Biotech foods increasingly acceptable

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS, or biotech foods as they are also known, will most likely become an increasing feature of the Asian diet in light of the region's growing demand for high volumes of quality food, says a Nielsen Company survey commissioned by the Asian Food Information Centre (AFIC). The survey provides insights on how consumers in Asia perceive the use of biotechnology to produce foods and how likely it is consumers are accepting the various benefits biotechnology derived foods may bring. The research was conducted via an on-line survey of more than 1,000 adults in China, India, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea. "This recent survey is one of the few that objectively measures opinions and perceptions of Asian consumers in relation to food biotechnology and can be considered as a benchmark for the region. An important outcome of the survey is that amidst heightened media attention on food concerns, Asian consumers have high confidence in the role food biotechnology can play for future food supply and are open-minded about the various benefits food biotech products can bring," AFIC executive director George Fuller commented. Positive about Potential Benefits Consumers in the food producing countries strongly believe that food biotechnology will bring benefits in the next few years: 73% of consumers in the Philippines believe biotechnology will bring benefits to them or their family in the next 5 years, followed by India (70%) and China (55%). In Japan (71%) and South Korea (45%) consumers are unsure about the future potential of biotech food. Those surveyed were positive about the broad range of potential benefits that biotechnology derived foods can offer, expressed by a high likelihood of buying such products. The most popular benefits are country-dependant and can be linked to the dietary habits and the food sensitivities in each country. Chinese consumers favor nutritionally enhanced soy products (82% are likely to buy such products), followed by reduced pesticides use; Indian consumers indicated freshness and taste as the most important attribute (84% are likely to by tastier and fresher GM tomatoes) followed by less expensive foods; in the Philippines less expensive food such as rice is popular (98% likelihood) followed by products such as healthier cooking oil (reduced in saturated and trans fats). Korean consumers favor cooking oil and foods with a healthier oil profile; 66% and 65% of the consumers respectively indicate they are likely to buy such products. In Japan, freshness and taste are the most preferred benefits. Food Biotechnology and Sustainability Although most Asian consumers are not familiar with the concept of "sustainable food production", once the concept is explained a majority of the consumers believe sustainable food production is important. Asian consumers also largely accept plant biotechnology if the technology contributes to a more sustainable way of producing foods. More than 90% of the consumers surveyed in China, India and the Philippines support food production using plant biotechnology if the technology contributes to sustainable food production. In Japan and South Korea, where local agricultural production is less important and where consumers are more dependant on imported foods, at least two-thirds of those surveyed accept the technology in relation to sustainability. Food Safety Confidence in the safety of the food supply is on average neutral to mildly positive (the survey was conducted from July 15 to August 18, or before the melamine-in-milk tainting scandal erupted in China ?Editor). More accurate food labels seem to be critical in order to increase the consumer confidence level in food safety.Air Max 1 Ultra Flyknit