotic resistance, toxicity, allergenicity (p = 0.05), and environmental sustainability (p = 0.03). Further research is needed to determine TikTok influences on consumer food choices.

Food engineers' attitudes and purchasing intentions towards genetically modified organism products.

Background: Biotechnological developments have resulted in the modification of the genetic structures of many organisms. However, the possibility of risks in terms of human health has caused consumers to approach products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with suspicion. Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the attitudes of food engineers towards GMO products and their effects on purchase intentions. Methods: For this purpose, an attitude scale towards GMO products was adapted, and a multivariate regression analysis was performed by applying the adapted questionnaire. Results: It has been determined that the negative attitudes of food engineers towards GMO products and their purchasing intentions have an effect. Attitudes toward the use of gene technology in production were determined with 17% as the most effective dimension of purchase intention, and it was found to have a significant effect (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Overall, it was determined that food engineers were concerned about the potential risk of GMO foods. In order to overcome these concerns, it is thought that eliminating the lack of knowledge of this professional group on gene technology should be planned as a strategic goal.

How does Information Exposure Affect Public Attitudes Toward GMO in China? The mediating and moderating roles of Conspiracy Belief and Knowledge.

BackgroundIn China, controversy about genetically modified organisms (GMO) is ongoing and some regard GMO as a “product of a conspiracy,” which affects people’s attitudes (PAs) toward GMO. Beliefs in conspiracy theories (BCT) are formed from the information that people are exposed to. Information exposure not only constructs a pseudo-environment for individuals to perceive the world, but also generates external stimuli for their mental states and attitudes. People’s objective knowledge and self-assessed knowledge play an important moderating role in this process.MethodThe study adopted the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model, with conspiracy beliefs as mediating variables, to test the mechanism of the independent variable of information exposure on the dependent variable of PAs toward GMO. Objective knowledge and self-assessed knowledge were introduced as moderator variables to explore the different roles of knowledge. A survey of Chinese adults was conducted in February 2022, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to estimate the multi-construct relationships.ResultsInformation exposure was significantly and directly connected with PAs toward GMO. BCT also played a significant mediating role. Unofficial information exposure reinforced beliefs in conspiracy theories. Stronger beliefs in conspiracy theories reduced people’s willingness to consume GMO foods and made them pessimistic about the development prospects of GMO foods. In contrast, exposure to official information weakened people’s beliefs in conspiracy theories and increased their willingness to consume GMO foods. In addition, the level of knowledge had a moderating role. Individual’s objective knowledge can effectively reduce the negative relationship of conspiracy beliefs on attitudes toward GMO development. Conversely, individual’s self-assessed knowledge can enhance the negative relationship of conspiracy beliefs on attitudes toward GMO development.ConclusionBased on psychological and cognitive dimensions, this study provides a new perspective on how information exposure and people’s attitudes toward GMO are related to each other and enriches the variable measurement dimension of knowledge. Simultaneously, it provides a localized explanation of the factors affecting people’s attitudes toward GMO in China, providing a new theoretical basis for the subsequent development strategy of GMO foods.

Determination of the Detection Limit of the Detection of GMO in Food Using the Isothermal Solid-Phase Recombinase Polymerase Amplification on Microfluidic DVDs

A major drawback of the current literature on bioassay development is that these tests are not made using statistically robust methods for establishing the limit of detection. As an alternative, researchers often make use of simple detection-limit methods that are only roughly indicative of the actual detection limit. We can only assume that this is due to a practical need for simplified processes, in addition to the notion that the limit of detection theory has already been lowered to practice for bioassays. A DNA sensor based on light intensity of the scanning laser on a DVD drive with microfluidic layer etched onto the polycarbonate surface of an ordinary DVD has been previously developed for fast screening of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The resultant calibration curve showed a sigmoidal calibration curve but was not modelled according to any of the sigmoidal models available. The objective of this study is the remodel the data using the standard 4-PL model and to determine the Limits of Detection (LOD) based on the standard method. The LOD value obtained through the 4PL modelling exercise based on a pooled standard deviation method yielded an LOD value of 62 mg/g (95% confidence interval of 17 to 158), which was quite similar to the classical three standard deviation of the blank method but was lower than the rough estimation employed in the original publication.

