EU experts’ attitude towards use of GMO in food and feed and other industries

Abstract

This article examines European Union (EU) experts’ attitude towards use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food, feed and other industries with an eye to developing a general model of EU experts’ opinion formation in this area. The gene engineering has seen rapid advances in recent years with a host of new applications in medicine, agriculture, and related fields. Taking into account the history of consumption, social, economic, cultural and other aspects and the risk perception in general regarding these products the consumers’ willingness to buy genetically modified (GM) products varies from country to country as well as attitude of the experts involved in the decision making process. The objective of this study is to investigate opinion and attitude of the EU experts involved in GMO decision making process toward use of GMO in food, feed and other industries. To obtain this objective the relevant aspects have been analyzed using responses to a survey designed to elicit experts’ reaction to various approaches to using of GMO. It is indisputable that the experts have higher level of knowledge about gene engineering technology, and their attitude towards GMO is not extreme as attitude of an average EU consumer. They make decisions based on knowledge, experience and safety of a particular GMO and not on GMO in general.