Consumers and new food technologies

doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2010.09.001

Trends in Food Science & Technology

Volume 22, Issues 2–3, March 2011, Pages 99-111

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2010.09.001 Get rights and content

This paper aims to describe the current landscape in Europe within which emerging food technologies are developed and applied, and to give insights from other parts of the world. Consumers’ attitudes towards emerging food technologies are described, with a focus on five case-studies; nanotechnology, genetic modification, nutrigenomics, food irradiation and animal cloning. Stakeholders’ opinions specifically on nanotechnology are also discussed taking into account a recent European consultation. The factors that shape consumers’ views such as perceptions, knowledge and information, trust and socio-demographic attributes that influence consumers’ views, are also included.

Introduction

The last two decades have seen considerable research and development efforts dedicated to new food technologies. The “Flavr Savr” tomato (the first genetically modified (GM) food developed in 1994) and the birth of Dolly the sheep (the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell developed in 1996) are some of the well-known examples that gave rise to much debate and controversy in the media when they were first developed. Nowadays, consumers are exposed to several applications of emerging technologies such as GM maize in Spain and irradiated poultry meat in the Netherlands. However, even if a variety of food ingredients and food contact materials derived from new food technologies are already available in some European countries, the application is at an early stage and is widely expected to grow.

One of the reasons for such interest in new food technologies is the anticipated range of benefits they can bring to the consumer and the food sector. The reported advantages include safer, healthier more nutritious foods using less energy, water and chemicals and producing less waste. However, the toxicological nature of hazard, likelihood of exposure and risk to consumers from some new food technologies are largely unknown (Chaudhry et al., 2008).

The first part of this paper is concerned with consumers’ awareness and attitudes towards new food technologies in general. Since consumers’ reactions to new food technologies are not a one-dimensional relationship, several aspects of this relationship are also explored such as risk-benefit perceptions, knowledge and information, trust and socio-demographic attributes. The second part will focus on five case studies, namely nanotechnology, genetic modification, nutrigenomics, food irradiation and animal cloning. There is a particular emphasis on nanotechnology, and European stakeholders’ opinions from a recent open consultation on nanotechnology are presented. This paper concludes with a discussion about the opportunity for stakeholders and policy-makers to involve the public in the new food technology debate and the potential for effective food risk/benefit communication. This paper should be considered as a general overview of the current research on this topic and not as an exhaustive literature review.

Section snippets

Emerging food technologies

In Europe, the use of novel foods or novel food ingredients and their placing on the market within the Community was first defined by the Regulation (EC) No 258/97. In this legislation, novel foods or food ingredients are defined as foods or ingredients containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs); with a new or intentionally modified primary molecular structure; consisting of or isolated from micro-organisms, fungi or algae, plants or animals not obtained by traditional

Case studies

The acceptance of emerging food technology varies depending on the technology and across the EU Member States (Gaskell, 2000), so that in-depth understanding of the relationship between the consumer and one specific technology should be tackled on a case-by-case basis. In this section, five novel food technologies are considered; nanotechnology, genetic modification, nutrigenomics, food irradiation, animal cloning. It should be noted that there is not the same amount of material available for

Conclusion & recommendations

This paper shows that many factors affect consumer attitudes and acceptance of novel food technologies and their applications. Whilst waiting for a full understanding of these technologies, some actions can be taken to increase public awareness and acceptance. Understanding consumer perceptions and the role of socio-demographic attributes on the acceptance of new technologies are key for policy-makers to formulate meaningful regulations, particularly in Europe where opinions vary considerably

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ReviewConsumers and new food technologies

Introduction

Section snippets

Emerging food technologies

Case studies

Conclusion & recommendations

Trends in Biotechnology

Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies

Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies

Food Policy

Appetite

Food Quality and Preference

Food and Chemical Toxicology

Food Policy

Appetite

Appetite

Hospitality Management

Appetite

Trends in Food Science & Technology

Appetite

Appetite

Trends in Food Science & Technology

Food Quality and Preference

Biotechnology Advances

Welcome package on food safety

What have we learnt from 25 years of PUS research – liberating and widening the agenda

Public Understanding of Science

The dramatisation of biotechnology in the elite mass media

Consumer attitudes and decision-making with regard to genetically engineered food products. A review of the literature and a presentation of models for future research

Journal of Consumer Policy

Consumer acceptance of food innovations

Innovation: Management. Policy & Practice

Community leader response to educational information about biotechnology

Journal of Food Science

Starting on the right foot: Public consultation to inform issue definition in genome policy (No. DEG 002)

Report from the workshop: communication outreach in nanotechnology: from recommendations to action (Brussels, 24–25 October, 2007)

Applications and implications of nanotechnologies for the food sector

Food Additives and Contaminants

European Commission framework 6. Do European consumers buy GM foods? Final report. Framework 6. Instrument: 5.4.3 area: impact of food on health, thematic priority: 5 food quality and safety

Consumer acceptance of genetically modified food products in the developing world

AgBioForum

Nanomaterials in consumer products

Consumer acceptance of irradiated foods: dawn of a new era?

Food Service Technology

Submissions scientific hearing on nanotechnology

Social values, science and technology

Special eurobarometer 244b/Wave 64.3: Europeans and biotechnology in 2005: Patterns and trends

Risk issues. Special eurobarometer 238/Wave 64.1

Europeans’ attitudes towards animal cloning, analytical report

Report on food irradiation for the year 2005 (2007/C 122/03)

Official Journal of the European Union

Europeans, science and technology

The influence of religion on attitudes towards the advertising of controversial products

European Journal of Marketing

An evidence review of public attitudes to emerging food technologies

U.S. grocery shopper trends

Irradiation

Review
Consumers and new food technologies