GMO Food Labels Do Not Affect College Student Food Selection, Despite Negative Attitudes towards GMOs.

US Public Law 114–216 dictates that food producers in the United States of America will be required to label foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) starting in 2022; however, there is little empirical evidence demonstrating how U.S. consumers would use food labels that indicate the presence or absence of GMOs. The aim of this two-phase study was to determine how attitudes towards GMOs relate to food choices and how labels indicating the presence or absence of GMOs differentially impact choices among college students—the age group which values transparent food labeling more than any other. Participants (n = 434) made yes/no choices for each of 64 foods. In both phases of the study, participants were randomly assigned to seeing GMO Free labels, contains GMOs labels, or no GMO labels. Across the two phases, 85% of participants reported believing that GMOs were at least somewhat dangerous to health (42% believed GMOs to be dangerous), yet in both studies, although eye-tracking data verified that participants attended to the GMO labels, these labels did not significantly affect food choices. Although college consumers may believe GMOs to be dangerous, their food choices do not reflect this belief.

Hastane çalışanlarının genetiği değiştirilmiş organizma (GDO), farkındalık düzeylerinin belirlenmesi: Sinop örneği

Genetically modified organisms (GMO), or transgenic products, are products formed by changing the gene sequence of the organism, or by transferring a new gene to the organism and giving it a feature that it does not have. The use of these products in the production of vaccines and drugs, in organ transplants and in the treatment of diseases, ensuring the resistance of plants to pests, long shelf life and increasing food quality are positive; allergic reactions, toxic effects, and damage to ecological diversity are negative effects. In the rese-arch, it was aimed to measure the awareness levels of the personnel about GMOs and their effects on human health. In this context, the universe of the research is composed of all public hospitals in Sinop province, and the sample is composed of personnel working in Sinop Atatürk and Gerze State Hospital. The data of the research were obtained through the questionnaire form created and by the face-to-face interview technique and random sampling method. In this context, data obtained from a total of 312 hospital employees were analyzed with the SPSS 21 package program. As a result of the analysis, it has been determined that the level of social awareness of the participants in GMO foods and their awareness about the presence and harm of GMOs in foods is high. In addition, it was determined that there were differences in terms of gender and marital status of participants according to their perception level of research dimensions.

A convenient renewable surface plasmon resonance chip for relative quantification of genetically modified soybean in food and feed.

The cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) continues to expand worldwide. Still, many consumers express concerns about the use of GMO in food or feed, and many countries have legislated on labelling systems to indicate the presence of GMO in commercial products. To deal with the increased number of GMO events and to address related regulations, alternative detection methods for GMO inspection are required. In this work, a genosensor based on Surface Plasmon Resonance under continuous flow was developed for the detection and quantification of a genetically modified soybean (event GTS 40-3-2). In a single chip, the simultaneous detection of the event-specific and the taxon-specific samples were achieved, whose detection limits were 20 pM and 16 pM, respectively. The reproducibility was 1.4%, which supports the use of the chip as a reliable and cost-effective alternative to other DNA-based techniques. The results indicate that the proposed method is a versatile tool for GMO quantification in food and feed samples.

Strategic approaches to communicating with food consumers about genetically modified food

The use of genetically modified (GM) crops for food production is rising. This study surveyed consumers in the Republic of Korea to obtain general insights into their perceptions, knowledge, and use of GM crop-based food, their needs for information about GM foods, their GM food-purchasing intentions, their usual food-purchasing habits, and whether there are groups with particular demographic profiles and stances on GM foods that would benefit most from well-designed public education programs. In total, 1096 adults in the Republic of Korea underwent face-to-face interviews in 2017. The cohort composition was based on recent population data. Only 5.8% had a positive stance on GM foods, while 58.8% perceived GM foods as being risky to human health. While 50.3% thought that they were somewhat to very knowledgeable about GM organisms (GMO), their actual knowledge was low (<25% provided correct answers to three basic questions). Mass media was selected as the most common, powerful, and effective source of information. Experts such as professors and scientists were considered the most credible information sources. The “safety of GMO” was by far the most preferred topic for education. This reflects the huge anxiety of the consumers about GM-food safety. Indeed, a large proportion of consumers (54.7%) said they would avoid purchasing GM foods in the future. Future GM food-purchasing intentions related significantly with attitudes to, risk perception of, and knowledge about GM foods (all p < 0.001). Several target groups may benefit most from effective education programs: the elderly, consumers with a family member with an allergy, asthma, or atopy, people with a negative stance on GM foods and/or who perceive them to be risky, and people who strongly prefer environmentally friendly food. These findings on current consumer attitudes to GM foods will facilitate strategic approaches to educating the public about GMO and GM foods.

What Is "Natural"? Consumer Responses to Selected Ingredients.

Interest in “natural” food has grown enormously over the last decade. Because the United States government has not set a legal definition for the term “natural”, customers have formed their own sensory perceptions and opinions on what constitutes natural. In this study, we examined 20 ingredients to determine what consumers consider to be natural. Using a national database, 630 consumers were sampled (50% male and 50% female) online, and the results were analyzed using percentages and chi-square tests. No ingredient was considered natural by more than 69% of respondents. We found evidence that familiarity may play a major role in consumers’ determination of naturalness. We also found evidence that chemical sounding names and the age of the consumer have an effect on whether an ingredient and potentially a food is considered natural. Interestingly, a preference towards selecting GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods had no significant impact on perceptions of natural.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY RESEARCH FOOD MANUFACTURER AS IMPORTANT FACTOR INCREASING QUALITY OF PRODUCTION

The object of research is the social responsibility of producers for the quality of food. One of the most problematic places is that social responsibility leads away from the fundamental economic role of business. Some argue that this is nothing but an adornment of reality. Others say that this is an attempt to replace the role of government as a controller of powerful multinational corporations. The general scientific methods of cognition (analysis, synthesis, abstraction), generalization methods, system analysis, grouping and comparison, and the method of expert evaluations are used in the work. The research shows that consumers do not have the opportunity to test food for the presence of genetically modified components in them because there are not enough laboratories for determining genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country. Based on which the author of the study concludes that in Ukraine it is critical to create modern laboratories for the study of GMO content. It is recommended to use PCR (polymerase chain reaction) – an experimental method of molecular biology – to determine the concentration of GMOs in food products. This allows a significant increase in the small concentrations of certain fragments of nucleic acid (DNA) in a biological material (sample) – with real-time detection. This method allows to specifically determine the type of GMO and determines its concentration with a certainty of at least 99.95 %. Also recommendations are given on the measures that need to be taken by the state authorities to ensure the quality of food products within the framework of monitoring the level of GMOs: The State Committee for Technical Regulation and Consumer Policy of Ukraine must determine the list of food products for compulsory testing for GMOs. The Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights to initiate the establishment of personal responsibility of enterprise managers for the violation of the Law on the mandatory informing of citizens about the availability of GMOs in food.

Genetically modified foods in the opinion of the second-year students of biology, biotechnology and tourism and recreation of the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce – a preliminary study

Abstract The aim of this work was to assess knowledge of and to identify awareness in second-year students of biology, biotechnology and tourism and recreation, regarding the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food. The analysis of obtained results shows that about 98% of respondents know the concept of GMO and highly appreciate their knowledge of this topic. The main source of knowledge about GMO for the students is the Internet and the University. It is worth noting that 59% of respondents are aware of the use of GMO in food, while more than half do not know how the GMO in food should be labeled. In particular, students of biotechnology showed a distinctive knowledge about GMO. Over half of students of the Jan Kochanowski University in the fields of biology, biotechnology, and tourism and recreation (55%) recognized that the use of GMO poses a threat to human health.

Consumer knowledge about food production systems and their purchasing behavior

Food purchasing behaviors are influenced by a range of factors, including health and the environmental impact of unique food production systems. There is ambiguity about the exact long-term large-scale impact of systems utilizing organic methods, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and conventional farming methods. There is a great deal of variance in consumer knowledge because of this ambiguity. This study aimed to assess consumers’ familiarity with these food production systems, to understand the perceived environmental impact of each, and to assess how different perceptions impact food purchasing. A survey administered to 123 New Jersey residents revealed large levels of uncertainty about perceived environmental impact of conventional foods (26.0%) and GMOs (26.8%), with a smaller number of people expressing uncertainty about organic food impact (14.6%). Consumers who believed organic food was beneficial allowed these beliefs to impact purchasing more often than those who were unsure (H(3) = 21.417, p < 0.01). Similarly, those who believed GMOs were harmful to the environment allowed this belief to impact purchasing more than those who believed they have a beneficial effect (p < 0.05), believe they have no effect (p < 0.01), or are unsure of the effect (H(3) = 37.476, p < 0.01). Overall, beliefs about organic food production impacted purchasing more frequently than beliefs about GMO food production (p < 0.01). These findings indicate a need for greater consumer education to eliminate uncertainty, as strong beliefs about environmental impact may have the ability to influence consumer purchasing decisions.

Analysis of GMO food products companies: financial risks and opportunities in the global agriculture industry

One of the biggest issues facing the global agriculture industry is the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops and food products. This study compares financial performance of major GMO food companies to other industries. Findings indicate that GMO companies had an average higher return on equity but also a higher level of risk. In addition, the study presents positive and negative perspectives toward GMO foods, along with a discussion of the risks and opportunities. Agricultural studies indicate that applying GMO technology is likely the most effective way to feed many of the world's hungry. In addition, research supports the safety and nutritional benefits of GMO food products. However, concerns expressed by GMO opponents have been effective in limiting GMO acceptance by the public. Research indicates that the inconsistency between negative public opinion and positive scientific evidence supporting GMO crops is at least partly the result of misrepresentations about GMOs. The ultimate acceptance or rejection of GMO foods will greatly affect food producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.

Analysis of GMO food products companies: financial risks and opportunities in the global agriculture industry

One of the biggest issues facing the global agriculture industry is the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops and food products. This study compares financial performance of major GMO food companies to other industries. Findings indicate that GMO companies had an average higher return on equity but also a higher level of risk. In addition, the study presents positive and negative perspectives toward GMO foods, along with a discussion of the risks and opportunities. Agricultural studies indicate that applying GMO technology is likely the most effective way to feed many of the world’s hungry. In addition, research supports the safety and nutritional benefits of GMO food products. However, concerns expressed by GMO opponents have been effective in limiting GMO acceptance by the public. Research indicates that the inconsistency between negative public opinion and positive scientific evidence supporting GM crops is at least partly the result of misrepresentations of GMOs. The ultimate acceptance or rejection of GMO foods will greatly affect food producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.

A structural equation model for the analysis of genetically modified foods consumption

Purpose The spread of genetically modified (GM) foodstuffs is related to consumer scepticism in Europe, and particularly in Italy. Consumer scepticism in turn depends on the low level of public knowledge about the health consequences, in terms of risks and benefits, of consuming these GM foods. This paper aims, first and foremost, to investigate the phenomenon of GM foodstuffs consumption in Italy and, then, to construct a statistical model for analysing the Italian habits regarding this consumption. Furthermore, this model allows us to formalize the origins of behaviour regarding GM foodstuffs consumption and to detect the drivers of their purchase. Design/methodology/approach From January 2009 to May 2009, 1,061 public high school students in 25 randomly selected schools of a metropolitan area (Naples, South Italy) were questioned. More precisely, each student was given a questionnaire regarding, in the first part, school cultural characteristics and, then, awareness and GM food consumption. A Likert scale was used to answer the questions. After collecting data, the authors chose to apply structural equation modelling, as it is one of the general and powerful multivariate analysis technique useful to simultaneously analyse and evaluate multivariate hypotheses. Findings The findings showed that GM food consumption by Italian students depended on the knowledge of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and on the impact of this organisms both on human health and the environment. Therefore, in order to help consumers to choose whether or not to eat GM foods, a standardized evaluation system of human health and environmental consequences produced by GMO and GM foods should be created. In particular, the authors introduced a general framework that could help researchers/users to select and assess a hierarchy of the influence of factors on Italian habits regarding the consumption of GM foodstuffs. Originality/value In this research, the authors propose a structural equation model – full formative measurement model – that allows to define the origins of behaviour towards GM food consumption and to detect the drivers of their purchase. Particularly, the authors showed that GM food consumption depended on the knowledge of GMOs and on the impact of the GMOs on human health and the environment.

Successful detection of foreign inserts in transgenic rice TT51-1 (BT63) by RNA-sequencing combined with PCR.

As event-specific sequence information for most unauthorised genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is currently still unavailable, detecting unauthorised GMOs remains challenging. Here, we used insect-resistant rice TT51-1 as an example to develop a novel approach via detecting GMOs by RNA-seq (sequencing) and PCR. RNA-seq of TT51-1 generated 4.8 million (M) 21-nt cDNA tags. Alignment to the Oryza sativa subsp. japonica reference genome revealed 24 098 unmapped tags. Foreign tags from the nopaline synthetic enzyme gene (NOS) terminator and insect-resistant genes were then identified by searching against the NCBI VecScreen and NT databases. To further isolate foreign DNA sequences, putative NOS terminator and insect-resistant gene tags were combined and used directly as primer pairs for long-range PCR, producing a 5016-bp fragment. The inserted DNA sequence of TT51-1 has been submitted to a database, and thus, similarity analysis using the database could identify a test sample. The novel approach has a great potential for application to the detection and identification of unauthorised GMOs in food and feed products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Senate considers GMO food labeling bill

The U.S. Senate was ready to vote on a bill to establish a national standard for labeling foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as C&EN went to press last week. Passage would pave the way for Congress to block states from requiring such labels. If the bill gets Senate approval, lawmakers will need to work out differences between the legislation (S. 764) and a GMO labeling measure (H.R. 1599) passed by the House of Representatives last year. The House bill would establish a voluntary program under the Department of Agriculture to certify that foods do not contain GMOs. The Senate bill, on the other hand, would give companies the option to label products that contain GMOs in one of three ways: text on the packaging, a USDA-designed symbol, or an electronic barcode that consumers could scan with a smartphone to get more information. Both bills would immediately stop states

Data in support of the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and feed samples.

Food and feed samples were randomly collected from different sources, including local and imported materials from the Syrian local market. These included maize, barley, soybean, fresh food samples and raw material. GMO detection was conducted by PCR and nested PCR-based techniques using specific primers for the most used foreign DNA commonly used in genetic transformation procedures, i.e., 35S promoter, T-nos, epsps, cryIA(b) gene and nptII gene.The results revealed for the first time in Syria the presence of GM foods and feeds with glyphosate-resistant trait of P35S promoter and NOS terminator in the imported soybean samples with high frequency (5 out of the 6 imported soybean samples). While, tests showed negative results for the local samples. Also, tests revealed existence of GMOs in two imported maize samples detecting the presence of 35S promoter and nos terminator. Nested PCR results using two sets of primers confirmed our data.The methods applied in the brief data are based on DNA analysis by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This technique is specific, practical, reproducible and sensitive enough to detect up to 0.1% GMO in food and/or feedstuffs. Furthermore, all of the techniques mentioned are economic and can be applied in Syria and other developing countries. For all these reasons, the DNA-based analysis methods were chosen and preferred over protein-based analysis.

Exploitation and progress of GMOs – past, present and future: exciting opportunities or a dead end?

A one-day symposium entitled Genetically modified organisms in horticulture-past, present and future was organized that provided a cross-disciplinary forum for policy makers, scientists and industry from around the world to consider policy issues relevant to the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in horticulture. Currently, many governments offer passive resistance to acceptance of GMO foods because of the starkly contrasting attitudes of stakeholders and in the media. As a result, the symposium has generated this policy paper that can be used to influence policy makers to make informed decisions on this topic in the future.